Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-07-13
Our Rfaemen Abroad.

The New York Journal Of Commerce thinks
the New York Rife Team" the more accu-
rate title for the Americans who recently
won the prize over the Irish at DolIymount,
since every one of the'eight men are New
Workers This is one reason perhaps why
the Americans declined 10 shoot at an inter-
national match at Wimbledon for had they
done so the situation would have virtually
stood select eight OF Great Britain against
New York alone, and not against the United
States. Probably there are many men in
the United States to-day who are the equals
and some of them possibly the superiors as
marksmen, of the New York eight, and in
an international match II would evidently
be unfair for marksmen from a single state
to represent the whole union, without some
thing like an organized movement TO secure
the very best rifiemen in the country. The
war In this country served as a school for
thousands of sharp shooters, most OF whom
were armed with rifles of the best manufac
ture. Add to the survivors of these organiza-
tions the hunters OF the west, whose living
to a great extent depends upon their steadi-
ness OF aim and accuracy of vision, and we
undoubtedly have the greatest number OF
good shots of any country in the world. As
a rule, however, il has been demonstrated
that the classes referred to, while good shots
and very far above the average, cannot sue
cessfally compete with men who have spent
more than half life time In constant rifle
practice, with view TO improvements cal
culated To render arms as nearly perfect as
possible, and who are in the true sense of the
word "experts." A writer In the New York
Times, evidently an Irishman, gives perhaps
the best reason why the Americans did not
enter the contest for the Elcho shield at
Wimbledon. The shield was contributed by
Lord Elcho, says this correspondent, to be
shot for by teams representing England,
scotland and Ireland, and is to be held in
trust by the winners for one year, when 1t Is
TO be returned to the National Rifle
Association, 10 be again competed for.
A correspondent of the Chicago Tribune does
not believe with that paper that the Ameri-
can Team are now the champions of the
world, because for thirteen years the Eng
lish, Scotch and Irish have competed for the
Elcho shield, during which time the Irish
carried it off but once lin 1879. They then
challenged the Americans; but, for some
reason, the match only came of last fall. A
couple of months before they came over,
however, they had been last in the Wimble-
don contest,-the shield having been won by
the Scots, in whose hands IL is at present
The Americans last fall therefore simply
beat the poorest score made at Wimbledon
In ls,4, but in the absence Of the scores Ii is
impossible 10 compare their shots with those
OF the English and Scotch teams. The fact
is undisputed, however, that the score re-
Gently made at Dolly mount by the Ameri-
can team beat any score ever made at VIM
bledon. So it is not unreasonable to suppose
that had they entered the contest this year
at the latter place they would have made
quite as good record as they did in Ireland
and proved themselves beyond cavil the
champions OF the world.