The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-08-28
PREPARING FOR hARESM[N.
Almost Ready For This
Years Revival Of Rifle
Practice at Sea, Girt.

Especial to THE Jersey Gifts News
TRENTON. Aug. Is, 1s99.-The war with
Spain prevented the holding Of the annual
matches of the National Rifle Association
and the New Jersey Rife Association at
Sea Girt last year. but they win be held
as usual this year. The matches begin
next Monday and some spirited contests
are confidently anticipated.
There is every prospect that the COM
ing matches will be more interesting thar
any of those OF former years, and one of
the reasons is that the dissatisfaction
that has been occasioned over the differ
ences in rifles and ammunition has been
done away with. For instance, in 1887
the Maine and Pennsylvania teams did
the special rifles and ammunition used
by some OF the other teams. The Georgia
team and some of the others were sup
pied with six groove guns with long
chambers, which gave them a decided adj
vantage over some OF the less favored
competitors who had less modern wea-
IONS.
Hereafter all teams win use the same
rifle-the As calibre, three groove Spring
field or Lee. To insure absolute fairness
in ammunition the rifle association has
purchased from the State 5000 Win
chester factory cartridges, which will be
placed at the firing line in original pack
ages.
s~yIvania. will include all the teams that
competed in 1897, besides several new con-
~testants. The reorganization Of the Ma
possible that the Keystone cracks VIII
not participate. New. Y0rk's Seventh
Regiment will send a team which viii
probably represent the State; the District
tai teams; New Jersey, a State, four regi-
mental and two carbine teams from the
Essex and Monmouth troops. The Geo
gia sharpshooters arrived Friday with
the Presidents troop of Atlanta. a car
bine team and a State team They VIII
put in the coming week at hard prac-
For the FIRST time New Hampshire is TO
be represented. Her State team is now
practicing at Nashua. The Massachu-
sets team is doubtful about coming. be-
cause it has no funds. Governor Lowndes,
Of Maryland, thinks his shots cannot come
this year. but will surely IN 1850
Interest win center in the matches OF
Organization became defunct about ten
years ago, and its contest are now held
under the auspices of the New Jersey
~reorganize 1t. AT the annual meeting of
the State Association held here Saturday
night this matter was brought up The
only living members Of the old organl-
New Jerseys inspector general rife
practice. and George w. Wingate- II
the National Association is revived it
will mean much for rifle shooting in
The most important contests will be
the National Associations matches for
the Wimbledon Cup, valued at sec. the
Hilton 5000 trophy, and Interstate
military match. The Wimbledon Cup
was presented to the association by the
National Association of Great Britain.
The match Is open to all citizens and
residents of the United States-thirty
shots at 1,000 yards with any rifle within
the rules, at any position without arti-
fetal rest The cup was first won in 1873
of Georgia, won It In 1895, and in 1897 an
other Georgian, Lieutenant F c. Wilson.
The Hilton match for q 5000 trophy
presented by the late Henry Hilton. OF
New York. is open to teams from, first.
the United States of America. the army,
the navy. the marine corps and the
national guards or uniformed militia of
the several States and Territories: sec
ond. England, Ireland, Scotland and each
of the provinces of Great Britain. and all
other countries, one team each from the
navy; seven shots each at 200. 500 and 600
yards. Georgia now holds the trophy.
Pennsylvania Won 1t Ia 81 '5s and VI;
District of Columbia in 80. '93. '95 and SO.
The Interstate Military Match is open
to teams of twelve from each State and
Territory of the Union: ten shots standing
at 200 yards, and prone at 800. The prize
is the $3.50 statue, Soldier Of Marathon. "
presented by the Commander-inChief in
behalf of the State of New York. New
York has won 1t six times, Pennsylvania
twice CSC and '94). Georgia captured it in
'95, ,96 and 81. her score in '97I,lO3-being
by Sc points the highest ever made in this
match.