*40 



FOKEST AND STREAM. 



bers, owing possibly to increased facilities offered to members 

 of the National Guard by contract with the State authorities. 



Sixteen of the silver life membership badges have been 

 issued during the year, and one duplicate (No. 7), making 

 seventeen in all. The numbers running from fifty-five to 

 seventy, both inclusive. 



Twelve rifle clubs or associations have affiliated for the 

 year, including two military organizations affiliated at half 

 membership rates; these are as follows : 



Seventh Eegiment Rifle Club, New York City ; California Rifle As- 

 sociation, Ran Francisco, Cal.; Massachusetts Rifle Associa- 

 tion. BostoD, MaflB.: Amateur Rifle Club, New York City ; 

 Amateur Rifle Club, Rochester, N. ¥.; Crescent City Rifle 

 Club Now Orleans, La.; Columbia Long Range Rifle Associa- 

 tion, Washington, D. C: N. Y. Stock Exchange Rifle Club, 

 New York City; Parthian Rifle Club, Hudson, N. Y. ; Hacken- 

 saok Rifle Association, HacKensack, N. J.; Co I Seventh 

 Regiment, N. Or. 8. N. Y , Washington Grey Troop Cavalry, 

 First Division N. G. S. N. Y., New York City. 

 And in this connection the hope is expressed that the ad- 

 vantage of having the matches of affiliated local clubs printed 

 upon the monthly programmes of the Association will be 

 more fully appreciated by such clubs, especially those con- 

 nected with the military organizations of the First and Second 

 Divisions, and lead them to follow the example of those men- 

 tioned above. Five States and the District of Columbia are 

 represented. 



The monthly or special matches have been as follows : 



Spirit of the Times badge, Np. 1. Three competitions- 

 May 19, June 10 and July 14, being finally won upon this 

 latter date by Lieut. -Col. E. H. Sanford. 



Spirit of the Times badge No. 2. Two competitions, Oct. 

 SO and Nov. 17. 



Turf, meld and Farm challenge badge, No, 2. Six com- 

 petitions, viz.: June 30, July 28, August 25, September 29, 

 October 20 and November 17. 



Marksman's Badge, presented by Mr. Poppenhusen. Two 

 competitions, May 5 and June 6, finally won by Private A. 

 B. Van Heusen, tw.lftk Regiment, N. G. S. 1ST. Y. 



Marksman's Champion Badge, presented by Col. G. W. 

 Wingate. Pour competitions, Sept. 29, Oct. 13, Oct. 31, and 

 Nov. 10, finally won by Private Wm. Robertson, Seventy- 

 first Regiment, N. G. S. N. Y. 



Wylie Badge. Three competitions, August 1, Oct. 17, 

 Nov. 3. 



Skirmishers' Badge. Two competitions, Oct. 27 and 

 Nov. 14. 



Winchester Company Match. Two competitions, May 12 

 and June 23, finally won by Capt. J. E. Stetson, of New 

 Haven. Conn. 



Winchester Rifle Match. Two competitions, Oct. 27 and 

 Nov. 14. 



Parker Gun Match. Six competitions, May 1 6, June 30, 

 July 21, Aug. 18, Oct. 13, and Nov. 10, when it was finally 

 won by Mr. C. E. Blydenburgb. 



Ballard Mid- Rang 3 Rifle Match. Five competitions, June 

 20 July 11, Aug. 15, Oct. 10 and Nov. 7. 



Sharps Rifle Company Prize, $250 gold. Five compe- 

 titions were shot during the year, viz. : May 5, June 9, July 

 14, Aug. 4 and Oct. 6. It was also placed upon the pro- 

 gramme for November, but failed to obtain the ten entries as 

 required by the conditions. According to the conditions of 

 this match one-quarter of the entrance money received at 

 each competition is to be added to the principal sum, and 

 these several amounts were: First competition, Oct. 28, 1876, 

 $4.25 ; second competition, Nov. 11, 1876, $3.75 ; third 

 competition, Mayo, 1877, $3.50; fourth competition, June 9, 

 1877, $4.75 ; fifth competition, July 14, 1877, $5 ; sixth com- 

 petition, Aug. 4, 1877, $3.50 ; seventh competition, Oct. 6, 

 1877, $2.75 ; total (currency), $27.50. 



