New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-15

s,,oIIor than was expected. The best score
of the day-9j points-was made by Smi'h'
of the American team
THE OPENING OF THE GREAT MATCH.
A COMPARATIVELY SNAIL NUMBER OF SPECTATORS
THE SHOOTING VERY GOOD UNDER THE CON
D1TToNs-CACrIoN DISPLAYED BY THE RIFLE
MEN.
Altboueh the first stage of the international
Match was won yesterday by the BRUSH at
tvery rance. it was brayely contested, and the
Americans emerged from it with the air OF men VINO
bod made record of which they could
I've uroud. II was indeed such record In
the face of better rifles. greater experience ana
superor training and in spite OF the decentralization
which could hardly fail to follow the geneTalIy eN-
pressed opinion of their infenority to thelr
nnnouents in all things they held their own so well
that phenomenal shooting was required to makethem
yield the feld. This was praiscworthy. and II was
told most clearly in the fact that their record was
tb hest yer me- by them since their Organizatlon
Men who can, hold ont so well against such great
aiscouragcment t. say nothing Of the intestine
tronbles which work most pernciou'lv wheh an
object is sought 20 he gained by mutual ehor'' arc
oodo of stuff that is deserving Of high praise. The
farce of this will appear more plainly when the
story of yesterdays contest is told III detali.
The weather has a great deal to do with Good
shooting. That Of yesterday was very unfavorable
especially at the first range in the match, when
was shot standing and without res for the rifles
For a while it seemed If the wishes of patrlotic
Americans who were willing that the acknowledged
advantages Of the British in the way of experience
and skill in the use OF military arms should b offset
bv atm0spheric conditions peculiar to Crecdmoor,
and hence unfamiliar to the visitors. woId he real
zel. There was unanmity as to what these con-
qitions arc : A earng sunlight upon moist earfh
,nd the Aforementioned "fshtaln wind. Such
light is calculated to produce pcrpcxing mirage
10 excite in the targets dancing mania
Gle eff ,ct Of which as through the slghs upon
n nhe barrel causes one to suspect that there Is
something wrong about the butts or the preVainhg
tbeorv concerning the inertia of matter Under the
gray skies of England this phenomenon Is compara-
tively rare. and foreign rfemen are supposed not
to he so able to cope with these vagaries
As Americans So too with the " fishtail" wind,
which shifts its course quickly and often, and
l. fcklc rs well in force wind OF this kind COM
peIs freonent change Of aIm from side 10 side OF
The bullseye on the target, and bewilders the
shooter as to the amount of wind-allowance winch
Is requisite at the moment the trigger is pulled.
The advantage Of the light the Americans had 10
forcco The sun shOnc fairly for ALL the skies We're
hchtlv ye:,ed and mild and equable
I'VE afternoon The wind blew strong and down the
rance from the firing points. twas gusfy too and
yould frequently catch shooter bio" IN the back
ot the first range which compelled hlm to lower his
rrn or fire at the risk Of wide shotIt firted about
coouettishlv and compelled the men TO covtra dis
tance of four or five feet laterally with their
sght on the target. At the GOO-yards range II bore
steadily from the right; at 800 yards II blew fit
fully. now from one side and now from the other
IT was so strong that it lifted the bullets very ud-
terially as they few toward their destruction on
the iron targets and compelled general lowering OF
tbe elevations several points. The air was
full of moisture, which also had an
effect upon the elevations inasmnch
as it influenced the of the rays of light which
came from the targets TO the eyes of the nfemcn.
But ii aided the men by Keeping soft the debris
left by the exploded charge in the barrel of the
gun. and thus prevented foulng.
The effect Of the systematic depreciation OF the
Amcricanss chances practised on all hands since the
arrival of the Bri sh team seen IN the COMPARE
tivclysmall interes' manifested in thematch. Where
thousands had gathered to witness the small-0ore
matches several years ago, hundreds were gathered
Yesterday There were no scenes OF excitement and
pufbusiasrn There was strong sprnkng of mill
tary men IN the lines pressing about the bulletin
boards and they were chiefly interested. Pool-sel-
ana DOOkiu ktlS Iciu aiODI. IL was II InHldIN
affair aud in TINS aspect and the
influence which it IS bound to exert upon service
rifle construction and milrtaryri practice hes its
greatest significance.
In picturosqueness the British outshone
1lor opponents through the grace of
varied forms and bright colors. In military
bearing The Americans took the lead AT the start
and maintained it. The visitors did not seem
ambitious to II gure much as soldiers as they did
a. rhemen They sauntered to the firing points
with Only a tUrng effort at order The
Americans, though only citIzon-sOldiers, gave all
possible attention to military di>ci2 2line The
shooting opened cautiously. Calm, seii-reant men
OIL either side were called on TO begin the friendly
contest Each group cast oil whatever Of military
s. fitness of bearin- nad been uucd. AID what Is
known as team WORK begaI. AZ 200 yards
mnch concert of action was not necessary
Tie men Shot ott-hlni, and neeied oA.y 10 Ue eau
TONED against hasuness and shooting during 100
violent gust of wind. Great de.ibcrateness was
u ctised on both side. The British looked least
moved, though the tact tnat they were jcalousiy
and lcalousy guarding every point was shown by
their waiting frequently for long time. One of