The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-09-14

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AT the appointed time, II o'clock, The
firing was begun In the international rife
match, both teams In admirable form
The Americans won the toss for choice Of
targets. About 1000 persons, including
many ladies were present al the opening
Of the match, and this number was con
stantly increased by rapidly arriving and
crowded teams, private coaches and pub,
lie hacks on the grounds.
The British Team left Garden City at
1880 and arrived on the ground at lO:45
There was nobody 10 receive them at the
depot and the lack Of cOurtesy was severe,
ly commented on. The first gun we1 fired
promptly on time, and the American
Team Immediately left their quarters for
the firing point. The British Team fol.
lowed few minutes after. The second
gun was fired promptly on time, and the
excitement among the spectators increas.
ed. At the opening Of the match the sky
was very much overcast, but the experts
agreed that the conditions, taking them al.
together, were favorable 10 high scores,
There was scarcely a breath Of wind stir
ring, and such little puiFs rs occasionally
played with the many colored bunting on
the tents, blew across the range. There
was no open betting on the ground, but
the general sentiment favored the Ameri.
cans. One private wager was laid Of
5000 TO $3.50 in favor OF the Americans.
N. T. Starston, of the National Rifle
Association, formally opened the match
with n short speech.
The warning Of the guns over and the
hum OF voices hushed, there was mo-
ment OF breathleSs silence, when the sharp
crack Of rifle rang out, and Gen. Dakin
had fired his first and the opening shot OF
the great international rifle match. He
made a good centre, scoring four. Jack
son followed, making bulls eye and
counting five, at which there was buzz
OF admiration. Lyde followed with q
centre, and Allen with an inner, scoring
three. Weber made an inner, as did also
Bruce. Rigby started for the British
Team and made bulls eye, and was fol-
lowed by Sir Henry Haliord, who scored
a good centre. Humphrey, Of the British
Team, made the first miss Of the match.
A telephone connects the targets with the
firing points.
Ropes stretched from stakes inclose the
teams with their respective firing points.
Along the line behind the firing roints
are large black boards for recording the
score. Fifty policemen from New York
are present to ensure good order. The
Americans are short, in business like
manner. There is very little talking
among them, save the directions Of the
coachers. They lie down and fire quick
ly. The British change their positions,
are a long time in sighting the targets and
don't load as fast as the home team. On
the American side Of the range the crack
OF the rifles was almost incessant, one
shot following another as from a revolver.
The British were more deliberate, but
their care did not bring them as much
success as the rapid firing of the Ameri-
cans.
The order in which the Teams shoot
is as follows:
British Team-Halford, G. Fenton, ].
Fenton, Humphrey, Rigby, Miner, Fer.
guson, Evans.
American Team-Dakin, Jackson,
Hyde, Allen, Weber, Bruce, Blydenburg,
Jewell.
Each team is divided into squads Of
lour and the targets selected are X, W,
y and l.
The watchers at the butts on behalf OF
the British Team are Peterkin, Frazeir,
Thompson and Glider, and for the Amer.
leans Sanford, Daugherty, Backer and
Peal.
The Americans having won the choice
Of targets chose K and W, on the left.
The British Team we're given / and Y,
Tomorrow these positions will be re.
versed.
In the first sixteen shots Of the respect.
i've teams, at 900 yards range, the British
reduced the lead Of the Americans at sOOI
yards range from ten 10 six points.
At the 900 yards range the British
Team began TO fall behind. The scores
Of the British Team, five shots each, were
as follows: Evans %, Ferguson 10, Mil.
ner 20, Rigby q, Humphreys "a, Col.
Fenton %, Lieut.. Fenton %, Halford 25,
Haliord on his seventh shot at 900 yards,
failing TO put n bullet in his piece, did
not count, 10 the disgust Of the British
spectators.
American Team totals at 900 yards
Dakin 63, Jackson 60, Hyde 20, Allen GO,
Weber q, Blydensburg 81, Jewell %.
Total, 547.
Total British scores at 900 yards 5S7-
Rigby G5, Miner 70, Ferguson 67, Evans
70, Haliord 6S, Lieut.. Fenton 20, Hum.
phreys 20, Col. Fenton GO.