Remington Prize, $300 gold. Only three competitions were 

 shot during the year for this prize, April 14, May 19 and 

 June 23, although it has been announced regularly upon each 

 monthly programme, having failed to obtain on each occasion 

 the required ten entries to fill. Perhaps some modifications 

 of the conditions might be agreed upon by all those interested 

 which would rnake the competitions for this prize more at- 

 tractive. It is probably a matter of regret to many that what 

 was understood to be the purpose of the parties who offered 

 this prize, namely, the obtaining of a record of the average 

 results likely to be produced by the use of the rifle and am- 

 muuitiou as furnished from the manufactory, and while it 

 may be conceded that the experienced rifleman will obtain 

 with ammunition prepared by himself a better result, still it 

 would be welcome information to many to feel that they need 

 not debar themselves from a match or practice day should it 

 come upon them unprepared with their own ammunition; 

 but that the worst that they would have to anticipate would 

 be a difference which they could be prepared to submit to 

 rather than let pass an unexpected opportunity to indulge in 

 their favorite pastime. 



It 18 respect fuMy suggested that the Association should 

 moke, application for the amounts of these capital prize that it 

 may have them in its own possession, particularly as they may 

 not. be won for a long time to come. 



The average entries have exceeded those of last year, and 

 reference is made to the tabulated statements presented here- 

 with for the detailed scores in each competition. 



The number of special match competitions shot during the 

 year is largely in excess of any previous one, owing to the 

 fact that some matches were shot twice in one month, and the 

 introduction of the plan of making Wednesdays us well as 

 Saturdays match days, and also to the announcement of two and 

 sometimes three matches for the same day. But two protests 

 of any importance have been made during the year, certainty 

 a creditable circumstance to all concerned. 



A new feature this year at our fall meeting was the Inter- 

 State Long Range Match. The introduction of this match is 

 due to Gen. J. B. Woodward, who early in the year sug- 

 gested it in connection with the announcement of the ad- 

 ditional interest excited in the Inter-Slate Military Match by 

 the circular issue.! to the Adjutant-Generals of the different 

 Stales by Gen. L'ownflend, Adjutant-General, New York. 

 These Inter-State Matches, as a consequence of the success at- 

 tending them this year, have assumed an importance hardly 

 surpassed by the great International Match. The terms of 

 the Inter-State Long Range Match require that all associa- 

 tions or clubs which may desire to enter the competition must 

 affiliate with the National Rifle Association. As a conse- 

 quence of this provision there was an addition to our roll of 

 affiliated organizations, in one or two instances as late as time 

 of making entry for the match. It is the opinion of many of our 

 members that i a this I liter-State Match but one team should 

 be permitted to represent a single State, such team to be 

 -1 ia the manner agreed upon by the riflemen of such 

 State among themselves. The consideration of the subject is 

 •especially recommended. 

 In all, during the year just past, there have been 99 matches 



shot at Creedmoor under the auspices of the association, as 

 follows : 



Spring Meeting. 8, including Leech Cup Match, under auspices 

 Amateur Rifle Club ; Fall meeting, 15 ; monthly matches, 46. 

 Attention is called to the following list of donors of prizes 

 for the year 1877 \ 



Mr. J. H. Steward, optician to the Ass'n, London, barometer, field 

 glass and telescope : J. F. McHugh. tent ; The Commander- 

 in-Chief S. N. Y., trophy, value $500: Messrs Tiffany & Co., 

 Bilver vaBe ; H'dq'rs, S. N. Y.. two trophies, value each $100 ; 

 Messrs. E. Remington <fe Sons, Creedmoor rifle; Winchester 

 Arms Co., three rifles; Mr. E. A. Buck, editor Spirit of the 

 Times, cash (gold) $1,000; Messrs. J. O. Moore's Sons, re- 

 volver; Mr. Homer Fisher, ammunition case; Spirit of the 

 Times, gold badge, No. 2; Turf, Field and Farm, gold badge, 

 No. 3; Messrs. Schoverling & Daly, Ballard rifle; Mr. F. B. 

 Van Siclen, Parker shot-gun; Col. G. W. Wingate. Cliampion 

 Marksman's gold badge and Winchester repeating rifle; Gen. 

 Hiram Duryea, "Skirmisher's" gold badge; Gen. D. E>. Wylie, 

 Wylie gold badge. 



At a meeting of the Board of Directors, held Feb. 6th, on 

 motion of Capt. J. G. Story a resolution was adopted to the 

 effect that the Treasurer be requested to call upon the officials 

 of the Long Island R. R. Co. in reference to price of railroad 

 tickets to Creedmoor, and also to endeavor to obtain increased 

 facilities for the purchase of tickets by our members by the 

 R. R. Co. permitting their sale at the office of the Associa- 

 tion. In accordance with this resolution, Gen. Wylie, tbe 

 Treasurer, called upon the proper parties and effected such 

 arrangements as enabled him to procure tickets for sale to nor 

 members and the National Guard in packages of five "rouud 

 trip" tickets for $1.75, thus reducing the cost of excursion 

 tickets to Creedmoor from 50 to 35 cents. These tickets have 

 been kept on sale at the office of the Association, very much 

 to the satisfaction of the members. 



