New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-07-28
THE AMERICAN TEAM.
ARRIVAL AT WIMBLEDON.

WET NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. VISIT TO PARIS.
iyRox TnE SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBuNE.l
LONDON July 1.-The American Team left Ed
inhurgn at the time pre9,Tauged, 1880 a. H., on
The 18th, and came TO London by what is known as
the Scotch mail in 912 hours The train rolled into
London at Kings Cross station, and the Team was
at liberty 60 GO TO that hotel so popular among
American travellers and dear to the American
pocket the Langham 1t is 1897 miles from Edin-
burch to London, and. after deductiug stoppages,
we have running time for that distance of little
less than eight hours. Some of the way we went at
the rate of 60 miles an hour: person inclined to
badness is recommended. before undertaking this
tourney TO have his hair glued on and it is well for
him to secure his hat by having it driven down
gently but firmly was told that whenever one of
these trains Jumps The track while running at full
speed it becomes necessary to hold the inquest IN
nj least three counties But cannot yOuch for the
truth of the story.
II was fine weather when we left Scotland, but as
we nearcd London we entered mass of fog and rain
that reminded me Of the English capital when left
it last October. And they do say that 1T has been
raining here very steadily for more than q week ;
fair weather was predicted but it hasn't yet made
its appearance. There has been an unusual amount
OF rain all around in Ireland, England, and through
out the whole Continent, as you haze been made
aware by the Geographic accounts Of floods
all the way from Cork to PeSth. Since We
arrived here there has been no suspension
of the storm unless count few intervals OF half
an hour or so when the clouds lave ceased TO weep
hut have hung over us all the same. Rain is a
danper in more ways than ore; it spoils your
clothes soaks your boots, puts you in general con-
diton Of mussinesS, and it ruins your temper more
than you are willing to admit. Ii job had been
treated % what has fallen TO the lot of the American
l. hoxrn 4arla d IN
win the champions belt for patience. wish my
worst enemy nothing more than to live where
Ii always rains.
As soon rs the Team was safely housed in London
q letter which had been intrused to Mr.. Huston,
the agent of the Associated Press delivered by
that gentleman to Col. Gildersleeve. 1t was from
Capt Mildmay of the English Team at Wimbledon
and repeated proposition already photographed TO
Edinburgh that the Americans were invited to re-
consider their determination not 10 shoot a team
match AZ Wimbledon, but in case that determine
ton was final they asked TO contend for
CID 10 be presented to the National Rifle Association
of America and to remain hereafter in tile possession
of that association an annual challenge cup. The
terms of the present shooting so shots each at
thousand yards, subsequent contests to be at a
thousand yards on such terms as the Council III
New-York should determine. Y0u may think that
the proposition was accepted at once, but such was
very far from the fact. You naturally ask, why was
thisf
Several DAYS before the match at Dollymount, Col.
Gildersleeve received letter from of tie man
ayers at Wimbledon, inviting the American Team OF
eight to shoot in the ElchO Shield match at Wmble-
don against the three ,eights-English, IRISH, ana
Scoteb-cf the United Kingdom. According 10
the rules the Echo Shield cannot go
out of the United Kingdom, aid there
fla been
put in for competition. and would become the
property of the winning Team, and there was also
an intmaiion that another trophy would be given
to the Americans in they were victorious while
the Elchc Shield would be the property of the
British Team makingthc highest score. Col Glider
sleeve called the Team together, and the PROPOSAL
was accepted and sent away TO Wmblcd0n. Only
the ratification of the Council at Wimbledon was
needed 90 make the match a certainty.
But the Council did not meet until after the con-
test at DollymOunt, whose result the whole world
knows When the Council did meet it did not like
the appearance of the American score at thai place,
and 1t pro- eedcd to hack water" most beautifully.
II determined that "tlerc are difficulties and ojec
tons in the way of such maCh, aad dd not ratiiy
the arrangement. But il kindly invited the Anieri-
can Team to conc TO Wimbledon and shoot with eight
men AGAINST an eight sclc ted from the three Fights
of the United Kingdom!
Tie Americans were not 10 he caught IN this way,
and they were not Ions in Ge iding to decline the
proposal. I'll we wn," said one Of our marksmen,
1--WE shall not aid very much to the glOry we have
already. think wa could beat a picked eight, but
al accident might defeat us, ard then the English
would put their thumbs to their noses and say,
This is the real international Match, and we have
beaten you.' We have reason 70 risk the relut2-
ton we have gained. The men who made tilis pro-
posal are fools if they expected should accept it,
and we should certainly I've fools il We did
There was telegrap'ing enough back and forth
t. add many shilings TO the revenue OF the Postal
Telegraph hut il was of no use the Americans
held Ia their word and refused all team matches.
"Our determination not 10 shoot any more team
matches" said Col Gilderseeve, in a dispatch from
Edinburgh, is final but should be pleased to en-
ter as individuals in any matches open 10 all cclors
Col Gildcrsleeye intimaied 10 those cf who We're
standing around at the time that he had no obiec-
tons to a,ldinga few cups and gOblets and five
pound notes and similar articles of virtu and
value to the collection that already graced the
shelves OF the American mGTSsmen, and mbledon
was Just az good place any other for adding TO
those museums of modern antiquities
There came about this time The offer Of cup for
which the Americans shodld contend Oh the terms
set forth carly in this letter IL was not accepted
until yesterday, aud there was much OF what the
Chinese call "talee-talkee before it accepted.
Col. Gderseeve was in favor of accepting ana
shooting and so woro others ot tho Team, and then
there was a strong party the other way These
last urged that they were unwilling TO be
used as show, and thought the offer
on the part of the Wimbledon Council to have the
Americans compete among themselves for cup was
like throwing a haunch of ve1iison among half
dozen tigers to see them quarrel over it, They
voudr't he wild beastS aud they 0pDOsed the whole