The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-07-05

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" read OF any expert in the history of I
irearms or fetes that has created the in I
crest that DR.. w. f. Carver has done In /
his exhibition of Workmanship before
the Prince of Wales and q number of the |
nobility at Sandrigham, and the favorite |
country palatial residence of the prince.
This great success of DIR. Carver has
marked him as the champion rifie-shot of
the whole world What with Mr.. Loril-
lard's horse Parole winning the British
turf laurels, and DIR. Carver being the
decorated guest of the Prince of Wales,
all England's ssports" just now have but
America as the prominent word upon
their lips. The Prince of Wales heard
of DR.. Carver's skill with the rifle, and in
order TO satisfy himself that the state
ments were not exaggerated, caused his
private secretary and special equerry,
Captain Stephenson, to write to DIR. G.
inviting him to the town residence of the
prince, Marlborough House. The hand
some and modest doctor responded to
this invitation in propria person@ the
following day. Every preliminary pre-
paration was made for him, and he was
received in right royal hospitality.
The group was composed of their royal
highnesses the Prince and Princess of
Wales and their children, Prince Albert
Victor, Prince George, and the young
Princesses Louis, Victoria and Maud, the
Princess of Hanover, the Duke of Cam
bridge, the Earl and Countess of Row
ney, Earl of Oxford, Viscount and Coun-
tess Manderyille and her sister, Miss
Izuaga (well known in New York and
Washington society, Sir William and
Lady Flokes, Sir Henry Keppel, the
Admiral-i int Chief of the British feet, the
Admiral the Hon. W. G. Glyn, the Hons.
Bernal Osborne and Francis Knolbys,
Miss Knolbys, Capt Mildmay, the lead
ing spirit In marksmanship1 Gen. Sir
Dighton Probin, the Comptroller of the
Prince of Wales household, Captain Ste
phenson, r. N, Revs. F. Heryey and W.
Rogers, Chaplains to the Prince, and
many others whose names at this moment
cannot recall.
Capt. Stephenson performed the neces-
sary introductions of these distinguished
personages to DIR. Carver, who was near
ly half an hour behind his time, DELAY
unavoidable, but In an English subject I
may say objectionable. The sun shone
out for the first time in several DAYS; the
emerald turf of the lawn In its spring
time verdure and magnificent dimensions
made superb carpet for the guests. DIR.
Carver appeared attired in black vel
vet blouse, adorned with many glittering
gems and medals, the trophies of his
American triumphs, his gray sombrero
hat shading his long sunburn locks and
hazel eyes OF piercing power. Unique
and picturesque. tall and gallant looking
was this citizen of the west amidst
these grand mobiles of the east. A buzz
OF admiration went up as the doctor first
gracefully bowed to the princess and
ladies present, and then made his saluta-
tions to the prince and his guests with o
frankness and simplicity of manner so
typical of prairie freedom that it at once
seemed to charm every one present.
After mounting his excellent horse of
true Indian blood, Winnemucca, he
awaited the selection of the testing local
ity on the lawn; his quick eye scans the
deer in their galloping brigades beneath
the mighty oak and tall elms, and he sits
his beautiful steed like very monarch
of ease and power.
The Prince of Wales, walking up to
him, says pleasantly, 6 have heard SO
much of your unrivaled skill that am
pleased to see you here"
"And am pleased to see you, too,
prince, !" responded the doctor.
Will you first give the ladies here
present an evidence Of what you can do?''
said the gallant prince.
This was so proposed, as the ladies had
pre-arranged engagements, which we're
dispensed with, however, for DIR. Carver's
more attractive entertainments, when his
first feats were seen.
The Prince of Wales held the timing
watch and kept score himself, manifest
ing delighted interest in the perform
ance. DIR. Carver, for the first time be-
fore an assemblage Of persons, broke con-
secutively, without the slightest inter-
rnption, 100 glass balls IN 100 straight
shots of his rifle, following this feat at
once by breaking one hundred balls
with 100 smooth shots from double
barreled shotgun, both transactions
being simultaneous, or almost a unit,
with two different weapons under similar
distance and circumstances. The doctor
then, with his horse running at full
speed and he sitting on it like a pic
turesque statue, broke % out of 80 balls,
single and double. To prove his pre-
cision DR.. Carver, at the special request
of the prince, broke IL out of 16 balls in
fifteen seconds. He also discharged Is
out of 16 shots, or cartridges, in four
seconds, to prove rapidity in firing, the
sixteenth cartridge falling to go off.
After that came an exhibition rarely if
syer seen before. The doctor caused .
glass ball to be placed at a considerable
distance on the lawn. He fired at and
under it, SO that the concussion of the
sod throws the bali up, and before it
falls the doctor again levels his rife and
breaks the balls, in the most finished
and artistic style. This so excited the
admiration of the Prince of Wales that,
turning to the Earl OF Rowney, In q
most enthusiastic manner he exclaimed,
Bravoi I viii bet e1000 that DR.. Carr
yer will break one hundred and fifty
balls without error or intermission with
his rifel" The doctor complied, though
none of the group took up the princes
bet, luckily for them. I doubt if this
has ever been approached in the history
of shooting. Luncheon was then an
nouneed and the royal party, the guests
and DR.. Carver went to the palatial
dining room of Sandrigham. Though
the feast was plenteous and the carving
good, it could not excite the interest of
Carver on this occasion; so as soon as
the repast was was over the entire group
returned to the lawn, and our gallant
American hero resumed his programme
by shooting at and breaking glass balls
thrown directly at him and across him in
front, and turning and hitting others
thrown across and behind him shooting
both right and left double shots at fall
ing balls. Then he shot at glass ball
thrown in the air, missing 1t the first
three shots, but loading the rife three
times while the ball is in the air, and
breaking it with the fourth shot before
it reached the ground. He shot mar
bles thrown indiscriminately in the air
by the guests. The young princes threw
up shilIings, and the doctor hit the en-
tire sixteen without the slightest error or
false motion. In word, there seemed
no end of variety in the fancy, plain,
scientific and artistic shots that our won
derful markesman executed. All looked
on with amused interest, and even the
princes of Wales desired that DIR. Car
yer should be presented to her, upon
which she asked him many intelligent
questions on American prairie shooting,
hunting, etc.
How many buffalo have you killed in
day, DIR. Carver?"
To this the doctor responds, have
shot hundred In one day, madam.
I. .l-