Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-08-12
The Rifle in England and America.


The approaching international rifle con-
test between Ireland and America has
naturally given great impulse to rifle
shooting in this country. The targets at
Creedmore are now in almost daily use,
ami the scores which have been made are
on the whole satisfactory 1t is very diff
cult, indeed well-nigh impossible. to de-
eide upon the respective merits or scores
made at different times and under different
circumstances. The lifie has been devel-
oped to so high a pitch of excellence, the
sighting is so delicate, and so much de-
pends upon the weight of the weapon, its
length. its bore and its balance, that unless
men shoot under identical conditions, the
best Judge in these matters is likely to be .
deceived In these days of long ranges, ,
| the force and direction Of the wind, the :
density of the atmosphere, the formation
of the ground, the condition of the light. j
must be most carefully considered by the !,
skillful marksmtn. A bulls eye is a mere
speck ut a dist ,nce of one thousand yards.
AMI Il deviation of a hairs breadth in the /
direction of the rifle means future.
Experience is perhaps the most impor-
tant requisite for a COOL marksm IN, and 1t
is in experience thtt the Irish tenn Wilt
have great advantage over the representa-
II
that the Americ ms have been practising
over the range at which the actual m itch
will occur and they will therefore be more
conversant with the p4cularCles of that
particular groun | than tn .ir alversaries;
but we do not think that this knowledge
will give them any great advantage. 1t
may. indeed prove positively disadvantl-
ge0us to them. Rifle ranges, in their
main essentials, are the same everywhere.
No range is exactly the same on two sue
cessive days. As we have said, the wind,
the sun and the atmosphere all exert their
influence. 1t is probable. therefore, that
the man who has shot over the greatest
number of ranges, under the most widely
lifftring conditions, will prove to be the
best iudge of the effect of those conditions.
The Irish rihemen who are about to pty
rs visit, have doubtless shot in nearly all
parts of the United Kingdom, and will be
in no way Inconvenience by any peculiar
tiles in the external surroundings OF the
range This is proved by their recent
performance at Wimbledon, England.
They were indeed defeated by both the
English and Scotch teams, but their defeat
was an honorable one, and the match, if it
could be shot over again, might have
very different result. At the min hundred
wards range they defeated the English
team, although the latter succeeded in max
inc u greater score at the other ranges
while at the one thousand yards range
they were only five points behind the
Scotch team, who were the winners of the
match.
The scores of the three teams, which we
published Yesterday, are chiefly remarkable
Is exhibits of steady shooting throughout.
Scotland had the highest individual scorer
in Clark, but Radcliffe, of England, was
only one behind him, and two of the
Irish team made higher scores than SIX OF
the Englishmen did. 1t is also remark
able that the Scotchmen, who were far
ahead at the eight hundred and nine hun
dred yards ranges, appear to have been
more nervous than the Englishmen, who
are at the one thousand yards range, actu-
l ally defeated the final conquerors by tif-
l teen points. Another curious instance of
: the uncertainties of rifle shooting may be
found in the fact that when Atkinson and
D Rae shot off their tie TOR the Queens prize.
. the former made two bulls eyes and CEN
/ tire at one thousand yards, whil9 the latter
3. missed the target altogether. This Won
2 derful failure on the part of such marks
: man as Rae is supposed to have been due
2 to a sudden increase in the strength OF the
n wind. for which he did not make sufficient
n allowance The third man in the contest
4 did not miss the target once at any range.
# Although we earnestly hope for the sue
t cess of America in the approaching strug-
u ole. and know that she will do her best to
It ieserye it. we are afraid that the chances
|, are against her Those who have read
= the account of the meeting at Wimbledon
{ in the English papers, will understand why
) the general shooting is so good. The
iSs ,,,,l--,,, a,l
most innumerable, and as natural result
+ marksmen attend from all parts of the
e country and from all ranks of society.
a The winner of the Queens prize is II me-
d chanic from Durham, and bore away the
1t trophy from lawyers, scholars, merchants
d and peers of the realm. The House OF
e Lords was defeated by the House of Com
IS mons. and the son-in-law of the Queen, the
e MARQUIS of Lorne, was among the van
II auished. Even school-Doys in England
il learn to use IL rifle and to Use it well. The
Il public school match at Wimbledon is one
?; of the of the most interesting on the pro-
n gramme. This wear it was won by Marl-
le borough. aftera close and exciting contest
and in other years by EtOn, Rossal, Har-
4 row and Cheltenhlm. a visit to the great
ID camp ut Wimbledon must always be In
.d teresting even to persons VINO Know noth
inc and care less about rifle shooting. The
&c scene is thoroughly cosmopolitan. Peers
t. and peasants, miliOnaires and mechanics
lie prey-headed men and boys, University
W men and ex-charity boys stand or lie
re shoulder to shoulder, and strive for pre-
5. eminence. There is no jealousy or i'll
g feeling To be good shot is, at Wimble
ri don, to be a great man. Rifle-shooting i:
the business of the hour, and the vanquish
ed. in their admiration of the winner for
get their own disappointment.
he We hope that before many years arr
l over. Wimble Ion NAV be re .)eated at Creed
moor. There is no reason why an annua
meeting should not be us successful at on
place IS the other. Rifle-shooting is
manly and exciting sport. to say nothing
of its Importance in national point o
view. Temperance, patience and perSe
verance are necessary to ensure success II
V this as in other physical exercise and thes
ed are the very qualities which are IN yout
X most important. We hope that the al
nd will be encouraged here as it has been else
We where, and that it will not hereafter b
IL necessary to 90 to the backwoods to fin
Ill the marksmen who once made Americ
on famous.
~ The PLANK THAT BEARS" Come,
- said a minister to his congregation, com
W with me TO the edge on the vast ocear
az How still the waters are! There is not
ed ripple Oh the seattle waves scarcel
ed tremble-how fearfully quiet! Surely, TIL
sts is the calm before the hurricane! What
he dark cloud gathers. See that vivid fias
on of lightning. Hark!-'t Is distant peal
an thunder! Now the storm awakes and rage
ed the waves los9 'iiu io''Ai ~ ;;
a the dark waters, that vessel laoorlng
cor the storm, How she rushes on! Breaker
N ahead, Breakers ahead! Heard you thu
~ ca.rG,l crnsh, She has dashed upon th