New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-22
THE INTERNATIONAL RIFLE MATCH.

THE INTERNATIONAL lfLE MAICH
American rifiemen will not be disappointed
nor discouraged because of the English victory
Yesterday at Wimbledon. The general lm-
preston was favorable to the success OF the
British team, before the match began. For
tunately the belief that the Americans would
do better than in the unequal contest at Creed
moor las. autumn has been fully realized.
They scored 1O1 points more this year, and
reduced the British lead from ITO to DO. Con-
sideriug that the Americans were shooting on
ground and in an air and climate 10 which they
were unaccustomed, the showing Is highly
creditahle. As the result of few
months practice it encourages the bchef
that with perseverance and more harmonious
action the Americans will again become the
yictors in future contests. The English have
done well, however, though they failed to make
so high score this year as in the previous
match.
The Americans labor under disadvantages
which may be removed, as the value OF these
friendly military contests comes to be better ap-
preciated in this country. Formerly the inter
national rifle matches were shot with sporting
rifles, and by teams made up of men familiar
Wltn IUe use VI NOdDDuo' T"SiiN'"
superiority in those matches was demonstrated
by successive victories in 1874, 1875, 1876
and 1877. The matches of the past two years
have been arranged on different footing, aud
are confined TO members of the American Ma
tional Guard and of the British Volunteers !;
only such rifles being be used as are service
able for military purposes. military rifle has
to be light enough to be carried on marches,
and the sights must be- of a kind which enables
the marksman to aim quickly at an object
These conditions barred out tie small-bore
sporting rifles with which the Americans had
won their victories, and it also disc ualiiied
many of the best American marksmen, who are
not members of the National Guard. On the other
hand, the conditions were all favorable to the
British. They have been accustomed to long
range rife shooting with military weapons.
Their gathered experience of twenty years en-
abled them to win an easy victory at Creedmoor
last year and in the return match finished at
Wimbledon yesterday.
If these matches tend to awaken greater in
tcrest in rife practice in this country, they will
be fruitful of good. In Great Britain there is
an enthusiasm about target practice which is
entirely unknown here. Not only the general
experience but the special training of the Vol
unteers of Great Britain ID applicable to the
peculiar condition of these matches. Wimble-
don numbers on its programme dozen matches
which call for long-rang military rifle practice
practically new thing i'll this country. The
general average of the Americans in the first
days shooting this year was better than the
English, showing that In the range Of shooting
to which they were accustomed they were SUI
perior. The best English m2rksncn are mem
bers of the Uunteer corps and the force to
draw from is so much greater than that of this
country as hardly to admit of comparison.
There are nearly 100000 rifle volunteers in
active training in Great Britain. The entire
organized militia of the United States numbers
1927, and not one-quarter OF that force is
ay liable for rifle practice. Practical target
shooting began in England in 1860 at Wimble-
don. but up to the time Creedmoor was estab
lished, about ten years ago, military rifles in
this country were used only as dummies in
drill The twelve men on the British team were
chosen from 2, 400 contestants for the Queens
prize at Wimbledon, while there were hardly
a score Uf Americans from which to make II
selection. In England the Government has
always stood ready to furnish means to supply
instructors at the ranges and ammunition and
free transportation to competing grounds.
There is no such provision in this country.
The expense Of transporting competitors from
distant States to the range ut Creedmoor and
there providing for them practically limits the
choice of AN American team to the immediate
vicinity of New York.
Under these circumstances the Americans
have done well. The English team was COM
posed of veterans at the butts Among their
number are persons of rank and wealth who
can afford to devote their time to rife practice.
Handicapped by inexperience, and by lack of
practice in the kind of weather in which the
match was shot and probably by inferior
rifles, the American team nevertheless gained
IO1 points on the English since the match last
autumn. That is doing WELL lu the next
match, with larger experience and plenty of
hard practice beforehand, they will certainly do
better.