The morning news., 1897-08-16
GOSSIP OF THE SEA CRITTERS.
Interest Grows With the Approach
of the Depnrture.


The approach Of the day Of the depart
ure Of the Sea Critters in quest Of the hon
ors that sharp eyes and steady nerves
alone can win oil the sands Of Jersey >
shore Is bringing with it a constant in
crease in the interest shown by the fellow
soldiers of the crack shots that have been
selected to compose the team. This in
terest is manifested in many ways, and the
trip Of the marksmen is now the subject
of conversation with the military men.
| The talk is Of the team whether its
chances are as bright as last year; wneth-
er as team it is as strong; and its per-
sonnel. The untried shots who have
never undergone the nervous strain to
! which old hands say novices are subjected
| during a big match, are taken up
and their merits discussed. 1t be-
| comes a question with those that know or
| profess TO know, sonnet hing about shoot
! ing and something about the objects IN
| der the fire of their observations, to set
| tie whether the new men are gong 70
| stand the excitement of the sea Glrt
match and make the scores they do at
| Avondale. This Is settled one way or
| the other, some adnering TO one opinion
! and some to another, 50 that good scores
| az Sea GIrt made by the recruits, viii
not fail to surprise one side or the other.
Naturally, the greatest interest centers
| among the members Of the team They
are enthusiastic in anticipation of the
! trip particularly the younger ones, who
Will go to the New Jersey range for the
first time. To the veteran mem
bers the thing has been di-
vested, through repetiuons, OF much
Of its novelty, as this VIII be
the fourth summer that some have gone
but il cannot be said that they are not
still proud of being on the team and able
to represent their city with the skill with
the rifle that many bullseyes, pumped in
! the center testify to their possessing
The enthusiasm is with the novices. A
laudable ambition has been gratlhed, and
they constitute part Of that team which
has at past matches won so much Of hon
or and fame a Sea Girt for Savannah
There is not one but hopes that his eye
viii grow keener and his eye more steady
when the opportunity 70 add to the laurels
of his city and, by well directed shots. win
honors for himself. presents itself Much
pleasure is felt in the anticipation Of the
trip, and there is no doubt that each of the
tweuty-one members will realize as much
as is hoped. Several ladies may
accompany the team. The wives
Of two of the party viii 90, il is known,
and they with the other ladies' that may
possibly accompany the soldiers, will stop
at a summer resort about a mile from the
Sea Girt range.
The members Of the team will be busily
engaged for the next few days in getting
their supplies of ammunition in readiness
by the sailing of the Kansas City on Fri
day. On arriving at New York. the team
will be met by Capt. W. W. Williamson,
its captain, and viii proceed at once to
Sea Grit There assiduous practice will
at haer mil 10 rV1f
the opening Of the matches on Aug. 30.
Careful records will be kept Of
the scores made and it will
be from these that the selecting com
mittee will choose the men to consti-
tute the team to engage in the big
matches. This committee consisting of
Capt j G. PostelI. Capt. George 7. Cam
Lieut.. c. S. Richmond, Lieut.. 2. c. vii
son and Mr.. w. O. Austin, Who are ac-
knowledged to be the best shSs will also
allow other considerations, such, for in
stance, as a man ability to maintain IN
der all circumstances an unrufded nerve,
10 influence them in the selections. Every
thing tending 10 increase the strength of
the teams viii be considered carefully.
A man uniformly good at all the ranges
viii. as an Illustration be more likely 70
be selected than one who ekcels at only
one range. The scores at al the ranges,
If good, will hefp the aggregate of the
team more than that which, even if un-
usually high, may be made at one target
when the others detract from the total.
The change from the regulation bulls
eye targets. with the cOncentric circles,
to the silhouette figures Is rather welcomed
by the Savannah team. No particular rea-
son for this preference is assigned further
than that they are found to be more cas-
ily bit and that better scores result. This
is an advantage that is doube-edged, how
ever, and their opponents at Sea Grt viii
probably find as LITTLE trouble in making
better scores with the silhouettes as the
Savannahians.
The programme of events at the match
which lasting from Aug. 30 to Sept. T. in
elusive, will be shot under the auspices
of the New Jersey State Rifle Associa-
tion shows that twenty-five matches will
be shot. while three additional matches
viii be shot under the auspices of the
National Rife Association A glance
through the programme. which contains
the names of all the winners
is interesting to Savannahians, as IL dis
closes the names of members of the city S
| teams as winners in many of them.
The matches about which the greatest
interest usually centers are the Wimble-
don cup. the Hilton trophy and the inter
/ state military match. OF these. two were
{ won last year by Savannah. Capt Cam
winning the Wimbledon cup and the
team winning the interstate match Al
/ these matches are under the auspices OF
/ the National Rifle Association.
/ The Hilton trophy was won by the Wash
/ ington u. c.. team last year, though the
/ Savannah boys tied their score. The
\ Washingtonians were adjudged the win.
ners because their scores az the lonf
ranges were .arger than those of the Geor
gians.
]