Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-09-15
CREEDMOOR.


TnE BRITIsH klFLE TEAM AHEAD.
Result of the First Days Match - The
Weather Somewhat Unfavoraule TO
tho American Marksmen.
The day opened bright and windy over
the CreedmoOr range Thursday morning.
It bid fair to be good day for the Amer
leans, who prayed for such weather to
help them beat the British and thus make
up for the lack of skill which the practice
shooting had made painfully evident. But
pretty soon clouds drifted over the sky
and the weather looked better for
England and American hearts sank.
So did the hearts of the caterers.
who had made preparations to feed
10, 600 persons and who saw the trains ar
irving with very few passengers. Either
tho clouds or the lack of interest in the
match or the foregone conclusion that the
Americans were beaten, or all three of
these conditions, prevailed and accounted
for the light attendance at the beginning
of the day. The match was not to begin
until O'Clock and during the morning
the 900 yard range match for the VIM
bledon cup was contested and the gentle
men who were to coach the American
team took part in it in order to learn the
condition of the light and wind. No one
paid attention 70 this match, waiting for
the bigger game Of the afternoon,
At 10 o'clock Colonel Bodinc and Sir
Henry Halford tossed for choice of targets
and the American won and he selected
targets and at the 200 yards range, east
of targets 3 and 4, which the British were
to use.
The opening shot came from the Ameri-
cans. Kinds fired it and an instant later
cheer rolled up from the spectators as
the white disc came up and showed a
bulls eye. Then came q crack from the
English side as Parry fred, but no bulls
eye was scored-only 4. Thus the inter
national military match was opened.
Tho shooting at this range went on sys-
tematically and without many incidents.
Tho greatest care was taken TO get correct
results of each shot, the markers more
than once displaying the red flag that the
firing might stop while they examined
the target. Of the British, Goodear and
Parry fired very slowly, baS when they
were half through Heap and Boulter had
finished their scores. McVittis shot very
rapidly and seemed little troubled by the
wind. That the wind did trouble most of
tho men is seen in the few really good
scores of the British, McVittie, Heap and
Dods making each 81, the best out of a
possible IS. The total score was $40. the
smallest score the British have made
since they arrived here. The Americans
shot with care and deliberation, fighting
wind. As McNiven was aiming for his
third shot gust of wind struck him. He
lowered tho gun, and in SO doing pulled
the trigger. The bullet flew wide of the
target and the spectators groaned. Only
three good scores were made by the Amer
icans-Howards 81, Smiths 80 and Hin
mans 30. Tho total was 331. On two
practice days they made 343 and 347. Ths
Americans took courage when tbev found
fshemselxas s'ssss!ae zine points points behind.
Shooting began on the 500 yard range
at 3:15. Heap led of for the British with
. bulls eye. At this range the shooting
was different. The men lay flat on tho
ground, facing the targets, and the vino
couldn't trouble them. They braced thei,
elbows in the turf and thus formed goo6
rests for their guns A series of bulls
eyes followed, especially on the British
targets, as the scores show, and when the
teams ceased firing it was found that thu
| British had made the high total score o.
37S and the Americans 800, the first being
above their average practice shooting, tho
latter being very good. Smiths score o
81, 6 bull 's.eyes and a centre, was received
with cheers, as was McNevin's 80. Nc
| ViItie, of the British, did as we'll as Smith
So did Heao and Caldwell, and Parry die
as we'll as McNevin. At the close of thiI
stage tho Americans found themselves Il
points behind. The English had gaine(
Q points more and it looked bad for th'
Americans.
| Then came the last stage of the day, tn.
6OO-yards range. As the ranges length
ened the shooting on the American sid'
became better, and Dolan and Smith made
"a each and McMevin and Pollard SO. NJ
Englishman equaIled their scores, but the!
shot better as team. Each team mad
a miss. When the scores where iootet
up the British were 344 points to tn
Americans 343. The English had adde.
one to their lead of IS and werc 10 points
ahead on the days shooting. They hat
beaten the Americans at tho ranges a
which the latter were supposed to excel
To-day the 800, 900 and 1000 yard range
are to be shot over.