New-York tribune., 1908-08-09
VICTORIOUS SHOTS BACK
WELCOME FOR RIFLEMEN.
General Drain and Olympic Team
That Won at Bisley Return.

Nine members of the victorious American rife
team which the Olympic honors at rife
shooting at Bisley against eight nations arrived
here yesterday, and the first group Of Anerf-
who went to the Olympic games not to
complain unfair and unsportsmanlike treatment
at the hands of the British its return
General James a. Drain, captain OF the team
said had received the best of treatment and had
absolutely complaint make against the British
sportsrnen The members of the team were loath
talk of their work at Bisley. but it was learned
indirectly from a member Of the team that the
Australians Canadians and Swedes were enthusl-
astic admirers of the American rihemen and attn
letes and that whenever possible the Canadlans
and Australians took seats near the Americans ana
cheered Justify for them.
The American rifle team showed It's patriotsln
before it left New York for the contest at bsies
by booking passage on the American liner Philadel-
phia- Their patriotism again manifest IN tneir
return to New York the American liner Ne"
York which landed them down the bay yesterday
on the revenue cutter Mohawk but there was no
reciproctty from the American Line steamer
Everv craft that came down the bay to meet
the team was decked out in bunting and tnere "as
no economy in steam OF powder, In evidence as
whistles screeched and cannon doomed Tnere was
no apparent enthusiasm displayed by the New 1ork
as she steamed up the Narrows with the victorious
team She broke out flags or bunting nor was
there any other suggestion Of pride displayed on
being the steamer that brought back TO port the
American team that won the worlds championship
The New York was reported sooner than was
expected, and the revenue cutter Manhattan
which was scheduled leave the Battery at 2
o'clock, forced to leave at 1890 D m, with
less than half of the reception committee board
She made return trip to the Battery. however.
and after taking the rest Of the committee and
the band of the 18th Infantry from Governors
Isla nd she returned to the cutter Mohawk.
to which the returning rifemen had been trans
ferred from the New York by the revenue cutter
Hudson
After General Drain and his men went aboard the
Mohawk the cutter steamed down the Bay from
Quarantine and the reception Of the team began
After hearty handshaking all around, General
George Wingate. chairman of the committee
pointed by the Secretary OF War made address
of welcome General Wingate was captain Of the
victorious American team that met the first inter
nato, rife team that came to this country, thir-
five ago. He said, in part:
Adtutant General Nelson H Henry, who repre-
sented Governor Hughes. the next speaker
After extending welcome to the behalf
of the Governor and the state, he said
To the National Rife Association of America and
belong great praise for the work accomplished in
the encoura cement of rife practice You gentle
examples TO all of what be accomplished by
patience perseverance and sacrifice Let US not
whose aggressive attitude has given voice to the
condition for national defence and for the preserva-
ton of peace in our land-Theodore Roosevelt-our
President and commander in chief. and the
ganized militia have followed the leader
Patrick F. MCGOWAN. the Acting Mayor. greeted
the rifernen in behalf city the absence of
Mayor Mcclellan.
Replying to the speeches of welcome General
Drain said:
I am no orator. but 1 will try and speak simply
and straight from the shoulder I say for the
team that they fought gallant1y as any team
left here on June 20 to do thing. and that
win the military championship of the world The
sessfn s99a God smiled on our e"oFtS and We were sue
It was the finest match that was ever shot, We
English shot in this country the American victory
was accredited to American t3 conditions This time
ours. We met the British rifemen on their
feated them They shot with I4ee-Metford service
pieces and with our own new springieId, with
but not so good for target work shooting at long
range. 1t was fight to the finish We had to
through before the end of the time limit.
During part & Of the On nfTspaPer tSs man
team. Martin and Leushner were then tied. Mar
tin might have said. My score is as high as that
showed the spirit of the men and the team spirit
II team g g6tor and now s @ weT S mot
to sacrifice himself for the team
We began practice as soon as we arrived at Bis
lev Our four substitutes also contributed their
share by bracing up and strengthening the others
Evans who although he did net shoot contributed
TO the victory. l am glad 10 many repre-
sentative here to greet us especially Senator
Briggs of New Jersey who did such valiant work
for the military bill
Two newspaper men asked me when came
aboard the Mohawk If had kick to make
against cur treatment in England. ! say that
/ have no objection to make against the way we
were treated. We had reasonable facilities and
the match conducted in a fair manner. We
over there 10 win. We won. and are
satisfied let IL go that
skilfulness in shooting is attained by reading
but by hard practice. Every eouatry competes
with its There were telescope sights
Our rife is net inferior to any and our ammuni-
ton is good These victories are only a means 10
an end II requires rifle practice 10 make up a
nation of ri1emen and the destiny OF the nation
depends t. Victory is the strongest argument
for peace that nation could produce IL Our
can shoot we may not have TO fight az all