New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-09
WHY TIE AMERIC1NS DID MOI
SHOOT AT WIMBLEOON.
AN AUTHENTIC STATEMENT FROM A MEMBER OF
THE TRAM--SO REASON TO COMPLAIN OF


AN AUTHENTIC sTATEMENT FROM A MEMbER OF
THE TEAM-yO REASON TO COMPLAIN OF
ENGLISH TREATMENT.
TO the Edttor Of Ihe Tribune.
SIR: So many misstatcmcnts have been made
about the treatment of the ATcl lean Rifle Team ny
The English, and about our feeling on the sub
cct that it seems desirable to submit to tho public
a brief record Of the a tnal facts.
The Elcho Shield is a trophy presented by Lord
Elcho who for many years was the President Oh the
National Rife Association Of Great Britain. This
shield was bis gift to the Association for annual
connection between teams of eight from Eng
Scotland. and Ireland upon the following cond-
tons: Any rifle within tie rules o. the Association
distances, 500, 900. ard 900 yards 10 shots at
each distance. For many years this competition has
been known as the Echo Shield match, and being
the prircipal comp tition for smlll-berc re5, it
has become the most interesting match at the VIM
biedon meeting. Within the last II years ~ has
been won seven times by the English, four times by
the Scotch, and once by the lrish This Council Of
the National Rifle Association accepted this shield
rpon the foregoing conditions, and as it mad been
shot for during those years under sdch conditions
the Association could rot change them so rs 10
admit q representative team from another country
w thout the consent of Lord Elcho. Even with
his consent. it was questionable il they cOu.d with
prOprety change TIE coIlIlIOLS Vi iuatCh VI ouch
long standing.
Ii was plainly manifest that the Council would
gladly have seen the American Team compete for
the Elcho Shield with the teams of their own re-
spcctive kingdoms this year. The teams themselves
signiied their wish in the matter by signing writ
ten petition wherein they requested the Council to
allow the American team to compete with them.
The Elcho Shield match was, from the very char
acter of its trophy in every respect inappropriate
for an international contest, and although there
might be no reason to prevent the American Team
from competing this year. it would establish prece-
dent which might cause them much trouble in the
future So the Council finally decided not to grant
the reauest. The friendly rivalry between these
three kingdoms could no longer exist after such an
innovation and its main object wOuld be defeated.
believe this action of the Council was wise and
lust. We had no claim whatever 10 this match !;
neither did we expect it. The only occasion OF any
controversy upon the subject arose from the sug-
geson of a third party that this petition should
be open to us Az souvenir of VISIT the Ma
tional Rifle Association of Great Britain presented
TO the National Rife Association Of the Ented States
a ma gnfcent silver trophy, which they placed in
the hands Of the American Rife Team requesting
them as q favor to shoot the first competition at
Wimbledon In order to decide who should convey
this trophy to America, 30 shots were fired at 900
yards, and il was won by Major Fulton. Very re-
spectfully,
A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN RIFLE TEAM.
Ncw- York, Sept. g. 1879