At the regular meeting of the Board of Directors, held 

 April 3d, the Range Committee reported that the contract 

 with the State had been made upon the following terms i The 

 Association to furuish twenty targets and markers for three 

 days in each week for the use of the National Guard, and the 

 State to pay $4,500 in consideration thereof. 



Early in the year the President called attention to the fact 

 that the Association was not possessed of a corporate seal, 

 and a committee was appointed to procure designs and esti- 

 mates of cost, and upon a final report made at the meeting of 

 tbe Board of Directors on the 6th September, the present seal 

 of the Association was adopted. 'Saving regard for the in- 

 terest attached to everything connected with the great Inter- 

 national Match, the Secretary has thought it judicious to pre- 

 pare a separate report, as last year, upon that subject, and 

 attention is respectfully called to the same. 



At one of the first meetings of the Board for the year a 

 committee was appointed to prepare suitable resolutions of 

 acknowledgment to be presented to Gen. J. B. Woodward, Ex- 

 Vice-President, for valuable services rendered by him in vari- 

 ous capacities to the Association since its organization. At 

 Gen. Woodward's express desire this was to be done without 

 expense to the Association, and at the meeting of the Board 

 of Directors, held December 10th, this committee reported to 

 the Board a copy of the resolutions prepared by them, and 

 that day presented to Gen. Woodward, together with the 

 speech of the Chairman upon the occasion, which the Board 

 accepted and ordered to be printed in the next Annual Report 

 of the Association. For this purpose they are presented, as 

 follows ■ 



General Woodward— Yon will remember that shortly after you 

 retired from the office of Vice-President, the directors" expressed 

 a desire to convey to you in some appropriate manner their ap- 

 preciation of your services to this Association from the date of 

 its organization. In pursuance of that desire they appointed a 

 committee, which I have the honor to now represent, to draft 

 and present to you suitable resolutions. The committee could 

 not hope to more than partially express in the resolutions the 

 obligations which the riflemen of America, as well as your associ- 

 ate directors, were under to you for the aid you contributed in 

 giving character and permanence to this favorite amusement ; 

 and we trust that your estimate of our personal esteem will not 

 be measured by so imperfect a standard as these resolutions fur- 

 nigh ; but, sucn as they are, we present them to you with the hope 

 tnat, while they fail to express our sentiments as fully as we 

 might wish, you will receive them and give them a place "in your 

 home, where your family and friends may, in time to come as 

 well as the present, learn by them that your associates were not 

 entirely unmindful of the services you rendered in permanently 

 establishing rifle-shooting in America. And if their perusal shall 

 be the means, in the slightest degree, of encouraging others in 

 the exercise of those noble qualities of honesty and uprightness, 

 which have been, and are, so conspicuous in your character ; or 

 if, in after years, you shall find in them a reminder of pleasant 

 associations, then this testimonial shall not have been prepared 

 in vain. Mr. President and gentlemen, your committee propose 

 the health of Gen. John B. Woodward. Maybe long live to en- 

 joy the respeot, the esteem and the love of friends no less true 

 than those which now surround him. 

 Board of Directors National JRifle Association : 



Gentlemen— The committee appointed to draft Jreaolutions ex- 

 pressive of the thanks of the directors to Major-General John B. 

 Woodward for the services rendered by him to the National Rifle 

 Association, beg leave to report that they have artistically en- 

 grossed and presented to Genera] Woodward the following, with- 

 out exp me to the Association : 



Khereas, Major-General John B. Woodward was one of the in- 

 corporators of the National Rifle Association, and has since the 

 date of its organization been an active and valuable official there- 

 in, filling, with honor and credit to himself and with great benefit 

 to the Association, the responsible offices of Treasurer, Vice-Presi- 

 dent, Chairman of the Finance and Range Committees, and Chief 

 Executive Officer at important Prize Meetings ; and, 



Whereas, In the discharge of the varied and arduous "duties of 

 the positions above named, and in his intercourse with the officers 

 and members of the Association, General Woodward has constant- 

 ly exhibited the rare qualities of a zealous, competent and faith- 

 ful official, combined with a courteous and gentlemanly demeanor 

 toward all ; and, 



Whereas, General Woodward lias, by the energy and ability dis- 

 played in rendering his voluntary services, greatly encouraged the 

 introduction of rifle-shooting as a popular and gentleman-like 

 out-door pastime among the American people, and by bis active 

 oo-operatiou contributed to the permanent establishment of the 

 National Rifle Association of America ; now, therefore, 



Resolved, That, in recognition of the valuable 8ervices«rendered 

 by Major-General John B. Woodward to the National Rifle Associ- 

 ation in carrying out fa objects and in promoting its interests, 

 the Directors, both officially and individually, take great pleasure 

 in conveying to him their sincere and grateful thanks. 



