Official Trial Of Small-Bore Rifles On Plumstead Marshes: The Rifle-Rest

Official trial of small-bore rifles on Plumstead Marshes: the rifle-rest, 1862. 'At the Royal Laboratory practice-range of Woolwich Arsenal number of gunmakers of celebrity were present, either in person or by a representative - namely, Mr. Joseph Whitworth, Mr. John Rigby, Mr. Charles Ingram, Mr. Edward Burdett for Mr. Thomas Turner, Mr. William Terry, and Mr. Alexander Henry...[They] went through a course of firing, commencing over a range of 500 yards, for the purpose of enabling the National Rifle Association to determine the rifle with which the second stage of the Queen's prize shall be competed for on Wimbledon Common this year...The firing was exceedingly good, notwithstanding the severity of the north-easterly wind, which blew across the range and seriously damaged the effect...A delay of about two hours however occurred in the discussion of various matters connected with the mode of firing, and it was complained by other competitors that Mr. Whitworth was acting in contravention to the regulations by making the slightest alteration in the elevation of his rest and it was also alleged that Mr. Whitworth had been allowed more trial shots than other competitors...'. From "Illustrated London News", 1862. Creator: Unknown. (Photo by The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images)