Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-16
CREEDMOOR.
Intefest1Dg Particulars Of the Great
Contest.


Interesting Particulars Of the Great
C0ntest.
PRESENTATION OF THE TROPHY.
In New York last night all the rife teams
who took part In the centennial match met
at the reception at Gilmore's Gardens. Gen.
Hawley presented the trophy to the victor
ious American team, badges to its members
and med ais TO the Irishmen, 6cotchmen, Ca
nsd'eps and Australians. Speeches were
made by Major Fulton and Col. GIldersleeve.
There was great enthusiasm, and the assem-
blage did especial honor to the American
erd Irish rjflemen.
1T WAS SPLENDID CONTEST,
and the statement of Major Fulton at the
Ind of the match, when he complimented
The teams which hsd compelled the home
teams to do better shooting than has ever
before gone on record, was no mere idle ut
re aoce. The result OF the first days shoot
Ing leiG the question OF their ability to win
II in some doubt. Thursday they solved
all concerned. The vanquished bore their
defeat like men who know what 1t
Is to meet men worthy OF their steel.
their art, and level excelling quality, the
American champions have compelled vic
tory to abide with them once more. Their
twenty two points over the nearest of their
competitors, the Irish, and this despite the
exceptionally magnificent shooting of some
members of the Irish team.
ID
Thursday, the Scotch, 1t will be remem bered,
were four points ahead of the Irish and nine
points in advance of the Americans. Here.
then, was SO much disadvantage for the
home team to make up, a matter to which
they addressed themselves with great expe-
dition. 1t was said in the morning that the
ar Irish, for the others had made so much
"leeway," SO TO speak, that they were
deemed to be practically ont OF the contest.
At least IL, 900 persons were upon the range,
n n
terested spectator. They had all some wish,
fancy or aspiration In connection with the
competition; nil ddnirdri condition was
ont Of the question where the excitement
was SO great and the issues seemed so large.
Here were groups OF marksmen In their
ID atty" shooting dress, now resting under
now watching the force and direction OF the
wind, calculating the atmospheric pressure,
or rolling up their scores In q way that sug-
g eS,;s "a, an agreeable mixture OF business
targets and backed by several hundred
square y ards OF observant humanity, al ways
ready to say "Bulps eye, whenever chance
and the white disc offered an opportunity.
THE FIRST RoUNDS
At fifty minutes past ten the firing COM
mem ed at 500 ards with q shot from Fulton,
inner. His example was speedily followed
oy all the teams except the Irish, which did
not begin work until after eleven q. m. All
tie teams failed TO score great number OF
the difficulty experienced In getting at the
proper wind allowance, which was almost in
every instance underestimated, and conse
qnently hits to the left and right followed.
The interest with which the Americans aud
Irish were watched on the first day OF the
competition took wider scope Cd Thursd ~.
Success Is always apt to demand attention,
and for that reason
THE SCOTCH TEAM
had great many people to regard their
movements. Solemn and slow and deliberate
M moo ara
regard which followed II was little solemn
too. At all events Ii was distant and unoo-
trusive, for the Scotch gentlemen would not
nave any one approach them too closely.
They were leading, however, when they
went TO the butts In the morning, and 1t was
common notion that they would carry OF
test between the Scotch aud Americans went
gu from the beginning. White disc answered.
10 white disc, and an outside observer could
not possibly tell which team was sending
rome its bullets with truer effect, but q
glance along the line about the middle stage
OF the oring at the 300 yards range showed q
favorable turn OF the shooting for the Amer
lean, Australian and Scottish teams, Gee
and Slade keeping up the credit OF the Wis
ttOrs from the antfpOdes, and Sherburn ani
Frazer that OF the Scotchmen. Toe shooting
tngly steady.
however, who were deemed to stand rs we'll
Is any, were railing OF woefully. johnson
bad forgotten his performance OF lodging Is
ehots clean on the "bulI's eye," and had
dropped the deeds OF weaker worth. Sixty
his splendid score of Is at the same range on
Wednesday, and their total amounted TO 502
only. Meanwhile. the Australians had been
score of All the Tine soSe@ T bsa,e
bad been going on between the Scotch and
Americans, and when the scores were me- lie
thus leaving the Scotch the advantage of
points with which they had started In the
morning: .Noy." said every one. sIt is be-
Irish were deemed to be in q bad plight, and
perhaps II there was any preponderance Of
opinion on the subject, it leaned to the side
OF the determined Scotchmen. Under such
THE BATTLE WAS RENEwHD AT 800
YARDS,
and here came the great change. The Irish
went from bad TO worse, and although Dyas
vice, their united efforts could only reach
the aggregate OF 4S5. At this distance the
Scottish team, which had been ahead by
several points, began TO show signs of weak
ness. Their shooting became wild and un.
certain, and one Of their best men made two
misses, which had depressing eject on his
ceal. Experienced rinemen pronounced the
opinion that the crisis OF the match bad ar :
rived, and that unless the Scotchmen
picked up" rapidly the Americans were
The Scotch teams firing grew from bad to
worse, and they soon completely lost the ad.
vantage they had held from their success on
Intense interest now conferred in the Amer
lean team, which suddenly advanced to the
front rank, and began to move ahead in q
sty lie that astonished even their warmest ad-
mirers.
THE CLOSE OF THE FIRING
revealed that the Americans were ahead
with an aggregate for the two ranges OF 1,O40
the Australians 1,016, the Irish aud Scotch
9s7 each, and the Canadians 957. The excite.
ment over the match now became intense,
and visibly affected the contestants them
selves. When the teams came to the firing
point
AT 1000 YARDS
the aggregate scores OF the teams stood as
follows:-Americans, 2617; Scotch, 2,573;
Irish, 2 $50; Australians, 1851; Canadians,
2,447. The Americans were then Al points
ahead OF the Scotch, the Scotch points
ahead Of the Irish, the Irish points ahead
OF the Australians, and the Australians ia
points ahead Of the Car adians. Under these
conditions came
"THE BEGINNING OF THE END"
It seemed . f0regone conclusion for the
Americans, but there was at least one gal
liant EFFORT made to Illustrate that seeming.
Ralhbone, for the Americana. opened with q
"buli's eye" and Dakin followed with au
finn Id nA