The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-15
OUR RIFLEMEN ABROAD.

Hopes have been entertained by our rifle
men that by some means match would be
arranged between our team and the English
shots, but we learn from late dispatches that
no such result is to be effected. It appears
that the Americ m Team determined previous
to their departure from New York not to engage
in more than one team match on the other
side of the Atlantic. The proposition from
the English Rifle Association was, that the
Americans should shoot against team COM
posed of the best shots of the United King
dom. No purely English team ever offered
competition; and even now Lord Wharncffe,
the President of the National Rifle Association,
says he 'feels the time for selecting the English
eight is so short that the United Kingdom will
| hardly be able to produce its best Shots" and
| SO under no circumstances can there be a
match between England and America. The
match which is to take place at Wimbledon
this week, for the Albert cup, will, however,
afford the Americans an opportunity of test
ing their individual skill against representa-
tive rfemen from all parts of the United
Kingdom, as the match is open to all corners.
As an evidence of the estimation in which
our rifemen are held in Ireland, we append
the following letter from Mr.. Hamilton, of
the Irish team, to the London Standard, and
replying to newspaper criticisms:
LONDON, July 10, 1875.-Mr. Hamilton, of
the Irish team, writes to the Standard endors-
ing MIR. Parsons letter of yesterday in reply
to newspaper criticisms.
He says: 81 have shot against the American
team, both in the United States and Ireland
can say with confidence there never has been
any team in this country able to beat them.
don't mean We have not as good individ ual
shots, but their organization is simply perfect.
Discipline will always beat superior indi-
vidual strength in such contests. The men,
bers Of the American team have shot together
for over a year. If one member by acct
dent gets off the target, another is able at once
to put him on again. Col. Glldersleeve has
assured me that men only win by the minutest
trife.
In America the Irish made higher score
than the best they ever made for the Elcho
Shields, and yet although it is true by ac-
cident, were beaten. The following week,
when competing for individual prizes they
made ffty-two points more than the Americans
over the same course. The Irish score at
Dollymount on June 20 was again better than
any they ever made for the Elcho Shields,
while the Americans averaged 161. 16, which
is higher than the best individual score ever
made at Wimbledon. Yet in the Abercorn
cup match for the selection of the Irish eight |
six Irishmen headed the list, the Americans |
following at long intervals"
If success attends our team at Wimbledon, |
their tour will have been grand and COM
plete success indeed. Successful net only in |
their shooting, but in affording ample oppor-
tunity for the expression of the mutual kind
ly feeling which exists between the two coun-
tries, and we trust the future may we'll bear
out the kind words of good will which have
been spoken on either side