New-York tribune., 1877-09-15
THE RIFLE VIC1ORY.

Yesterday will ever be marked with wnlte
stone among American rihemen. Their most
sanpuine bopes of success have been far ex-
ceeded. The day before, the highest point in
rifle shooting had been reached by total Oh
1.6j5 in q possible 1.S00; yesterday, even
that superb record was thrown into the shade
by n total score of / ,679 To this extraordinary
result all elements contributed. The clouds that
had been expected to bring rain, scarcely
veiled the sky at intervals. The wind was so
light as not to interfere with the course OF the
bullets, and yet sufficient to clear all vapors
from the air. Our marksmen had. III addition,
the great advantage of hope, founded upon
the previous days good fortune; and 1t mas
long since passed into prOverb that there Is
nothing so successful as success. Our engraved
diagrams are a complete picture or the days
work: their accuracy is attested by the resolve
of the National Clle Association to reprint
them in their official publication.
The record upon the three targets of the
British Team shows clearly that the shadow OF
discouragement, the gloomy prospect OF de-
feat. weighed more heavily upon them as the
dav advanced and crippled their later efforts.
They began admirably, with the largest score
they have yet made on the oO0-yard target
and were, nevertheless, surpassed by SIX
teen points at that range. AT the next target
both teams fell off nearly an equal number OF
points. giving the Americans an additional
advantage of eighteen. Hitherto it has gener-
ally been supposed that the superiority of
American shooting shows least at the longest
range; but the hopelessness OF their struggle
seems to have impressed itself on the
al fhaip
score at that distance fell behind the Amer
leans tbrty-twO points. 1t is not matter Tor
surprise that the pluck of the losers gave way mt
last having been so long Overstrained. From
comparison OF the first competitive shooting,
as given by cable messages, down to the last
hour of the match, they have had what
yacbtsmen call a stern chase. They deserve
thanks for the courage which so long sustained
them, and for the efforts they have made,
which have called forth our marksmens finest
skill
The sperch of their Captain shows that the
British Team have taken their ill-fortune in
noble and pleasant mood. There are various
theories about the cause of their failure, such
as that their bullets, expanding beyond caIcu-
lation in the greater heat of our climate, stuck
too closely in the bore of the rifle.
But chief cause has no doubt been the su-
periority of our breech-loading over their muz-
zle-loading guns The score of 219 out OF
possible 225, made by Mr.. Bruce yesterday,
not only surpasses all previous records of rifle
shooting, but indicates the use Of gun in
which perfection has been nearly reached. Ii
is not at all surprising that the British Team
are reported as intending to supply themselves
Immediately with American breech-loadInS
rifles. When they have practised with these
new weapons sufficiently, there will be another
opportunity and severer contest i'll store for
our sharpshootcrs Meanwhile, we may expect
to hear again repeated the assertion of a Lon
don journal, that all Americans are accus-
toned to the use of the rifle, even from their
crnllA