The Band of the 4th Artillery had a Musical Promenade in Mr. Robertson’s beautiful grounds on the 5th of July, for its own benefit, by permission of the officers of the corps and the generous owner of the ground.
Artillery Promotions. The following were Gazetted on July 2nd and 5th:- Captain Edward William Venables Vernon-Harcourt to be Major; First Lieut. Charles Elphinstone Dalrymple, to be Captain, June 26th. George Scrivens to be Supernumerary-Lieutenant; John Starkey to be Supernumerary Lieut.; Honorary Assistant-Surgeon Frederic Ticehurst, to be Surgeon; July 23.
Rifle Prize Fête. Said the Hastings News of Aug. 23rd, “For a third season the Rifle Volunteers of Hastings have met their brothers-in-arms in a friendly contest of skill at their shooting ground in the pretty valley of Ecclesbourne. From the humble origin of a fraternal competition with the members of the now defunct corps of a sister Cinque Port, within a few months after the formation of the corps two years since, our annual competition has assumed an importance not inferior to that of any prize meeting in the district. Last year there were three matches only, one of them being open to all volunteers. The programme for the contest now under notice had extended, so that it included three matches for volunteers, one for ‘all services’, and two for all ‘comers’; the prize money amounting to more than £70. Whether the fame and spirit of Hastings, with regard to volunteering had spread over the land like the knowledge of some of its characteristics of old, we know not; but indications were apparent on the day preceding and the morning of the contest (taking as a test the volunteers in uniform or gentlemen in private attire bearing rifles who were seen to arrive by train or to be making their way towards the East Hill), that the hopes we expressed concerning these contests last year would be carried out, and that the shooters would be more than usually numerous. Nor did the events of Tuesday [Aug. 20] do other than fulfil these expectations; for so numerous were the entries that it was impossible to fire off more than four of the six matches on the card. – Thus much of the preliminary remarks in the Hastings News, the rest being extracted from the St. Leonards Gazette:- The Hastings corps, in command of Lieut. Rock and Ensign Cooper, headed by their military and semi-military bands, arrived on the ground in good time, and very shortly afterwards the heights commanding a view of the contest were taken possession of by a numerous public, a large portion of whom appeared to take a lively interest in the proceedings. The fenced-in ground was effectually guarded against the unprivileged by the borough and county police, under the direction of Superintendents Glenister and Jeffery. At a later period of the day, also, when the long-range -
