3-043-819 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Canadian Rifles at Wimbledon, [south-west London], 1872. Meeting of the National Rifle Association on Wimbledon Common: '...eight Canadians against eight men of Old England and Scotland in the contest for the Rajah of Kolapore's Challenge Cup...to be contended for every year by one team of British riflemen and one from each or any of the colonies or the Indian provinces of the British empire...Captain Field, H.A.C., the captain of the mother-country team, chose the best scorers in the three international teams that recently shot off at Edinburgh; while Major Worsley, officer in command of the Canadians,...[chose] eight men who have performed a feat little anticipated, and who deserve all the glory they will no doubt receive on their return to Canada. The match was shot in pairs, one of our champions and one of the Canadians shooting alternately at the same target. At 200 yards it was off shoulder, and it was noticed that the Canadians adhered much more closely to the Hythe or military form in position. At the other ranges nearly all the competitors used the prone position. Though the match was begun in the presence only of a few friends of the Canadians, towards the close many spectators watched the shooting with ever-increasing interest'. From "Illustrated London News", 1872.