St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-09-21

er outside matter. The assemblage of
fine shots is even greater than last year.
| could not begin to enumerate the diff
ferent private and military Organiza-
lions that are now busily blazing away,
partly for glory, mainly for the numer-
Gus elegant and valuable prizes that
have been offered, and incidentally for
the delectation of the thousands of spec
tatOrs who attend each days meeting.
Their number may be imagined when l
say that for the first match, which was
a sort of free-for-all, at short range,
there were 217 entries.
Various distances are shot varying
from 200 to 1000 yards. And when the
range is from 800 to the latter figure, l
tell you that correct shooting is no boys
play. In fact from the stand it seems
almost an impossibility. Away down
the distance glimmers target looking
to be about the apparent size of the
moon in mid heaven, but really some
II feet in diameter. In the center of
this disk is the bull's-eye, little black
dot which it requires Il tOlerably clear
vision to make out at all, but which is
fully thirty-siX inches. Think of put
ting from fifteen to twenty consecutive
bullets into this black dot more than
three-fifths of mile away, especially
when you consider the number of vari-
able conditions which have to be ascer-
tanned and cOnfOrmed to before pulling
the trigger. And yet that has been ac-
cOmplished. The process of shooting
at these long distances is quite interest
ing to one who sees it for the first time.
Every marksman lies down to his work
either on his face, side or back. The
latter is the favorite attitude, and at
first sight seems ridiculously awkward
one. The rif1emen who make use of it
seem to fall into it easily enough, but
must confess to having made a spectacle
of myself several times trying to initiate
it but without much success. Lying on
your back with your legs crossed and
cooked up at a peculiar angle, support
ing your head and the butt of heavy
gun with one arm, and sighting along
its barrel with your left eye may come
natural to some people, but it don't to
me. Men like Fulton, Dakin, Miner
and Selph, however, fall into position
as if they had been born that way.
| But while "pOsitiOn's everything" in
some circumstances it is far from being
everything in hitting long range tar
! Scl vi COllSt IlltIc IL lIO pOSSlblO lOlCC
that would prOpel the ball that distance
in straight line. 1t must be directed
considerably above the mark and allow
ed to fall on to the desired spot. For
another thing it must be remembered
that the wind has time while Il ball is
travelling 5000 feet to push it very
considerably out of the path of rectitude
and that too must be looked out for
Still another point to be taken care OF
is the refractiOn of the atmosphere,
some of the most complicated problems
of which continually confront the marks
men. 1t seems natural and eXcusable
for il bullet to swerve somewhat from q
rectillinear, but it seems very hard lines
if a man cannot ''see straight" Yet
science shows that the eye doesn't dc
much better than the lead. The vary,
ing density of the air is constantly caus-
ing us to see distant objects i'll positions
which they do not occupy but as il
most cases this incOrrectness of vision
is of no Importance. We seldom be-
come aware of its existence. In rife
shooting, however, refractiOn must not
be lost sight of for moment, but il
connection with windage and elevation
must modify the aim.
These points together with the curl
Ously varying effects of different chalg es
of powder are enough to excite wonder
that the target should ever be hit a
these great distances. Knowing us W,
do that the gun is never aimed at the
bulFs-eye but always over it to the
right or left it seems as though it mus
be an accident whenever the bulle
reaches 1t, and yet the wonderfully uni
, form shooting of the crack teams show
! it to be almost an exact science.
While considerable interest attache
to all of the various matches of the pres
ent meeting, the central attraction was
| of course, the international match of tn
, 18th and l4th. On both these days tn
spacious grounds were packed with eX
cited lockers on and partisans of TIL
cOnteSting teams, who cheered, and dis
4 puted and made bets, as is the custom
4 of all similar assemblages. In the cit.
frequent bulletins were posted and hel,
great crowds of the anxious and curiou
from morning to night.
On the morning of the second day @
e the contest the Americans commence
h with twenty-siX points ahead, an ad
vance they not only maintained durin
the day, but steadily increased, till a
the conclusion of the shooting the re
< spective total scores stood, America
, team, 1884, British team, 3,242, til
n former thus winning by % points. TIL
= utmost good feeling has prevaile
;. throughout, and the much covete
d Centennial Trophy will still renal
i at home for another year. 1t wi
9 be presented to the winners on Tuesda
evening, the 18th inst, at Gilmore
!. Garden, which will be richly decorate
t for the ceremony. RADIX.