Year: 1876

AS tue days draw near tnat are SET OOWn
for the grand test of skill between American
rifemen on their own chosen ground and
the representative teams from Ireland, Scot
land, Australia and Canada who have come
thousands of miles to meet their adversaries
at Creedmoor, the popular interest in the
matches is increasing to degree approach
ing enthusiasm. Such an event in the his
tory of Workmanship as this great inter-
national contest has never occurred in any
country, and we must, therefore, regard it as
the initial effort to introduce series of
similar matches in every country that
team. 1t must be remembered that which
ever team wins at Creedmoor, even though
it be the one hailing from the Antipodes,
will have the right to bear off the trophy to
its own land and there hold it until
another competition held there shall decide
who is to have possession of it for the ensu-
ing year. Thus, victory by the Scotch
team would mean for our men o trip next
year to the LAND O. Cakes" while an Irish
victory would necessitate another trial on
the range at Dollymount Our Canadian
neighbors would, in like manner, compel us
to cross the border into their territory to res
cue the LOST trophy and American rifles
would ring in the Australian bush to win
back the laurels lost at Creedmoor.


These COZ rsiderations-and they are sufi-
ciently important to give all the necessary
impulse to our men in their struggle for
victory--lend to tho contest an interesting
feature which all previous competitions have
lacked. We, therefore, feel that no sacrifice
should be left unmade by our team to win.
Our national reputation so brilliantly sus-
tanned in the last two international matches,
must be guarded now as then, and while we
desire that superior merit shall triumph in
all things we naturally hope that our repre-
sentatives will exhibit such qualification
in the coming contests. This leads US to an
examination of the practice made at Creed
moor by the competing teams. Since the ar
rival Of the Irish team and the commencement
of their practice We have four eights in the
field the fifth will soon arrive from Can
the four teams at practice the Australians
are exhibiting the greatest steadiness In
shooting and the highest scores Their
average in the four practice competitions to
determine the personnel of their team, the
last of which took place on September 5,
was 0.s291, but yesterday their average rose
to 0. S483. The Irish team has had but one
practice, with fifteen shots at each range,
with which to make a comparison, and in
that they made an average of 0.S4S3, the
same as the Australians. The Scotch team
made 0.7950 on the 5th, an unfavor-
able day, and 0.SOl6 yesterday, which
is not a high result for such expert
enced marksmen. The American team are
disappointing Us very much in their prac-
tice, and we fear that the discipline of this
year does not equal that Of 1874 and 1876.
The team made on the 9Th 0. 1888, which
was below the Scotch average but yester-
day they worked up to 0.S255, which does
not really deserve to be called an improve
ment, considering the men who made it.
What may prove fatal to our prospects of
success is want of perfect harmony
Of action and discipline in the team. The
presence of both materially helped our men
to win two great matches before. Surely,
then, there should be no reason why we.
cannot win again by the aid Of the same
meanA