The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-07
CAPT. WILLIAMSON RETURNS.
TELLS OF THE GEORGIA BOYS Gall
LIANT WORK AT SEA GIRT.


Their Guns or They Would Have
Walked Away with the Hilton
TrOphy-SOme Fine Shooting Done
Despite Many Disadvantnges-sav
annah Men Took the AtIantians
in Hand and Taught Them a Thing
or Two-WIII Nearly All Come
Home This Week.
Capt. w. W. Williamson, who was in
charge OF the Georgia rifle team at Sea
Girt, returned yesterday morning via the
ahead OF the members of the team, all Of
whom remained until Saturday night to
learn the results of the individual shoot
ing, and to collect their prizes.
The majority of the members of the
team win no doubt return on the City Of
morrow afternoon. Several of them left
Sea Gir't Saturday in time to catch the
Kansas City, which sailed that afternoon
at o'clock, and still others will remain
north few days on pleasure bent, before
returning.
AAO SAtAAGHS VI G0dNdlIINdl may VIGIL Ieel
proud of the team that represented Geor-
gia. 1t may well be said that no team
ever made finer record in contests of this
class. In giving resume of the teams
excellent work, and speaking of the diff
ferent features of the meet, Capt VIII
Hanson said:
I'm the five-team matches in which they
entered, they won the interstate match on
a score of 1,04s. or points behind the rec
ord, which was eighteent points ahead
Of Massachusetts and twenty-five points
ahead Of Washington. In the regimental
match, the Guards beat the Washingtons-
the next highest team-by thirty points.
In the carbine match the Hussars beat
the Essex Troop, the next highest, by
twenty-one points.
The other two matches were lost by
very narrow margins. Washington beat
the company team from the Guards by
two points and tied the score of the Geor-
gia team in the Hilton trophy, only win
ming the match by making the largest
score at 800 yards. We would have led
this match, too, had not one OF our men
lost points by scoring bulls eye in the
wrong target. While it was very hard
luck to lose the Hilton trophy on tie, we
should certainly be satisfied with the re-
suit of the meeting, for in addition to the
team matches, our boys have made al
most clean sweep in the Individual
matches as follows:
Capt. George T. Cann-The Wimbledon
cup LOCO yards; the Hayes medal, 500
and 600 yards.
Lieutenant r. C. Wilson-The Trenton
interstate, 200 and 800 yards; the all-com-
ers match, 200 and 800 yards.
Private w. G. Austin-The Kuser med
al, three scores at 500 yards; the New Jer-
sey Rifle Association trophy, 500 and 600
yards.
Private c. S. Richmond-The revolver
match, 30 yards.
1.-THE Hilton trophy match was shot on
Thursday and a worse day for shooting
could hardly be imagined. Shortly after
the match started a strong wind sprung
up and steadily increased in velocity to
twenty miles an hour directly across the
range. At 200 yards, therefore goose-eggs
down the line were not uncommon, and
wretched scores were made Washington
and Georgia kept close together, however,
and finished up this distance with Wash
ington one point in the lead. At 800 yards
our boys shot remarkably WELL Richmond
making perfect score of 80 in the heavy
wind, and having finished 10 points ahead
of Washington, went to the 600 yards butts
with lead of 9 points. At 600 yards the
wind, while keeping up its strength, be-
came somewhat unsteady and gusty and
windage had to be constantly changed, re-
sulting in poor scores. 1t was at this
range that the superiority of the guns
used by Washington showed itself, being
six groOved and chambered out for heay-
Ter ammunition, the speed Of the bullet is
increased, takes less trajectory, and is
consequently less affected by the wind.
I 70
about the gun used by Washington. Infor-
nation having come to US that the Massa-
chusetts team was armed with a special
gun made by the winchester Arms Com
pany, with certain improvements, giving
ii an advantage over the regular military
gun, and there being some question as to
whether the gun could be properly con-
sidered military gun, as required by the
conditions of the match, made protest
to Gen. Bird w. Spencer against the use
of the gun, feeling confident that an in
vestigation would also bring up the cues
tion as to whether Washington could use
the gun with which they were armed A
meeting Of team captains was called, with
Gov. Griggs of New Jersey presiding. and
the matter fully discussed. In order to
place everybody on the same footing, Gen
Spencer made a proposition to send to the
state arsenal for a supply of new 45-caliber
3-groove Springfelds and issue them to
each team. Such plan, II adopted would
certainly have been a fair test of the
shooting qualities of the teams.
Massachusetts at first did not want to
accept the proposition, as they had gone
to considerable expense in getting their
guns. and having given considerable time
practicing with them, felt that they had
quite an advantage In shooting with them.
The other team captains all appeared
agreeable to the proposition, and Capr.
Nutter of the Massachusetts team final
ly said rather than cause any unpleasant
ness he would accept the proposition
Much to the surprise of us all, Mai. Har-
ries of the Washington team then took the
position that he was aware that he had
a superior gun and ammunition, that
gave him an advantage, and he was NOT
willing TO throw this advantage away
AS he was firm in his decision, after con-
siderable argument then withdrew NV
protest against Massachusetts,, and moved
that II Washington be allowed to shoot
their special guns that Massachusetts
be allowed TO shoot theirs, which was
adopted
Pennsylvania and Georgia used the reg
Il mr. STrngfield t,ree-groove gun, New
Jersey the, six-groove Springfield. and
Massachusetts, and WASH ingt - their spe.
cial gun heref ire, ! can safely saw