The New York herald., 1876-09-14
Ireland Four Points and America
Nine Points Behind.
AUSTRALIA AND CANADA LAGGING
Fine Weather and a Good-Humorec
Throng Of Spectators.
THE HERALD TARGET DIAGRAMS.

rifle match has como and gone Another day VIII de-
cdo who shall be tho victors The contest yesterday
resulted success for tho Scottish team after hard
fought and brilliant struggle. Better craftsmanship
than that Of yesterday rarely heard of and has
taken place except in practice is the perfection OF
rifle shooting. Fifteen shots fred by each Of
the members OF tho five teams competing At each
of the three ranges-S00, 900 and 600 yards
and consequently tho highest score which It would
have been possible Tor any team Of eight men TO
have made Is l,sOo points. Tho Scottish scored
out OF this grand total Of 5S6 the Irish 5S2 the
Americans 1877 the Australians 545 and tho Canadi
AGO. This, BRIEF is the result OF Tho first days
competition of which t0-day's tost is to be
repetition. An admirable spirit pervades the
contestants on this OCCASION and tho pres
OF interested spectators OF different nation
altes in large numbers attestod the popularity Of
of tho manifest OF outdoor sports, which has only
lately presented itself encouragement and public
approval The important part the rile plays in the
destiny Of nations is inducement to some to famil
iarizo themselves with tho most sku OF It, Only
recently OF the in the present match
bore or as cherished prize she rifle once owned
by Patrick Henry Others follow tho noble sport for
the immediate physical advantages attaching to It
To shoot well must have tho quick eye and steady
hand that belong to perfect health Whatever the 70.
suit Of this contest may be- doubts that meet
Ing OF the raemen OF America with tho representa-
uves Of othor nations, international meetings OF
yachtsmen and oarsmen, will DO productive in many
ways Of good to all concerned
SHOOTING.
Taking everything into consideration tho competing
teams at Creedmoor may congratulate themselves
having had splendid weather yesterday forenoon
the opening OF tho MATCH and indeed throughout the
day. A genial warmth pervadcd the atmosphere,
xvhi MAD the tn dOT hcir hoov fall
garments for light summer costume adapted to the
sport and they therefore FREQ use their limbs
In tho advantageous manner In gaining the
possible position for accurate shooting Tho soil ut
Creedmoor had boon only recently saturated with light
RAINFALL lasting twenty hours. Therefore, tho
SUMS heat increased In the afternoon rapid evapora.
ton set In, which had the effect of dstortng distant
Objects such the targets and sometimes puzzled tho
marksmen sadly. The Canadian and Australian teams
appeared suffer than tho others from this al
most transparent cxhaiaton from tho surface tho
range and to must be attributed the failure OF tho
former keep up their scores The effect or assduous
practice combined With "a ue conception OF tho laws
governing the hight OF projec.ies was shown in the
shooting Of the American, Scottish and Irish teamA
HUNDRED
In the work OF tho rst named ut tho 500 yard
range the slight variation in the scores OF the
bers proved how necessary It is to create, all
things, sonse OF unity and identity Of interest be-
the members OF such Organization and how
materially can assist in tho attainment Of general
meinbcrs OF tho American team out OF eight max
ing practically tho same at the
OF doing the same, and the eighth an Accomplished
shot, only falling behind because Of MISS which
clearly the result OF an accident Tho Scotch aud
lrisn teams showed the kind OF stcadIness IN
their shooting a 500 yards but In lesser degree and
strange say these teams tied At that range each
making aggregate OF $50 points, fifteen points less
than the American score. the Canadians shot very
evenly but their scores ran low, account
of an evident want OF practice at tho
Croedmoor range. Their shooting was entirely OF that
character which might bc seen on practice day 1t
exhibited very nno points of Individual excellence but
was disjointed aud irregular throughout The same
might be said, but in a moro moulded sensc, OF the
Australians. Tho superiority OF their shooting to that
OF the Canadians wholly duo to their longer prac
and they tell behind their pctltors
teams in about the same ratio as the practice OF The
others surpassed theirs In frequency IL any doubt
could tor "A moment be entertained as to the accu-
rncy OF this deduction from tho shooting yesterday
1t would be dispelied py study OF the effects of tho
change III the wind direction from west-noythwest,
the terms recognized at Creedmoor ten o'clock
wind five O'Clock wind during the ring at 500 yards
Whlo the accuracy OF aim OF tho American irish and
Scottish teams actually improved Win this variation
from cross front wind 10 one blowing obhquey from
the rear and toward the target end Ut the range the
Of the Canadians and Australians did EXHIBIT
the results. rhe rapid veering of the wind to
casterly points necossatod very decided alteration OF
the wind gauges tho rifle muzz,es, and 10
cioso observer OF tho shooting It was
most interesting sight to watch the efforts
OF tho marksmen TO keep pace, rs !; werc with tho
movement OF the wind At 500 yards Mr. Johnson, OF
the Irish team, made the magnificent OF seventy
points the highest tina. could possibly
the nfteon shots Tho icat challenged the admiration
OF every rheman on tho field on account OF It's rarity
In regular match firing.
When the teams retired TO the 900 yard range tho
sky began TO cloud from the n3rthcastward and tho
varying light, coupled win the effects Of the rapid
evaporation already described. began to tell
marksmen. 1t was here that tho Invaluable services
OF experienced and painstakng captain Of tho
camo into play With his attention wholly centred
these changes In the atmospheric conditions no
enabled aIrec each OF his men TO alter WIND gauge
and elevation scale according TO the necessities o the
mement and tho result OF this careful supervision
apparent wherever " exercised With ono oxccp-
ton the Americans were kept TO their
they made the same even scoring .hc preceding
unaccountably missed and made two bad
ouicrs, was in bad luck a. the 900 yard
distance, but his companions in arms bravcly
sustained their parts and saved tho
The lrishmen shot spiendiJIy, and their
ranged between G2 and 80, without single drop
the ities. They lessened their distance from
Americans somewhat In this range. and revived the
impression that the match would DO remarkably
10 the last moment. The Scotchmen also did splendid
work at this range, their ranging from 62 to
10 with some beautiful strings OF brls-cyes to tho
credit OF individual mlrksmen. The Australians
picked up somewhat IN their shooting, and show
II they could have had moro practice they would push
the best team on the ground very hard. The Cana
dans very Wild In their shooting the effect
shifting wind aud constantly cnanaing light being very
uufavvrabc 70 them They need a good ..coachn who
will watch very closely those varying conditions and
warn tho team OF thor Influences II In today match
they can secure such reliable guide they may recover
much of the ground they lost yesterday.
THOUSAND YARDS
For the Anal work OF yesterdays contest tho teams
commenced shooting at 600 yards under iavor
able conditions OF wind Than experienced tho
other ranges. There the Americans lost the nne load
they held and that by the failure OF such crack
shots as farwel and Gi1crseeve. General Dakin and
Major Fulton did some superb shooting at this
range and with Allcn and Weber saved the from
what nj sht have proved disastrous falling back As
II was they were outsaot by the Scotch and Irsh who
with Mitchell, Tborburn and Mcvitc OF the former
and Mner, fenton and Rigby Of the latter team, did
remarkably well at tho longest range. Mitchell and
Anor carried or Tho honors thcir respective
teams, the bonny Scot making the magnificent score
OF 70 out Of possible rs and Millnor II poins such