Year: 1877

Wnlle the practice ot Creedmoor createu
q general belief that the fourth interna-
tional rife match would result in an
American victory few persons could have
expected that it would be SO brill
iant and complete. The skill of the
British rifemen was too well known
to justify experienced judges in pre-
dieting an easy triumph for our ma
tional team, and good majority OF
points would have satisfied reasonable
minds. So far as the British team were
concerned these estimates OF the probable
result were entirely sound; they did
better ut Creedmoor than was ever
done at Wimbledon, and their aggregate
score shows that their performances were
fully up to the highest standards Of rifle
shooting attained to previously to this men,
orable meeting. If the Americans had simply
shot as well as they did in the other inter-
national matches the contest would have
been close, and until ths, end victory might
have trembled in the, soales. Instead OF this,
they excelled themselves SO greatly that all
the world must look with wonder upon the
performance. Thus the overwhelming de-
feat of the British team yesterday was not
due to any deficiency or decline of skill on
their part, but to unexpected and ex-
ponents. The gallant rifemen of Great
Britain crossed the ocean expecting to con-
tend against such shooting as they had seen
at Doilymount, at Wimbledon, and last
year at Creedmoor, instead of which they
found the finest display of skill at the rifle
the world ever saw. It is as if Hector
had left the walls Of Troy to find
Ajax and had suddenly met Achilles.
The most enthusiastic of Americans hardly
expected from Messrs. Bruce, Blydenburgh,
Weber and Jewell, or from the whole team,
such astonishing steadiness and accuracy as
it displayed during the two days of the
match. Our visitors, therefore, have no
cause to be ashamed of their defeat an hon
orable one, which they bear with the
same bravery with which they strug-
gled to avert it. It has been said
that the effect of the large majority of
ninety-two points for the Americans will be
to discourage foreign teams from visiting
this country in the hope of bearing the In
ternational Trophy home. and forcing us to
go abroad to bring it back again. But this
view of the case is neither plausible
nor complimentary. We should be sorry to
undervalue in such manner the pluck of
our British visitors, whose whole history is
record of perseverance, and who will only be
nerved by this repulse to try the battle again.
Next year we trust they will send another
team to Creedmoor, and if it be stronger
than the present one So much the better.
Our own national rife team certainly de-
serve all the honors their countrymen will
render them. They have proved themselves
the best long range shots in the world, and
their achievements at Creedmoor this week
are not likely to be soon equalled even by
themselves.


Skill in the use of the rife represents
IN element Of strength which even this
colossal empire of the people does we'll to
foster and encourage. It has been stated
that mere target shooting, no matter how
excellent, is not a. practical test. to. be
relied on in determining the applicability





But in this the critics err, for among the
first requirements in either military or
sporting craftsmanship are that steadiness
and staying power which is developed by
long and arduous training at the butts
When. as we saw yesterday, young rifle
man can sustain the strain Of two days hard
and exciting work and still retain the nerve
force that is necessary to the making of 219
points out of q possible 225, we must feel
confident that such men can sustain
even greater fatignes and accom-
plish more wonderful results when
performing patriotic duty, instead
of indulging in a love Of mere sport. The
scores of the American team may we'll be
regarded with pride by their country
men, and, while they raise higher than
was ever hoped for the standard of
excellence in rife shooting rs a sci
entiic pastime, they. also show what
skill combined with hard work can accom-
plish. With the example of the winners
of this great victory before them the
lovers of the rifle can aspire to
equal and even surpass them in time.
If perfection is worth attaining at all it is
as desirable in the case of craftsmanship as
in anything else. In this our countrymen
now hold the foremost rank, which they
have gallantly won and will as bravely re-
tain against all comers.