The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-03
THE ELCHO SHIELD.

THE GREAT VICTORY OF THE IRISH RHLEMEN
At wrdBLEDoN-DEFRAT OF THE ENGLISH
AND SCOTCH MARKsMEN-A VERY CLOSE
coNTEsT-1, SOC, 1903, 1,5O2-AMERIcAN
SYMPATHY WITH THE vIcToRs-THE LOGIC
OF EVENTS.
Wimbledon duly 22-Nlghtl correspondence OF
the Dublin Freeman.l
Ireland and Irish rinemen have once moro
reason for proud feelings over the match for the
Elcho Shield to-day. in which, alter one Of the
most brilliant contests Wimbledon has yet wit
messed Tor this famous trophy, the need OF VIC
tory was accorded, as the fair ana Just reward OF
the superior shooting skill shown, to the irish
marksmen.
THE MORALE OF THE VICTORY.
Purely IN a technical sense alone 1t was fair
display of shooting AGILITY all round, though the
closeness OF the final scores gives to the van
pushed the honor OF feeling that though in
actual figures they may rank as second and third
In shooting ability, the distinction between the
teams is insignificant. Fifteen hundred out Of
the possible 1900 team aggregate, or nearly
eighty-nve per cent or perfection, about as near
as could be larly expected oil any set Of eight men.
The match had been set down for eleven O'Clock
~ NJ, and at that time ali The men were at hanu
ready Tor work. This matca seemed TO be a
III being exempt from the strict rules requiring
the non-interference OF outsiders in the matches
AT THE EIGHT HUNDRED YARDS FIRING POINT,
where the battle opened, tents bad been erected,
one for each team, and otherwise care had been
exercised III providing many little conveniences.
Chairs, tables, mats, &C., were there. The long
range iron targets were IN use, TO II, or elght
In ALL or these and r were dummy. or horS de
combat as not being needed, red disc being
placed over the bull's-eye 10 prevent any conlu-
sion resulting 10 the competitors. This arrange
ment left three groups or couples OF targets,
ana forming one ser, and Il another group,
and TO the extreme right, and IL. This was
very admirable arrangement q set OF TWO being
taxing the lett couple, and b; the Irish rilemen
being placed IN the centre while the Engllsa oc-
cupled the right wing and targets.
FOUR MEN WERE PLACED ON EACH TARGET,
or about as many as could readily be accommo-
dated aud permit the shooting 10 go on without
undue haste dilatorlness.
STATE OF THE WEATHER.
The firing opened under wind blowing In a
sntai! direction directly from the right and nearly
down the range-a one O'Clock wind, in rldemen's
parance. The sun 81 tins stage OF the days WORK
was shining ouI bright ana clear and it was
thought by the most sangulne that the day was
he a fine lot summers day and Tor a time the
beams came down rather scorcn!ngly. Under
these conditions the Elcho Shield competitor OF
1875 opened.
THE STYLE OF SHOOTING
OF the several teams deserves word or TWO OF
notice ana comment.
The ScoIcnmen, In their bonnets or caps. were
grouped III "A close UuHCIl, heepluR up u semDlaQeS
OF mutual help IN That they gave and TOOK hints
one from the Otner. they were IN this simply car.
rylng out their natural clannshness did not
seem TO go at their work with any nXeu plan.
The English team, on the other flank, were a
set oil lree and independent atoms. each man
Tor himself" was the motto carried out and any
help passed from one to another was by mere
cldent. and more In the way Of friendship than
with any preconcerted Plan OF discipline effort
toward nXed end.
or the irish team word or TWO Of explain alton
are necessary Tney had made no special arrange
ments Tor the day but the American rifemen,
well 10 witness the match as 70 AFFORD some recon-
pense TO the Irish team for the defeat at Dolly
10 the utmost OF their power. To this end Major
Futon and Captain Coleman were provided with
long, powerful telescopes one either end OF the
irish targets. Besides these two American gen.
tlemen sat Others OF the American gentlemen ont
OF harness, put taking the keenest note OF every
point Affecting the scores pro con. Colonel Gil
dersleeve and Captain Bruce filed these POSITIONS
and were PROVIDED with cards, on which were in
scrlbed the names OF the rlflemen and spaces for
the record OF each and every shot nred, OF the
wind gauge and Observation-Disclosures the man at the
telescope-a small target in fact, the same
style used in the International match py the
Americans themselves.
A WATERLOO ON ENGLISH SOIL.
The victory is all the better Tor It's closeness,
Just as Waterloo, "1rst OF battlesD was dubious
IN the extreme until the eleventh hour.
l,506. 1903. l,502
These are the numbers and the nations are
IrisA Scotch and English. Tne worst are ouly
iour under the pest and the Scotch are but three
points behind.
Inc following are