The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-14
THE RIFLE MATCH.
Preparations in Ireland for the
Coming Contest.
THE TOPIC AMONG THE PEOPLE
Description OF the Ground Sc
lected for the Match.
DUBLIN, NAV /, 1875.


The yanquished irish eight-pubhc attention IS
becoming daily more aroused TO the interest and
importance OF the event. II Is a recognized topic
OF conversation among all classes, with ladies
well as gentlemen. Animated DISCUSSIONS may be
constantly heard IN raliway ana tram cars in ball
rooms and theatres-in TACT, wherever naif dozen
people meet, as TO now the time will be filed mp.
Every moment OF a whole fortnight cannot be de-
voted TO shooting and there IL q universal wish
mat arrangements shall De made which will en-
able the American gentlemen VINO are about to
visit the country to see IL under the most favor
able circumstances.
SELECTING A PLACE.
But, after all, the shooting Is the cause and OBJ
feet, the motive and the END OF the visit and
everything connected with 1t must. for the time
Al least, be paramount. Foremost among the mat
tiers connected with The contest was the selection
OF proper place. and it surprising that this
engaged for a considerable time the serious aLten-
ton OF the persons on whom the choice oeyolved.
Various localities in Ireland solicited the honor
OF being the scene OF what is sure TO be a memoir
able event. but the choice became soon narrowed
10 three places. There was the Phoenix Park,
almost in Dublin itself, where the Lord Lieuten-
ant resides during the summer, and where all
military reviews are held But IL would not be
easy 10 find within this noble park q level space
1000 1900 yards long and sufficiently free from
obstacles. At least such q space could not be
fenced OF for The purposes OF a rne range without
much Inconvenience. The next place was the
Murroe OF wicklow, long, moderately wide belt
o. sand running nortnward from the town OF
wicklow along the seashore. Tnis is the ride
range OF the wicklow Shooting Cno. But it mas
many drawbacks. II Is twenty-eight miles dis
tant from Duonn ana the railway service is not
the most excellent. while IL would not be possible
10 provide suitable accommodation in tne neigh
borhood for 1.-THE OF the persons likely TO be per
sonaly interested In the shooting matches. IL is
cut up Dy a stream which irreguary crosses the
ground and spreads itself out nere and there into
0 marsh. II is toe near the railway 10 make the
firing perfectly sale. SO the chances OF the Muir
roe or wicklow speedily vanished and all voices
agreed in selecting the Nortn Bull, near Dublin.
THE GROUND SELECTED FOR THE INTERNATIONAL
RIFLE CONTEST.
The "North Bulln ls low, sandy down. elevated
above the surrounding slob on the northern side
Of Dublin Bay There Is corresponding prom
inence at the south side OF the entrance
TO the channel, but II is notably smaller than
tLs northern fellow rms North Bull Is about
one mile and three quarters IN length, og about
$50 yards IN ITS WIDEST part, and IL IN
nortneasterly direction, almost parable, 10 the
northern shore or the bay, rom which II Is divided
by a channel OF about 500 to 900 yards across
which at low water Is almost bare. The "BnIlr
hes little beyond Clontart opposite Doliymount,
1t q distance OF two and half miles from the
Dublln General Post once. Tram cars run
out there from Dublin, and the whole neighUor-
hood very picturesque The whole line or
roast and the Bull Itself is memorable place in
irish history, being the scene o. the great battle
fought py Brian Borolmne, the monarch OF Ireland,
on Good Friday, 1914 winch put an end 70 the
Danish rover IN the ISLAND. This battle has sGg
Eested the suDJeci OF Gray's wen known ode. the
Fatal SISTERS" me Bull IL connected with the
shore by causeway and brldge; the causeway,
Known the "Bu Wall. y Is continued IN a south
southeast direction TOWARD the mouth or the river
and was erected manly with the view or deepen.
ing the river channel, Dy preventing the extension
o. the sloo which, al low water, Is 81 immense ex
tent
" divided along It's eniire length into two strips
Of nearly equai Dimensions The northern side Is
lever pateh, rising gradually from tue waters
edge, or rather out Of toe sioo 70 an elevation at
It's highest point OF about twenty-five ieet above
nigh wafeT marx. Tne maps marx this DOr-
ton as liable TO be covered by extraor.
binary high TIDES, but NJ sucn casualty
century. Il u.s. however, worth observing ere
that the Run mas not always been see IL
shape aud consistency during tue hives or tue
younger men Of the present generation. u any
one VII look az the Ordnance survey map 81 tortr
uT Bye-and-thiry years ago, prepared by SIR
Thomas Lar ON, Of the Royal Engineers, ne Will
less than naf the area which u now holds rs
own. ana even this contracted space could on,
rather 70 me category OF marshy swamp. What
- nov the farther or northeastern porGon ol the
BGl was then almost entirely covered even AZ
low water ana the size three eminences ap-
rear, which are marked on the map a. ISLANDS,
Those "islanusn have disappeared. rather
have been annexed by the Bnl which, Il it con-
tinues 20 progress at the same pace during the
next haif century, Will, BY the cad ~ that feriod
nave joined tue mainland ~ sutton. IL j.
known that tue coast about Dublin Bay -
slowly rising; but the rate OF this secular eleva.
ton IS much toC slow 70 account ior the remark
able increase Of the Bull. TINS seems nanny at
and consequent receding OF the tide. II - not 50
much iresn territory won by the land from me
s.a as useless area surrendered by me sea be.
cause II could no longer cover u with Its tides.
The southern side Of the Bun mainly com
posed o. series OF rolling sand hills, tue highest
twenty feet above the level OF the northern
plateau. narrow fringe Of white strand runs all
aong thls southern SIDE Inc northern plateau
is covered with a short coarse grass. mixed with
moss ana IN some places patches OF lchens APP
pear. Rough a. the nerblge Is u appears TO bc
rcnshed ~ the small herds OF cattle that usually
tenant the Bull. Among the sand hills there i
scarcely any vegetation even tne slender reeds
wnlcn are usually found sucn situations
seeming 20 hnd difnculty in obtainIng root
sand hills are IN one way at least, a boon From
the position Of the Bun It Will be seen tha: sea
ward i Is quite unprotected aad Is exposed 10 the
cast and southeast WINDS which prevail IA Dublin
Bay and us neighborhood. Those winds would
quite rake the plateau ont for the nterpOsItion OF
tne sand hills, which shelter IL al along It's south
east euge ana break AZ least the yolence o. the
blast. although they arc not nigh enough 70 quite
gard y %.
NATURAL RIFLE GROUND.
From the foregoing aescrIpti n X VIII lie seen
thar the Bun ~ n natural rfne grOdnd. n il
piece u natural waste land, unavailable FOR tiaVe
ur any ordinary purposes OF husbdndry, lying
quite close 70 the metropolis and yet sufficiently
removed ron tie main land 70 render the WIDEST
shooting OF the most INEXPERIENCED member VI Tue
AWKWARD squad perfectly Innocuuus. Among
the laps TIE sand nils Twin one exception, 20
be presently referred to no spaces suElcently
open Tor even short ranges can De found. So the
plateau IS pointed out by the conformation u the
locality as the exercise grOund-aud canttai
place " ~ FOR the purpose. the snort sward gives
exceIent lOOth0ld for thgse wnO sfanu, anu A. a
carpet spread Dy nature for tG0se VINO prefer 70
ne whie hrlng. there Is scarce an unduiation ~
dlsfact the calculation ~ anT mdrksman, Wnle
the isolated position guarantees almost absolute
immunity rom accident, IL Is not surprising that
the Dublin Rifle ClHp should nave selected u aS
N. 20