The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1877-09-14
CREEDMOOR RANGE.
THE INTERNATIONAL RIFLE
MATCH.
Fine Weather, Large Attendance
and Good ShoOting-The British
Slow and Deliberate-Ehe
Americans Qnick and Un-
erring and Win the First
Days Laurels.

appointed time, IL O'CLOCK, uFlhR was
begun in the international rifle match.
Roth teams we're in admirable for m,
rhe Americans won the toss Tor the
choice of targets. About 1000 persons,
including many ladies were, present ~
the openlng OF the macth. This number
was constantly increased by rapidly ar
riving, crowded vehicles. Private
coaches and public hacks on the grounds
were numerous ard were filled with
ladies and gentlemen.
The order in which the teams shoot Is
as follows: British team-Haltord, u.
Fenton. j. Fenton, Humphrey, Rigoy,
Miner, Ferguson, Evans. American
team-Dakin, Jackson, Hyde, Allen,
Weber, Bruce, Blydeburgh, Jewell.
Each team is divided into squads of four,
and the targets selected are II, W, y ana
|. The watchers at the butts on behalf
of the British team are Peterkin, Frazer,
Thomson and Glider; and for the
Americans, Sanford Daughty, Backer
and Peal. The Americans having won
the choice of targets chose X and w, on
the left, and the British team were given
| and Y. Tomorrow these positions Will
be reversed. The British team LETT Gar
den CITY ut 1920 A. NJ, and arrived on
the ground at l0:45. There was nobody
to receive them at the depot and this lack
of courtesy was severely commented on.
The first gun was fired promptly on
time, and the American team immediately
left their quarters for the tiring
point, and the British team followed
a few minutes after. Inc second
gun was fired promptly on time. AT the
opening of the match the sky was very
much overcast, but experts agreed that
the conditions, taking them altogether,
were favorable to high scores. There WAS
scarcely breath of wind stirring, and
such little pufs as occasionally played
with the many colored bunting over the
tents, blew across the range from lett to
right. There was no open betting on the
ground, but the general sentiment favor
ed the Americans One private .wager
was laid of 5000 to $3.50 in favor of the
Americans.
n. z. Stanton of the National Rifle
Association formally opened the match
with short speech. The warning gun
gave the signal for the opening o. the
match, and there was moment OF breath
less silence. The sharp crack OF rifle
rang out and General Dsken had fired
his first and the opening fire ot the great
international match. He made good
centre, scoring four. Jackson followed
making the bulls eye, counting tve-at
h,,y OF n m a
HYDE followed with a centre and Allen
with an inner, scoring three. Weber
made An inner MS did also Bruce.
Bigby started for the British team and
made u bulls eye, and was followed by
Sir Henry Hslford who scored 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 re-
spective firing points. Along the line
behind the firing points are large
black boards for recording the score.
Fifty policemen from New York are
present, ensuring good order. The
Americans shot in business-lke man
ner. There is very little talking among
them save the directions to coachers.
They lie down and fire quickly. The
British change their positions, are long
time in sighting the targets and do not
load AS fast rs the home team. On the
American side of the range the crack OF
the rife WAS almost inCessant, one shot
following another, rs from n revolver.
The British were more deliberate, but
their care did not bring them AS much sue
cess as the rapid firing OF the Americans.
At 900 yards the British team beg IN
to tall behind. The scores of the
British team, five shots each, are MS fol-
lows: Evans 23 Ferguson l9, Millner
20, Rigby q, Humphreys "a, Col. Fen
ton %, Lieut.. Fenton %, Hslford 10.
Halford on his seventh shot at 900 yards
falling to put bullet in his piece, did
not count, to the disgust OF the British
spectators.
American team totals at 800 yards:
Dakin 63. Jackson 80, Hyde 10, Allen
sc, Weber 73, Bruce 73, Blydenburgh
81, Jewell 66; total 547.
Total British scores ut 900 yards, 531;
Rigby 65, Miller 10, Ferguson 81, Evans
70, Haltord 63, Lieut.. Fenton 10, Hum
phery 70, Col. Fenton 81.
The following is the score for the first
day;