National Republican., 1878-08-28
RIFLEMEN's CONTENTION.
Meeting >of the Rational Rifle AssocIatIo

The secretary Of the National Rife Associu.
tion has sent communications TO all the clubs and
associations In the country, inviting them 70 send
delegates tn the convention. Each club will be en-
titled TO one delegate andGne additional for each
twenty five members certified to be In good stand.
ing. In May last during the spring meeting OF the
National Rlilc Association, convention Of rilcmen
was called hut the responses were not what they
should have been. II Is 10 be hoped that the present
attempt will meet with the hearty cooperation OF
American mOrksnen. The early approach OF the
fall meeting Gt Creedmoor promises To be well at
tenaed and the Gse he past few .e weess 49,. shows wv,
show any. want of enthusiasm II only requires con.
cert of action TO deNelopit
The International aud Interstate match has re-
ceived substantial recognition in the right quarter,
will he seen by the letter OF General inncock.
which WAS addressed to the National Rifle Associn'
ton and at meeting Of the directors Of that body,
on the sHh instant, was accepted with thanks. The
trophy proposed will be In the form OF statuetc.
General wingate stated that he would confer with
nited States army represented at the International
military match.
iienefal IIancock's letter Is Gs follows:
'GESTLENEN; have much pleasure In inform.
ing YOU that Judge Henry Hilton Of New York
city, has, at my suggestion, consented 10 present TO
your association trophy. costing not less than
II ca ms the int prize In the International mill
tary rifle match recently established by you, and
that Mes.rs. Tiffany 4 20. are now engnged In is
manufacture. The efforts made by your associn.
ton TO introduce rifle shooting among our people
merits, and has always received the support and
approval not only Gf myself 9ut H. OF a ,he oihcen 2,
rs specially valuable In directing toward military
rifle shooting that attention which has hitherto
been directed topractcc with CrcedmoOr rifles and
at extremely long range, well as In instituting
an annual competition between the regular army
aud the National Guard OF the different States,
which cannot but prove beneficial to all. Having
learned from General Wingatc, your vice president,
that this prize would aid IN making this match a
success / have bccn very glad 70 be able to do
tion In question 10 Judge Hilton. / am, gentle
men, very truly and respsctinlly your,
''Major.Genernl u. S. A.
The question of permitting every practical i'm
provement In the sights, trigger:pull, and mnnipu'
faton OF the military arm, which will add to its
effectiveness, Is yet TO be acted upon by our In.
spcctors and authorities IN military matters. We
do not despair that these reforms will be reached
In time. Meanwhile our English cousins have
taken step TO tho front, which the London Court
journal explains:
signed for the Martini. Henry rifle They are made
of steel ard the front sight consists Of STEM clip
| To which the stem Is hinged, and circular piece
which runs on a screwthread Oh the outer edge Oi
the stem. The clip fits on the muZzle and foresight
OF the ride, and Is provided with thumbscrew foI
securing 1t in position. The circular piece is made
with q projecting rim, which resembles in section
the front sight Of the rifle and Its distance from
the front sight may be varied by turning II upon
the stem. The back sight is constructed 30 that Il
may be fitted 10 the sghtslldc OF the rife and kep
| ia position by sliding piece at one end and
thumbscrew. The other end is formed 70 resemble
when viewed from the rear, the sightsllde or sight
| cap, according TO whether the leaf be up or down
In using these sights they are after being fixed Il
the rife, adjusted that the lines of sight by th'
rifle sights and by the auxiliary sights agree. ON
man may then look along the auxiliary sight, an'
observe how the rife Is aimed by another who use
the rife sights IN the ordinary way. This arrange
the aid OF a rest"-Trrf ITcId, and Tdra Augus' 2l
General G. W. Wingate, vice.president o
the National Rifle Association Of New York
visited Washington on Thursday last to con
| f,n a. 81
tation for the three military teams that arc T.
be entered from the regular army--one cacl
from the Eastern, Middle, and Western de
partments-to contest for tho trophy abOv
mentioned. General Wingate informs US tina
In addition to the 81 600 contributed by Judg
Hilton, sufficient: money has been raised t.
insure the trophy to be worth not less thar
-, 500. and that the military match will b
the most interesting event of the kind tha
has ever taken place In this country.
While In the city General Wingato calet
upon the officers of 4 company, Of the Distric
militia, and of the Columbia Rifle Association
and cordially invited those organizations t
send teams to the Creedmoor meeting, whic
is to open on the 18th of next month. 1t
understood that A company has already ap
pointed a committee to take the matter unde
advisomept, and II is hoped that the compan
may find II possible to send representation
I as 1t Is well known that among its member
, are many marksmen who are second to non
with the military arm.
The Columbian Rife Association will nc
only send o team 10 compete in the intcr-Stat
lOng-range match, but most of the members q
the association will go and enter in the ind
vidual matches of which there will bo n grca
nunber, both for tho military and tRrgt
rifles So there will bc no lack Of sport for al
whether in the teams or otherwise. The fol
lowing, from tho New York HerGld, is n de
sCription OF the event of tho meeting til
great international military match:
, This match is open To teams Of twelve, from u
fOllOwiug:-l. Cnligd States Of AmcriCa--I, II
army OF The United States, one team from the trDOI
} stationed within each OF the three military diyi
ious Atlantic, Pacific, and Missouri three teams
all; b, The Unltcd states navy tone tcnm)i c, III
National Guard OF uniformed militia of the sever
States and Territories including the District
Columbia tome team from each state or Territory
q Other cUnutries-England, Ireland, ScOtlan
and each OF the provinces OF Great Britain, each
the provinces of Clnuda, aud all other COultfl
| lOnc team eaCl), from the following -, The reg
: lar army b. The militia C. The volunteers; Il, II
navy Of any country; Separate teams to be Sc
n only when the organizations are separate.
The members OF each team tO be officers or c
listed men aud active members of the corps
T organizations which they represent, and to appc
in the authorized uniform llu!l dress or faiigu
thereof. They shall he selected In such mallner
G shall he prescribed by the military Auth9riiicss,
the country or state they represent, and shall,
l. required he certified to by them US being their n
thOTiZCd representatives.
Distances, 30, 90 ana GU yards ROUNDS scV,
ut each distance. Position, Standing at 4D yard
v and, with head toward tho target, ut Do and
2 yards.
i Weapon, any military rifle which has be
adopted rs an Official arm by nny state or cover
r. mrlit Ammunition, any Entrance Fee 81 ca
n man. !. Prize, trophy, presented by Mr.. Hen
y Hilton of New York, to be shot for annually
CrrclmoOr or such other range as the National ri
j. Association Of America shall select to be held dl
10 ing the year by tho head of the corps or organic
+ ton whose team may win II, and To 6c returned
'' the National Rifle Association At the eNpiratl
a thereof .. badge, 10 he presented TO each me
j. ber of the winning team. .. such prizes as may
II subsequently, announced.
Ih.. nnIannrIIIc ..Inl Mani