Some Wfmblcfcon forces 6 49 



he was the life and soul of that contest. He was looked 

 up to by every frequenter of Wimbledon and Bislcy as 

 the greatest living authority on rifle-shooting, and he 

 was always ready to impart his knowledge to anyone 

 who consulted him. There was ever a kindly greeting 

 awaiting all riflemen who called for advice or infor- 

 mation at the little bungalow which Sir Henry shared 

 with his friend Mr. Metford. And many a rifleman, 

 I am sure, as he visits Bisley for the annual shoot, 

 feels a keen pang of regret at the thought that the 

 stalwart English form and the firm, resolute English 

 face of Sir Henry Halford will be seen at the great 

 National Wapenschaw no more. 



Another notable marksman whose figure comes up to 

 my mind's eye as I look back over the past is Captain 

 Heaton, of Manchester, a smart, clever, keen-eyed man, 

 who had few superiors as a small-bore shot. As far 

 back as 1862 I remember the sensation he caused by 

 putting in a highest possible of seven consecutive bulls 

 at 600 yards with a Henry rifle for the Association 

 Cup ; it was thought a great feat in those days. But 

 Captain Heaton performed many greater feats than 

 that in subsequent years, as the records of the scores 

 for the Elcho Shield indubitably prove. 



An early marksman of note, who, but for his 

 premature death, would have made a great name for 

 himself among rifle-shots, was Captain Robertson, of 

 Perthshire, who won the Prince of Wales's Prize in 

 1861. I have never seen a better judge of distance 

 or a deadlier shot at sea birds with a rifle. I have 

 seen him hit single gulls or divers on the water, or 



