Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-12
Rifle.ShOOling.


Itwould be ungracious and unpatriotic MOTTO
wish all possible success to the rtf1omen WAC
sailed on Thursday to meet their Irish rivals at
DOllymOunt The more one studies the subj ct
OF rifle shooting as practiced at Creedmoor and
Wimbledon the more evident does 1t APPEAR
that 1t is one of the nobleSt and most useful
pursuits to which human being can devote
himself.
Rifle-shooting Is unquestionably an athletic
sport The rifleman while shooting Is CON-
PEELED to spend the greater part OF his time
In lying on the ground. This exercise, violent
as 1t Is. never seems to exhaust the strength Of
really healthy man, wale, on the other
hand, IL strengthens those muscles which e
called 10 use while man Is sleeping. Thus,
week at Creedmoor will, at the end of single
season. be able to lie In bed with far more vigor
and endurance than usual. Tnen the muscles
OF his shoulder are constantly exercised by the
and hard that nothing less than the hind foot
of mule can make any impression On them.
To less extent. the muscles OF the rt1emanS
right cheek undergo the same beneficial train
Ing, While his right fOreanger Is frequently
made completely and permanently rigid When
we compare the physical exercise which Is af-
fOrded by nfie-shOoting with that which any
other athletic sport affords 1t is impossible to
Rifle shOOt1ng, being an Open-alr sport,
brings the r1fieman into intimate communion
with nature At CreedmOOr, he finds himself
brought face to face with targets, surrounded
with tents, 1nspirited by the presence OF wav-
ing banners, and within easy distance of beer.
No man can thus commune with the most
beautiful works OF nature without becoming a
purer and better man; and though the Creed
moor rifleman may occasionally swear at the
marker, his profanity does not make him any
less Child Of nature than does the profanity OF
the California miner. who, as we all know, is
the purest, nObleSo, and most profane type Of
mankind.
That rife-shoottng after the Creeinoor
fashion Is the best possible school of the soldier
universally pOncaI,f An Cr,.pd
moor rthemen would be simply Irresistible
They would march to battle with their rifles
neatly packed In leather cases, and carrying
their ammunition, opera-glaSSe5, and score
DOCKS In nice mahogany boxes. Arriving On
The field or battle, they would pitch their tents,
and In the shade thereof would adjust their as
Economical instruments 10 the barrels OF their
weapons. and would spread their carpets on
the ground. Sergeants, detailed for the pur-
pose, could next place wind-yaneS In the space
Intervening between the rflemen and the
enemy, and markers would be sent into the
enemy's lines under the protection OF flag OF
truce. The sights and wind gauges being regu-
lated by few sighting shots, the attack would
BEGIN each ritieman firing at the appalling
rate OF once In fifteen minutes, and great care
being taken that no noise should be made by
which the nerves OF the rifiemen might be dis
turbed. The result OF each shot would be duly
noted by the markers, and in the course of a
few hours all the enemy would be shot down,
and the rifiemen would be victorious. AS a
mere matter OF detail, there would have to be
perfectly quiet while under fire, for II they
were to make rude and ungentlemanly ad-
vance on the rifemen, they could blyOnet the
whole OF them while engaged In altering their
sights so as to be able TO hit man at short
range. But, of course, no gentlemanly enemy
would refuse to make such an agreement and
1t Is TO be presumed that the Creedmoor rifle
men would diSdain to attack any but gentle
manly antagonists.
In addition to these obvious uses OF ride.
shooting, 1t should be mentioned that the sport
Is OF great benefit to the rifle manufacturers.
So Well recognized is this fact that 1t is limited
that rifle matches have been sometimes ar
ranged, and the expenses OF rifle teams paid,
by the rifle manufacturers. 1t Is evident that
when team using Smiths breech leaders
men. lrishmen, or Scotchmen, using Browns
muZzle-loaaers, the public Immediately per-
ceiyeS the vast superiority OF the Smith rifle
and make up its mind TO buy 1t and no other.
II the Robinson Rifle Manufacturing Company
hires an American rlfleman to 60 to Wimble-
don and shoot with their weapon, the Victories
scored by the rifeman are 50 many advertise
mentS for the Robinson company. or course
the public Is not informed of the part taken by
the rifle manufacturers In inducing men to
| weapons. since this would reduce rifle shooting
In public estimation to mere trick OF trade.
We naturally take more interest In the gallant
rifleman who goes to Wimbledon solely to
prove the superiority Of American marksin IN
ship than we would In the man who is hired to
take Smith or Robinson rifle to Wimbledon
and exhibits powers.
We should be thankful that we live In an age
when we can improve our minds and bodies by
shooting at q mark, and when enterprisinQ
r1ne manufacturers understand how to adver
use their business Meanwhile, let US hope
mount, and that once more our superiority
with the rife will be demonstrated.