Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-27
REMARKABLE RIFLE-sHOOrING
Comparison Of Some OF the Leading
scores I'm the Long Range Matches
with Those Made IN Other Contests

COmpar1sOm Of some OF the Leading
scores I'm the Ions. Range Matches
with Those Made IN other Contests.
Col. Mcdonald said In q speech at the state
arsenal the other evening that one great rea-
son why such remarkably good scores were
made In this country was owing TO the clear
air which generally prevailed here. As an
instance he said that the 900 yards targets
at CreedmOor appear to him at the rail-
wy station (half mile away "to be no fur.
Their off than their targets did at 900 yards
distance" There is no doubt that the Colonel
was right as the scores OF his own tea 10 bear
witness TO the tTuthfulness OF bis remark
Toe score made by his team on the first day
Of their practice was lab points within
twenty POINTS OF the score upon which the
English tea m wen the "Elcho Shield" this
year, and only eight points behind their own
score on that occasion, which was LASS. II
is generally conceded that previous to the
Centennial match the best shooting ever re-
corded was made by the Irish team In 1875,
In the match for the Elcho Shield" at VIM
bledOn, when they were coached" by the
American team of rifiemen. Their sggre-
gate score on that occasion was sos. or 500,
points per man at 500 yards, O. 81 at 900
yards, and 80 90 At 900 yards. or an aggre-
gate average at all the ranges OF is 25.
The best score in the Centennial matches
was $50, made on the first day OF the CON
test by the Scottish team. This was an az
eregate average OF 1913 25 points per man. or
66h at 500 yards, &C at 800, and 65a at 900
yards distance, a splendid average, and one
never before excelled, not alone In magnf-
Jude but in evenness as well. On that occa-
sion DIR. Mitchell, OF the same team, scored
- out OF possible 20, at 900 yards, and on
the following day Mr.. Miller OF the Irish
team, as IL in spirit OF rivalry, made a
clean score OF 15 at 900 yards, feat never
before achieved either in this country or
elsewhere. In the large score made ny the
Irish team for the Elcho shield In 1875, the
highest individual score recorded at 900
yards was 6S made by William Rigby, a
member OF the Irish team this year, who
made the same score In the first days shoot
In q 4o H. 49, -
but dropped one point the following day, and
also MADE 81 in the return match last Thurs
day In the match for the " Lloyd's" cup at
Wimbledon last year fifteen shots at 1000
yards, the leading score was made by Lieut.
Fenton, of the Irish team of this year who
recorded only 81 out of q possible IS points; q
Rife Association of Great britain, was won
upon The score OF 65, out OF posi- BILE IS points,
by Mr.. Ross, who won IL In the previous
year with score OF SO. In this country the
nrst regular match which was shot on
The new Wimbledon targets took place In
september, 1875, between teams OF eight,
repre- senting Canada and America. Tue
AmeJi can team was supplied by the ANA
teur Rifle Club, at short notice, and with no
previous practice as q team, IL defeated the
Canadian team by score of I, 400 TO 1884
This was within 81 points of the score made
by the Scottish team for the Elcho Shield in
1874. WI ich was considered good score un-
I'll the Irish team did better in 1875 for the
same trophy. In The Canadian match Col.
Farwell made 1913 out of possible DDS points,
bis score being 60 at 500, 81 at 900, and 63 at
loo yards, and this was looked upon IS a
remaT kable achievement. The conditions in
the International matches grew In favor
with long range marksmen, and TO stimu-
late such practice, Mr.. George Crouch, q
marksman who had been Identified with
long range shooting since its inception at
CreedmOor, presented diamond badge, val
ued at $500, to the Amateur Rife Club, to be
International matches. The first contest
TOOK place in July, 1875, and was won by
Mr. H. Geiger upon a score OF Ia out OF q
possible 225 points. In this match Colonel
Fsrwell first essayed long range shooting,
and recorded 146, better score than his
latest achievement. AS the International
cipating in this match a select few had
things all their own way, and Mr.. Geiger
won the trophy In the following match In
August, this time making 176. Ia the month
OF September Mr.. A. V. Garfield, IT,, carried
of the badge with % bulls eyes and a score
OF lSS. 1t was finally won by Mr.. Geiger
upon score of q bulls eyes, his aggregate
being only 179. During the past season
some very good scores have been made
In The usual Saturday competitions OF the
Nation al Rife Association. On July Is,
Mr.. Weber, OF the American team, in an in
dividual contest for the Hepburn" trophy,
mace 20i out OF pos sible Us points. In
bone win the score OF POP. In the weekly
practice matches by the American team
out OF a possible Us, Colonel FarweI made
204 on August 9; Mr.. Rathbone made 2O6 on
Allen, the junior member Of the team
made 2l2 out OF possible 225 points, the
highest score ever made any where, and only
once or twice excelled where the number or
shots were twenty, and the possible number
go. Such scores are seldom made on the
ON 1,nea SIDE OF the water, for the reason that
marksmen frequently shoot in Q dense fog
thro igh which only the bare outlines of the
target can be djsCerned. The best scores re-
corded during the practice OF the Irish team
at Dollymount this season In preparation
FOR the great contest just concluded were
made last June, when Mr.. Fulton made
20S on the 18th Of that month, and ZIG on the
following day, out Of q possible $50 points.
Miner made 208 on the same occasion, and
Wilson, who did not, however, gain place
In the Irish team, made 206 out OF the same
possible aggregate. Thus far rifle Shooting,
like every other enterprise in the present
age, Is progressive, and the day is probably
lot far distant when q clean score OF Dos out
OF a possible 225 points will be accomplished.
IN. Y. Times.