The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-07-09
VICTORY ATDOLLYMouyT

! The victory OF the American rifiemen
at DOllymOunt is peculiarly gratifying
TO Americans, because it is in the field Of
physical qualities and open-air exercises
ia which the better classes of the Eng
lish and Irish claim superiority, and in
which they have notion that the Amer
leans are inferior and degenerating 1t
evens up the victory of the Oxford Boat
Crew won over the Harvard on the
Thames-a trial which the Harvards
ought to have the chance to renew in
American waters. This, with the feat
| performed by Paul Boynton, in SWIM
ming fIom France to England, have
stuck two tall feathers in the American
cap, in the line of physical performance
this year. 1t is the more gratifying in
asmuch as the shooting of the Ameri-
cans was done with American guns,
while that OF the Irish Team was with
English guns, and BOyntOn's marine
dress is an American invention.
The shooting of both parties was won
derful. There were three trials at the
respective ranges of 500, 800, and ], 900
yards The target was six feet high by
twelve feet wide. The ''bulrs eye" was
a spot of three feet square; around this
was square OF six feet. Shots in the
bulI's-eye counted four; in the central
square three; outside of this two. The
first range, of 800 yards or 2, 400 feet, is
equal to the distance on Fourth street
from Main street to Central aveLue.
The 1000 yards range is equal to the
distance from Central avenue to the
middle of the block between Sycamore
street and Broadway.
No fixed rest was allowed, but the
rifleman might rest his gun as he pleased
on his own person. All lay on the
gound, some on the back, and some on
the belly. At this great range of three
fifths of a mile Mr. James Wilson,
the highest of the Irish ''team," planted
eleyen of his fifteen shots in the bulls
eye, three in the central square near to
the bulls eye, and one outside. Col.
GilderSleeve, the highest of the Ameri-
can Team, placed eight shots in the
bulrs-eye, six in the central square, and
one outside.
The lowest score of the Irish Team
was hy ]. G. Miner, 5 in the bull's-eye,
in the central square, and 3 that missed
the target. The lowest score by the
Americans was by Major Fulton, s in
the bulrs-eye. 4 i'll the central square, l
outside, and misses. The Irish scored
respectively 55, So, 81, 50, 40, 41-299.
The Americans scored 80, 81, 81, 81, 50,
4G-303. The result was very close.
The American team was more even than
the Irish. As to the effect of the Irish
uproar on the nerves of the rihemen, it
might be supposed that it would be
greater on the strangers than on those
to the Irish manner born. 1t is likely
that the sense of losing chances had
more effect. But nerve is the very quail
ity that is put to the test by these trials.
But the shooting on both sides was
wonderful, and displayed a steadiness
of nerve and reach and trueneSs of eye
which would not have been believed
possible before these demonstrations.
The manner of both parties were also
creditable to them and to their respect
We countries. Their shooting seems to
show that ia the midst of the bounteOus
hospitality which welcomed the Ameri-
cans, the riflemen preserved self-de-
NAL
This proof of the American guns is
testimony to what American mechanical
genius can do for our army, when army
class exelusiveness shall cease to keep
our armament behind the age, as it has
done for the last twenty years. The
exercise and art of target shooting are
manly, aud are in the line of training for
the public defense. The movement
which these rifle matches have started is
n good one in many ways. 1t is to be
hoped that it will do away with tue poor
art and unmanly sport of shooting net
ted pigeons from a Cincinnati
Gazette.