New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-05-21
PREPARING FOR 1HE RIFLE MATCH.
CHANGES IN THE CONDITIONS.


CHANGES IN THE CONDITIONS.
DISCIPLINE OF THE AMERICAN TEAM-IMPRovED
ARMS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS SHOOTING Xxx
PECTED.
There is evident, on the part OF the Natlonai
Rife Association and the National Guard pur-
pose to make serious and intelligent ehor'
to retrieve the huniliatlng defeat winch .no
American rhemen received at the hands OF the br."
last fall An analysis OF the work done by the shoo'ns
guardsmen at Creedmoor last week, while 1t has some
gng features does not justify exuberar e1pec
tations concerning the outcome OF the contest
that IS to take place at Wimbledon next
July It seems to be the general judgment OF those VINO
know that chances OF the Americans for success are
many degrees better than they were at tho first meeng
To some extent the Americans have passed
the experimental stage concerning arms anu
ammunition. which last fall continued up TIL tne
dav on which the American Guardsmen and the Brsh
Volunteers met
This week practice will be begun by the sixteen rife
men from the shooting team are to be selected anu
Colonel Howard has planned so that the work az INC
butts from now till the time or saihns
will be not only individual practice but actua
team drill 1t has frequently happened that the discr
pline and co operation OF tho American smalbore rne
mon gave them the victory their foreign compel
itors when IL seemed II the greater Individual skill
was upon the other side The British we're not $40"
10
they showed in the match last September
Irntortunately Colonel Bodne who had done much to
develop team methods among the long range Shooters
found himself seriously hampered by the independent
feelings and individual ambitious prevailing I'D
the military team that was given IN his charge ony
few weeks before the match was shot lie coud ho'
therefore, secure the perfect, unsesh, onepurpose co
operaton that he was accustomed to see IN the earlier
small bore teams. .
II is beyond question that in this regard
| the present team will be an Improvement on
the last The Captain. Colonel Howard, and Six OF tho
men, Messrs. Dolan. Smith. Human, Pollard, Pauiins
and Shakespeare, have had the experience which came
with the competition last fall DR.. Scott Is familiar
with team methods from experience had
| in long.range teams heretofore He was
| a member OF Captain Boliues team that shot the
small.bore match at Dolymouut in $780, and on that
occasion made the second best the American
| side and in the match-2ls out Of possible 225.
| Nearly all the other men are experienced
long range rinemen who felt their pride touched by tho
defeat OF last fall and made their minds Ia help. II
possible to rc-establish the long maintained supremacy
OF American morksnen There the further advantage
| of a knowledge Of tho mcttie of their opponents
which is fully appreciated now. but which las, year
W.T. This recognition it was doubtless which led the
National Rifle Association to ta<e Steps 10 place the re-
| turn match Oh more even PRIME OF adVhhlhse
| than the original one was Last year
for the sake Of bringing about maich-a Work OF con
adorable dficulty -COuc"ssOns " re made concerning
arms which worked much favor 10 the British rilemcn,
| ,rho had thr advantage OF uuc1 Practice ~
lOngraugc military shooting ana u g'city tuprrloT
rife The conditions made To conform tO he normal
standard at Wimbledon regardless OF the effect upon the
home guardsmcn Among other things The wind-gange,
| TO the of which American Guari'mcn were accns
toned was prohibited The ehc was 10 compel several
| men to change their method of sighting aud 20
| lower the efficiency OF the home team.
fhe National Rc Association alter the match asked Tor
IN ,li6c lion of me conditions 20 far A. 20 permit the
Use IN the return match OF military wind gauge" 1t
was perhaps somewhat Illuminating 10 request change
witch would ma ia the character OF
heacb hni an mir of Justice and propricy was given II
| Army adopted a device similar TO thnt which had
Deeh IN use io' SUt,Ss ,,vnr H.. ,tr,,c,';
| ami rs Hrther Ii'oF the tcqnT'hlrh,
| OF membership or the militia was modified
10 penn any one WHO h.d 9ren fuhrdsInsn rpm
January 81 tins year 10 shoot Ia tue event 81 another
humtating defeat ths year Therefore tho Americans
will themselves have entciuay bio'kadcd the usual
| course Of excuses aad eXiehuAting eNplanA-
he better armed. tneir ammunition Will
and that Of the British IN rcspeci OF quick
mes, AND. hence cleanliness The lessons
tan h al Gre, lmuOr last fan have not been ignored.
cotnpartsOp OF the records made at Crc,dInoOr last
fall and this spring reveals some Interesting faci' win
climatic conditions against them the men who nave won
amendments this year shot uniformly better Than the
team OF last year Their average were - follows, Pol
lard 1.-TWO daysl l73 :. l. Scott I72i2, Human III ;
lCGa; Brown, LOG Van liensen; l61h W.
scott. 16I; Cash. 1854; smith, 100; Eabbeth
I5s % This gives general average OF lGG which Is
fraction than - points BITTER than the average
made by the American team IN the match and j-l2
better than that made 10y The bitsl Volunteers Inc
latter, however. lid not reach In the match the
| record made in the preliminary practice. That
among the rfcmen Is shown by the fact that
John Smith. who led his team In the match last fall
was sprng fourteenth man IN the competition for
place although his work but trie poorer The i'm
proyeInenf has been general "a is shown III measure
BY the following tables Of averages made by nye men
selected. The following table shows the averages made
III all the preliminary competitions last year: