490 



FOftEST AND STPwEAM. 



S3, July 27, Aug. 17, Bept. 11, Oct. 13 and Nov. 13, finally 

 won wider ibe conditions by Capt. Jbb. L. Price, H Co., 7th 

 Hegfc. t jN'. O.. S. .N. Y. Gilaeraleeve Medal: Five cornpeti- 

 tions, July 17. Aug. 28, bept. 28, Oct. UO and Nov. 2J ; Anal- 

 ly won in accordance Willi the conditions by Mr. C. H. Ensile, 

 7thRegt„ N. G. s. N. V. Soldiers Matcbf Kvecorapc- 

 titions, May 23, June 22, July 17, Aug. 17 and Bept. 1 L, and 

 failed to fill on one occasion; won four times by Vo. G, 71st 

 lieiit., N. G. S. N. Y. Tierf, Field and Farm Challenge 

 Badge No. 2 : Eight competitions, April 13, May 1, June 8. 

 July 20, Aug. 23, Sept, 7, Oct. 5 and Nov. 23; not yet final- 

 ly won. Skirmishers Badge: Ten competitions, April 20, 

 May 29, June 1,'i, July 13, Aug. 10, Sept. 14, Oct. 9 and Nov. 

 23 ; not yet finally won. Winchester Rifle Match : One com- 

 petition, May 11; has been announced on nix other occasions 

 and failed to obtain the necessary number of entries to fill. 

 K Remington & Sons Prize, $300 gold: Two competitions, 

 Oand Aug. 31, and has failed to fill five times. Na- 

 tional Gnardsmaua Match: Twi competitions, June 15 and 

 Aug. 10, and has failed to fill five times. 



The Association has been indebted to the following parties 

 fot prizes donated during the year, viz.: Mr. J. II. Steward, 

 optician to the Association, London, a telescope, field glass 

 and a, baioineiei', value $135; Mr. J. F. Mctlugh.atent, $30; 

 Mr. Richard Oiiver, 11 John St., silver trophy and gold pin, 

 $110 ; Mesas. Schuyler, Hartley & Graham, 19 Maiden Lane, 

 a Peabody MartiniRifle, $50; Winchester Arms Co., 245 

 v, two Winchester rifles, $80; Commander-in-Chief 

 N. G. 8. N. Y., two trophies, $850 ; State of New York, two 

 trophies and twelve badges, $275; Laflin & Rand Powder! 

 Co., 2(i Murray St., three medals, $270; Messrs. Baker & 

 -, 141 Grand St., one badge, $50; Messrs. E. Rem- 

 ington & Sons, 281 Broadway, rifle and sewing machine, 

 si7G ; Messrs. Schoverling & Daly, 84 Chamlser at., revolver. 

 $20: Messrs. JD. Appleton & Co., 549 Broadway, American 

 Cyclopedia, $112; Messrs. Tiffany <& .Co., Union Square, 

 silver vase, $75 ; Mr. J. P. Waters, gold, $50 ; Gen. Geo. 

 W. Win-gate,, gold badge, $50; Hon. H. A. Gildersleeve, 

 gold badge, $50 ; Hon. D. W. Judd, dictionary, $10 ; Army 

 and Navy Journal, twelve silver badges, $100 ; Mr. Homer 

 Fisher, 200 Broadway, ammunition case, $15; Mr. ,1. W. 

 Frazier, 23 Dey St., gold, $250; Col. Robt. Olyphaut, 21 

 Courtlandt St., trophy, $300; National Guardsman, 85 John 

 St., rifle, $125, Sharps Rifle Company, Bridgeport, Conn., 

 four rifles, $140; Hon. Henry Hilton, International Military- 

 trophy, $3,000. 



lu addition to the above list of prize donors for the year, 

 the Secretary begs to make known his acknowledgments on 

 me Association to the following for contributions to 

 the library, viz.: Capt. E. St. John Mildway, Secretary Na- 

 tional Mine Association, London, England, a very valuable 

 doDationof a complete set (lacking4 years, now out of print) of 

 the annual reports of his Asj'n., probably the only one in this 

 country; Mr. E. A. Buck, a copy of Gildersleeve's "Riflesand 

 Marksmanship;" Gen. S. V. Benet, Chief of Ord. U.S. 

 Artery, R. port 1877 and Ordinance Mem. No. 21 ; Gen. Geo. 

 W Wingate, Insp. Rifle Practice S. N. Y, Report 1877 and 

 1878; Oapt, E. A.Perry, score book, new edition; Col. 3, 

 O. P. Burnside, Washington, Map State N. Y., placed at bis 

 request at headquarters Creedmoor ; Mr. N. P. Stanton, Fire 

 Lte N. Y.j Winchester Arms Co., a frame containing 

 a, handsomely arranged exhibit of ammunition manufactured 

 by them; Province"bf Quebec (Canada) Rifle Assoc'n, Report 

 1«77; and to the Adjutant-General of the following States 

 for copies of their last annual reports— viz.: States of New 

 York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Missouri, 

 South Carolina, Maine, New Jersey, Nebraska, Michigan, 

 , . adu, Illinois, Iowa, California, Pennsylvania, Connecticut. 



Ac a regular meeting Of the Board of Directors, held Sept. 



3, it was. resolved that any competitor refusing to deliver up 



ring his score ticket in any match of the Association, 



shall be fined $5 and shall be debarred from further using the 



range until the same is paid. 



At (he November meeting of the Board of Directors a re- 

 port and resolution defining the opinion of the Board as to 

 the method of deciding ties under Article NIL of the regula- 

 tions were adopted. 



During the month of October a petition to the Post Office 

 Department at Washington was prepared and forwarded, ask- 

 ing for the establishment of a pest office at Creedmoor, and 

 the application was successful. The National Rifle Associa- 

 tion is indebted to Col. J. O. P. Burnside, Washington, for 

 bis valuable assistance in the matter. 



Gen. John B. Woodward, the Executive Officer of Spring 

 Meeting, 187S, carried into effect a change in the method of 

 ig the annual meetings, modeled largely after the 

 plan so successful at Wimbledon, and which had been sug- 

 ; , port of the Fifth Annual Fall Meeting, 



and the 'plan was found to work with so much satisfaction to 

 the members of the Association generally, that upon the ap- 

 pointment of Capt. Jos. G. Story as Executive Officer of the 

 Sixth Fall Meeting, he proceeded with his preparations for 

 that meeting upon the same basis, aided by Gen. Woodward's 

 experience and assistance, and the result was in every way 

 gratifying; for much valuable information upon this subject 

 reference is here made to Capt. Story's report, which will ap- 

 pear in the annual report of the Association in its proper 



■ On the lithof August the Board of Directors "resolved 

 that the conditions of the ' Inter-State Military Match * he 

 modified so that competitors in subsequent matches shall con- 

 sist of members Of the regularly organized and uniformed 

 Guard or militia of each State or Territory, to be se- 

 lected in such manner as shall be prescribed by the military 



the Executive Committee, held Sept- 10, 

 a letter from Surgeoa Morris, N. R. A., was read, in which 

 be stated his inability to attend the fall meeting, and upon 

 motion. Gen. W. F. Swalm, Surgeon-Gen. S. N. Y, was 

 unanimously invited to act as surgeon to the Association 

 during the meeting. Dr. Swalm very kindly consented, and 

 was attentive to the duties of the position. 



The following recommendations are respectfully offered for 

 considerations : 



1. That at annual meetings all competitors not members 



N- R. A., who may enter for any competition previous to 



ig of the entry books at the office of the Association, 



; ■ 'ticket good for admission to the range on such days 



as the matches for which they enter are 10 be sho 



Charge; and to enable competitors from a distal c : i 



thus early, that full programmes of spring and fall meetings 



be issued at least Uiiitv~days before "opening day." That 



in all subscription matches at our prize meetings at least 



of the entrance fees be divided amemg the 



its Mat) least four prizes, re-entries to be permitted, 



but no competitor to take more than one prize in each match. 



That at these nieetiDgs all prizes provided by the Association 



be announced upon the programmes as trophy or money at 

 winner's option. And lastly, that the plan which meets with 

 so much favor at Wimbledon and elsewhere be adopted— of 

 and offering prizes in kind— which would result in 

 largely increasing the number of prizes in each match. 



2. It is respectfully suggested that the time has arrived In 

 -which a chai i in the regulati governing position in mili- 

 tary rifle practice and competition should be adopted ; and it 

 is urgently recommended that at distances over 300 yards 

 "any position," as in " any rifle :: competitions, should be 

 permitted. 



Particular attention is called to the favor shown by mem- 

 bers of the National Guard, as exhibited in the large and in- 

 creasing number of entries, in the monthly contests for the 

 Champion Marksman's Badge for this year over that of last, 

 as als:> in the Gildersleeve Match, shot under similar condi- 

 tions ; and it i that the establishment of any-rifle 

 competitions, both for long and short-range, upon some simi- 

 lar plan of low entrance fees and division of money received 

 therefor, might meet with favor among our " any-rifle " mem- 

 bers. 



Perhaps the announcement of a small additional prize, to 

 be a wan led at the end of the season to each competitor who 

 shall have entered all of the matches shot daring the year, 

 might prove advantageous. 



The report of the Range Committee for the year will be 

 found to be of great interest to our members, and their care- 

 ful attention is invited to it, as also to the several reports of 

 the Treasurer, Prize Committee and Executive and Statistical 

 officers of the late fall meeting. These several reports, in 

 connection with the statistical tables of all matches shot 

 during the past year, and presented herewith, give a history 

 in detail of the Association for the past year. 



It has been considered expedient to again prepare a sepa- 

 rate report on the International Long-Range Match, although 

 the absence of any foreign team this year deprived the com- 

 petition of the greater part of its interest, still it is believed 

 that these special reports on this match, furnishing, as they 

 do, a complete histoiy, year by year, of all matters and cor- 

 respondence connected therewith, and the scores made, are 

 generally acceptable to our members. 



It is with pleasure the secretary makes his acknowledg- 

 ment of thanks to the editors of the following papers (which 

 have been regularly received) for their courtesy in continuing 

 to supply them for the use of the Association, without ex- 

 pense to our members — viz.: Volunteer Service Qaettte (Lon- 

 don), Turf, Field and Farm., .Spirit of the Times, 0M»0fl 

 Field., FOBBST aot Stream ASP Rod and Gun, and the Army 

 and Navy Journal. 



All of which is respectfully submitted. 



Geo. S. SoHMSMEiiHoKN, is.., Sec'yN. R. A. 



PROFESSIONAL, RIFLEMEN. 



EniTon Forest Afro Stueau ; 



Like causes produce like results. It would he strange, therefore— if 

 amateur riflemen generally were to give expression to ttielr feellngs- 

 if they should not very unanimously agree wife. UiO YleWa expressed 

 by Prof. I) wight In jour issue or Dec. 1M. I Have my. elf, tor several 

 weeks, been meditating an epbtle to Forest and Stt-.kam on the Barne 

 subject. Theiujuttice of uompalUnfj amateur riflemen, 

 meetings ol the Nations! Rifle Association and elsewhere (if they 

 would enter the lists at all) to compete, ou unequal teiuis, with neail- 

 professlonal rlii n. , nth expert*, directly or Indirect]; in the 



employ of rifle inanufaciorlos, hn? been for a long time apparent. It 

 has resulted in a process wnere jou " pays your money and don't take 

 yonr choice 1" In oilier words, I assume that the great 

 riflemen— those who fnroish the money for the support ui 

 rifle ranges throughout fee country— wliq compose the majority of 

 contestauis at pr,ie meetings— s,.-e amateurs. 



How, win q He* .:n ■■' -ii. !i 'iie chief prizes, year after year, 

 are gobbled np by a lev.' BXpeHs v. ho don't do much else but shoot, 

 tnej-naluratiyteel some reluctance about malting further eontrlbu- 

 tlousof money tor their benefit, especially when me success Of these 

 experts is heralded abroad as the result of extraordinary personal 

 abilities and of Infinitely superior accuracy in the rifles tnej shoot, 

 when the tact la thai : if amateurs aU over the country 



who, taaSlng flue Bl ■' • ' ' BOX °f thorough and continued 



practice, arc greatly their superiors. 



We would never consider a circuB rider entitled to espe 



ild perfi -' antics on horseback tluu a gentleman 



rod recreation. So of a rifle expert us 

 no wonder 1b, not that he shoots so wel^ 

 -doesn't shoot better than he does, neither Is it a special 

 crld.lt to hia gnu that It shoots well iu his haads. There are. undoubt- 

 edly, seveial makes of gnua which would do equsUy well with the 

 same skilled use. 



Few meu will find fault with being beaten when they have had a rea- 

 ... ,i ciiancs; ol winning, but pitting an amateur against an ex- 

 pert, who sleeps with his guu, chews millets and drinks powder water, 

 is simply a farce, tor tiie Beting ol which the amateur " pays theshot." 

 Besides, in allowing this state of things to continue, the rifle com- 

 panies (those who are responsible fur it) are really working against 

 their own Interests. They Bhould do everything In their power to 

 foster Hie Interest in rifle shooting that has bo rapidly grown up among 

 , a from doing anything that will tend to kill It, 



It is, 1 Chink, a questionable matter ol p rtlcy, for instance, for a rifle 

 company lo oiler prists, for which amateurs are the print- 1 

 tors anapaj t'u greal bulk ol tl Bid theu put forward 



their experts to win all the principal ones themselves, especially whea 

 they interpolate conditions which are moio favorable to themselveB 

 tiiau to any outside competitor. 



If amateurs be* i with the little tricks, the wire-pullings 



and unserupalons methods used to make a certain gnu win in any con- 

 test, anil ii in oonaequenoe 01 this growing disgust the enthui-iasm be- 

 uiiis to "ru-.v .' Id, and the great hod} ol imatenra cease frequenting 

 . >- will, by so much, cease to seu- 

 guns, and they will flud, tco late, that they have " ktUed the goose that 

 laid the golden egg !" 



It would require much thought, undoubtedly, to devise an adequate 

 remedy to: , . ■ things, but it would soeui I 



tipmil Hide ABBoclatlon, or a committee of its appointment, mlgli be 

 able to accomplish the desired icsult. Experts might be Handicapped 

 , lis in trap shooting, by classifying all contestants, sc 

 cording to their records, in regard to distance tint over, or by causing 

 ..lass to allow a certain number of points to those In sec- 

 . ; orsosue matches might be arranged for amateurs only, 

 j a order to to- 



il i iijiutiou, it might be well to allow ama- 



they choose to do so, 

 t'l'cnif tiu-T 8 I the list in such a contest they 



can blame' uo one V hope some- 



thing may be done to perpetuate apt] iucl ease the interest Iu the manly, 

 gentlemanly, healthful and useiul sport of rine shooting. It is one of 

 the most scnsihl methods of recreation ever Introduce*! into this 



country. It requires only a moderate yearly expenditure of money ; 



It takes little lime— a half day or a flaj once a week, W DI 



weeks even, being sufficient to keep an amateur in fair practice, It is 



eminently healthful; It lakes one from setl ins nut Into 



pure air and into the sunlight; it clears the brain, strengthens the 



lungs, trains the muscles, and requires strict temperance I 



drlnlc. In short, It tu_ . 'iuu of Healthful i 



plenty of bodily exercise In the open air, combined with an absorbing 



and highly pleasurable meutal activity. 



Let us do what wo can, then, to increase the number of its votaries, 

 and, to that end, what we can to rid it of all things objectionable. 



Dm. 51, 1S78. KEhH. 



Editor Fonnar and STssi i : new Tome 



Dear Sir— la perusing Prof. "Dwight's dignified and timely article in 

 your number of ths 12th ult., on semi-professions! riflemen, some 

 Ideas occurred te mo which I beg permission to lay before you. The 

 subject In question, to my certain knowledge, has been deeply agttatlDg 

 the amateurs during the season Just passed, and I kouw It to be quite a 

 general sentiment that this manly sport, In which so many 

 found renewed health and strength, to Bay nothing of its Jasclnatlou, 

 or ol the duty of every good cltlBen to give It whatever bujiji 



be in his power to afford It, Is threatened with itsi 



the inaction of the N. R. A. iu the matter of barring professionals from 

 the short and mid-range matches. It la lamentable lhat these matches 

 should have been left open to any professional rifleman during the last 

 season, thongh there is little doubt that the gentlemanly officers and 

 directors supposed this matter could, with safety, be left to the Beu-ie 

 of right ond wrong of the professionals themselves. The event proves 

 to the contrary, and unless action is taken in this matter before next 

 seieon, short-range ride shootlug, that which, next to the practice of 

 the military, has been the main support M Creedmoor, Is in great 

 danger, as Prof. Dwlght very Justly Bays, of being wholly destroyed 

 Many of the Bhort-range men exp Ives to ins, during the 



last summer, as having lost their interest in tho matches fr;un having 

 to contest against professional skill. Upon one occasion I met at the 

 range four others who were there to enter a mstch, who, upon the ad- 

 vent of a professional, shouldered their guns and went away. 



Permit me to say that while the bvII is yet young it may lie very 

 easily nipped in tho bud, but that to delay doing on ; .!: | Invariably 

 raakCB It difficult, disagreeable, or, somelimes, almoBt Impossible to 

 accomplish ; and one's only safe way consists in meeting 

 boldly and without fear or favor as they arrive. It Is very m I 

 hoped that there may be no tenderness or hcBitatlon on the part of 

 the N. It. A. In dealing with this question as tile exigcuci I 

 demand. It is their duty to Bcttle It at once and anally, or It will bt- 

 come Impassible for them to reacquire the confidence and respect of 

 the great body of amateur nil 



Had the contention of rlflomen taken place at, Creedmoor last 

 autumn, this would have been the first question to be taken up, as the 

 delegates seemed to he unanimously and very emphatically In fuvorof 

 It. They, however, were mainly giving their attention to preparing for 

 the Wimbledon Cup match, and, of the few who were present, all re- 

 garded It an urgent necessity to pass a resolution requesting the N. R. 

 A. to take steps In this matter of barring professionals. By a "pro- 

 fessional," no one will deny Is meant one who muls In shooting (as lu 

 any other avocation) his principal source of livelihood or Income. If 

 such a one cannot perceive himself to be a "professional," he mnst 

 certainly be called very myopic, however genial and well liked he may 

 be. I do not mean one who rents his rifle gallery or the p 



one as such, nor yet the agent ol a rifle making or flea 



Indeed the makers, testers or dealers, but one Who, having speut more 

 or less of time in making himself thoroughly proficient iu usiug the 

 rlile, Unils in snooting It himself his tola or principal source of liveli- 

 hood. What shall we say or think of any Arm ol rifle makers Wlo, 

 after furnishing many of tne riflemen with their guns, then 

 professional to see that th«9e who patronized them shall not win any- 

 thing! They shonld he brought up before iiognerry. If they wish to 

 keep their professionals from getting rusty, let them send prizes to 

 thB ranges he visits, open to all comers, and the amateurs win not 

 ttieu reel ill-treated as we do now, but win, I feel cerlaiu, enter iu such 

 match with tho utniOBt good nature for tho sake of the record 

 this latter motive, as tho boys say, "won't was'- 



diet to long sustain any one, and uo one can be e- , ; 



enter matches who knows to s rl :in tat tne rj .,. 



thing, nor make a creditable showing either. Many of ' 

 force, reconciled to the former, but all have hopes of standing at least 

 among the leading oneB. 



This Is really a matter of very great Importance, and the feeling 

 with regard to it is widespread and earnest, and thai (vaicn was so evi- 

 dent to a casual visitor like Prof, Uwlglit had airondy lnu, 

 cussed by probably every amateur rin..-man lu New York anc 

 We all feel that our ahances or pro 



that lu tho Forest .snd Stream we have an able enough friend and de- 

 fender, whose good offices we will lose no opportunity of reciprocating. 

 I trust that abler pens than mine will ventilate this subject. Meau- 

 while believe me, your ooedlout servant, S. T. G. I 



§mn% §ng and §mu 



GAME IN SEASON IN JANUARY. 



Hares, brown and gray. 



Deer, Wild Turkey, Woodcock, 



"Bay birds" gettei 

 piper, snipe, curlew. ojBter-cata 

 etc., comiug under the group Ids 



Wild duck, geese, brant, etc. 



I, Snipe, ImokH and Wild Fowl, 

 i m of plover, saud 

 iutJ birds, pnalaropeB, avocets, 

 a or Shore Birds. 



How to Load.— A correspondent desires to inform any of 

 our readers who may liave a gun which scatters too much 

 that they can improve both pattern und penetration by pour- 

 ing hot tallow on the shot before putting on tin : 

 The pattern can be made still closer by using a preparation of 

 half tallow and half beeswax. 



Beaveu Kivke Cldb.— The reunion of the Heaver River 

 Club at Springfield, Mass., last Friday, was a very enjoyable 

 occasion. The club is composed of gentlemen of Spi ingfield, 

 Hartford, RttsfleH. and JMorth Adams, who speiw 

 mer at Beaver Eiver in the Adirondack's. MaDy pleasant 

 stories were told of summe;- pleasure, and the conversation 

 was unflagging. Previous to the supper the club ehot off a 

 few targets at Mayotl's gallery, the two sides making lfll and 

 152 out of a possible 200, and at the supper table the leather 

 medal lor the poorest shot \y\ftB given to the Editor of this 

 Journal, who had only just been voted in as an honaraty 

 member of the club. The fact that that gentleman's score was 

 i, while the lowest other score was 38, only demonstrates the 

 phenomenal character of the Springfield marksmen. The old 



