The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-09-06
sAVANNAH's CHAMPIONS.
They viii soon BE Home TO Receive
the Ovation Due Them.

the Ovation Due Them.
The Savannah sharpshooters, who have
covered themselves and their city with
glory by their work at Sea Grit, have scat
tered, and some Of them are now on their
return home. They will be welcomed with
open arms by their friends and acquaint-
ances here.
In the brilliant achievements of the Sa-
vannah riiemen at Sea Girt this year, the
citizens Of Savannah feel that they have a
part, and that the city no less than the
men who have won these honors, will
wear the laurel wreath of victory. The
stride of the pickanniny, who sold the
Morning News yesterday morning had
added dignity in it because of the good
news he bore TO the reader of the paper.
Savannah has never lacked for interest
in this contest OF skill on the rifle range
During the last week the attention OF
every citizen, male and female, of proud
position or meek humility. was largely
conferred in the doings of the rihemen at
Sea Girt. The practice scores were care
fully studied before the contest opened,
and news has been sought by all with
avidity since the first event. In the clubs,
in the exchanges, on the curbstone and
around the evening lamp the prospects Of
winning, the records of the men, the I'M
certainty of fate and all the factors that
enter into a test of skill or a game Of
chance were discussed with earnestness
and the telephone in the Morning News
4 Y,ia of
chinery, but a willing servant of the peo-
pie
Capt. A. McC. Duncan, a veteran
of the rifle range, in discuss
ing the work of the Savan-
nah men last night, expressed himself
as delighted, but not surprised. The Sa-
vannah military men," said Capt. Duncan,
have been very energetic in
their work since they entered
these contests. The citizens in
general have shown their interest in their
progress and given them liberal support
The teams have steadily improved In
their work and risen from the lowest
round of the ladder in 1884, when they
entered the Sea Girt contests, and came
out sixth or last, until to-day they are
the champions of America, having made
a clean sweep of all the prizes offered
Capt. Duncan calls attention to the
fact that the Hilton trophy, which was
won last year by the District of Columbia
team on a score of 1907, is won this year
by the Georgia boys on a score of 1,OS6
eleven points lower. This, he said, Is to
be considered with the fact that this year
there was a strong and adverse wind blow
ing, against which it was very hard to
shoot, and that the score of the Georgians
was really remarkable. "They have" he
said throughout the entire contest,
evinced in a marked degree a clearness
of sight, steadness of nerve and accu-
racy of aim that is wonderful, and be-
speaks faithful practice and a conscien-
tious determination to do their duty to
the people who expected so much of them.
As to his opinion on the practical value
of these contents, Capt. Duncan said that
any one who understood the conditions of
war, especially the modern tactics of open
lines, would never question the value to
the nation of trained sharpshooters, in
which valuation, not the least factor to
be considered was the economy of ammu-
milton.
while there is no immediate prospect
of war it has always been found a good
policy in time of peace to prepare for bat
tie" said Capt. Duncan, land in season of
drought to dig bitches to carry off the
water when the rains fall. The United
States government has been one of the
.ast to appreciate these things, but in re-
cent years the wise men who administer
the nations affairs have realized the i'm
portance of a well-equipped and easily
handled militia force in the several
states. -