Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-20
WON MANY MATCHES
AMERICAN RIFLEMEN ALMOST
ALWAYS VICTORIOUS. -
Contests That Have Taken Place on
Both Sides of the Water-A
Creditable Record.

ment at Sea Girt, n. j.. in which represent
tatives of the Distsnos,cf Columbia National
Guard participated Id captured goodly
snare of the prizes. and the competition at
Ottawa, Canada, for the Palma trophy. in
which an American team, of which several
district guardsmen we're members a Brit
ism team and a Canadian team engaged.
nave revived interest In the question OF
what the crack shots of this country have
zone IN years gone by in contests with the
pick OF the expert rifemen of other coun-
tries.
In the spring of 1873 the Irish Rifle Asso-
citation of Dublin sent challenge to this
country, which was accepted by the ANA
teur Rlfie Club of New York, an affiliated
club of the National Rifle Association Up
TO that time the Americans had no rifles of
domestic or national manufacture that
could shoot accurately over 800 yards only
half of the longest distance required in the
match The terms of the challenge required
each team to shoot with rifles of the make
OF their respective countries. American
riHe manufacturers were at once appealed
to when the challenge was accented and
with the characteristic energy and enter
prise of the Americans the breech-!osdinp
rlre was perfected that enabled the Ameri-
can team TO defeat the world in a series of
international long-range matches which ex-
tended over several years.
Inc Eatch with lre!and-the first inter-
national rifle match American rifles ever
entered into-wsa shot at the Creedmoor L.
L., range, $50, 800 and 1,GGJ yards, for prize
OF $1,000 in gold Colonel John Bodine Won
the match for the Americans by scoring a
Dull s-eye on his last shot at luGo Yards
amid the enthusiastic plaudits OF more than
10000 spectators. The score was 9.;4 to a3l
out of a possible ESQ.
In June of the following year a return
match was shot at Dollymount. ireland.
The Americans We're again victorious de-
feating the Irish team by 30 points the
score belng 96S TO 929. In the same year q
Canadian team visited America and shot a
match with the Amateur Rifle Club who
defeated the Canadians by - points In
the centennial year invitations were sent
TO all countries where rifle shooting was
carried on for competition for the Grand
American trophy, the Palma" presented
by the rifiemen of America to the rifemen
of the world. 1t resembles in shape a Ro-
man legionary standard. All the countries
invited, except England, accepted the invi-
taton, but only teams from ireland. Scot
land, Australia and Canada competed with
the Americans. The match was shot in
september and lasted two days. The Amer
lean team won by - points, their score be-
ing 3,126. The following week the Irish
team shot their third match with the ANA
teur Rlffe Club and were again defea ted,
the Americans scoring 1,292 to the Irish
mems ,154.
In 1877 team representing the united
kingdom of Great Britain came over to
Palma trophy from America. The match
resulted in an overwhelming defeat for the
EngliShmen. In 1880 the IriShmen were
again heard from in the shape of an invi-
tation to the American rihemen TO visit
ireland. team hastily organized
and flying trip made to the Dolls
range. The match was shot June -. and
the Americans added fifth victory over
the uishmen to their credit scoring l.2g2
to the Irishmens 1,2So. This same year
team representing the Victoria Rifle Club
of Hamilton, Ontario, met and suffered de-
feat at the hands of the Amateur Rife
Club.
Two Defeats. /
There was other match until 1882,
when British team visited Creedmoor. 1t
was a military match between teams repre-
senting the National Guard of America and
the volunteers of Great Britain; the Ameri-
cans were defeated, sos to 1878, out of a
possible $500. The following year a team,
composed of members of the National
Guard of America, armed with the Brown
rifle, shot return match with the English
men at Wimbledon, England, and were
again defeated. These are the only two
international matches in which the Ameri-
cans were defeated and the only two shot
with military rifles.
The next few years showed great i'm
provements in military rifles in this coun-
try, and five years later, in 1883. a team Of
twelve men from the Massa chusetts VOL
unteer militia visited England and COM
peted in five matches with picked teams OF
the crack military organiZat tons in Eng
land. July the first match was shot with
the Honorable Artillery Company of Lon
don on the Munhead range; the score was
961 to 9Ol in favor of the Americans. Tho
next day. on the range at Churn, the Mas
SachussttS team met and defeated team
from the Royal Berkshire Regiment by
score of 064 to 81: July g. at the Rayn-
ham range the Americans met team from
the London Rife Brigade and won again
by a score of 1,0S4 to 1,001; July their OPP
ponents were the Sussex team: the match
was shot at Brighton and resulted in an
other victory-score. 9SS to go; July the
last match was shot with the South Lon
don team, and for the fifth consecutive
time the Americans won.
After lapse of more than twenty-five
years the Americans last year, at Sea Girt,
again met the doughty Irishmen in a rifle
contest. The irish team won.
1t seems to be conceded that interna-
tional rifle competitions are productive OF
much good. First, it is said, they increase
the popularity of a sport which is of the
greatest benefit to people who participate
in it and to a country that encourages it;
secondly. they exhibit very graphically the
capabilities of the arms and ammunition
of the respective countries engaged in such