New York, October, 1S77. 



The committee, having performed the duties assigned it, re- 

 spectfully ask to be discharged. Alexaudeb Shaleb, 



Hen by Fulton. 



H. A. GmDEBSLEEVE. 



The Secretary begs respectfully to submit the following 

 recommendations : 



First — In view of the fact that the " Regulations " as issued 

 during the last summer were .necessarily somewhat hastily 

 prepared, and that there are several typographical errors; and 



the further fact, that these regulations are largely taken up 

 with matter which refers only to our annual meetings; and the 

 slillfurther fact, that these regulations are the rule and stand- 

 ard by which rifle practice is governed to so large and increas- 

 ing a degree throughout the entire Union— it is "recommended 

 that a committee be appointed at an early day to prepare a 

 revised edition, which shall separate what refers exclusively 

 to the meetings from general rules applicable to all matches, 

 and submit the same to the Board of Directors for their ap- 

 proval, that upon adoption they may be put in print early in 

 the year and be distributed before the opening of the next 

 season. 



Second— The records of the Association and many of the 

 books in the office are of great value to it, and their loss 

 would be irreparable, and the purchase of a suitable safe is 

 therefore recommended ; and if the books of the Treasurer 

 were also kept there, as they should be, that the office of the 

 Association may be really its headquarters and the different 

 officers required to fix stated hours, two or three in each week, 

 when they might be found at the office, it would be vastly 

 to the benefit of the Association. And here it may be well to 

 suggest that no purchases of any description should be made 

 by any party without filing at the time a duplicate order in a 

 book to be kept for the purpose at the offiee. Purchases of 

 supplies, etc., are now made and the bills are ordered sent to 

 the office, entered in a book, and when the monihly meeting 

 of the Board approaches they are certified to by the Range 

 Committee, and it then becomes the duty of tbe Secretary to 

 present them to the Board, Who audit and pass to Treasurer 

 for payment. Of course at the office there, is no means of 

 knowing whether two similar bills are duplicates or not from 

 the mere fact that they bear even date, and in some cases mere 

 statements of bills previously rendered have been thus audited 

 and in one case a triplicate bill was only accidentally discovered 

 from some peculiarity by the Asst. Secy. 



Third— The Secretary asks respectfully to join the Executive 

 Officer of tbe late Fall Meeting in some of the recommenda- 

 tions; made by him in his report submitted at a recent meeting 

 of the Board of Directors, and which is to be printed in the 

 Annual Report of the Association: especially that of fixing 

 the number of shots in all military matches hereafter to seven, 

 and omitting entirely sighting shots in all matches at our an- 

 nual meetings ; the permitting in many matches of the same 

 person entering as many times as he may desire ; the assign- 

 ment to targets and fixing of day and hour at the time of entry, 

 upon the Wimbledon plan ; and the closing of the books for 

 regular entries at least one xoeek before the opening day of the 

 meeting ; and the making of all entries after that time post 

 entries, would enable the Association to provide many ad- 

 ditional matches by accommodating a much laager number of 

 entries in one day. 



Fourth— It is earnestly recommended that a proper certifi- 

 cate of life membership should be adopted, as it does not ap- 

 pear creditable to;the dignity of the Association that the present 

 system of issuing temporary certificates should be continued. 

 It is not necessary that either an elaborate or costly design 

 should be selected. It may be stated, in fact, from inquiries 

 made, that $50 would provide a suitably engraved plaLe and 

 the first hundred certificates. 



At a meeting of the Board of Directors, held June 26, the 

 President was directed to take the necessary legal steps to 

 have the name of the association changed to the "National 

 Rifle Association of America," and at the meeting of the board 

 on Oct. 2 the President announced the receipt of the order of 

 the Supreme Court to that effect. At the Bsme meeting (Oct. 

 2) resolutions were adopted creating the office of " Official 

 Surgeon to the Association," and appointing Surgeon Moreau 

 Morris to the position. 



The several reports of Treasurer, Range and Finance Com- 

 mittees, chief-executive officer and statistical officer of the 

 fifth annual prize meeting, and presented at this time, are very 

 complete, and will repay careful examination, as furnishing 

 in detail mucb valuable information concerning the affairs 

 of the association for tbe past year. 



The Volunteer Service Gazette, of London, has been added 

 to the list of papers regularly received and filed at the office 

 of the Association during the year 1877, and the Secretary 

 takes this opportunity of expressing the obligations of the 

 Association to the editors of the following papers, all of which 

 have been regularly and promptly received, viz. : Fobebx 

 anb Stream and Rod and Gen, Army and Navy Journal, 

 Spirit of Die Times, Turf, Field and Farm, Chicayo Field 

 and the Volunteer Senice Gazette, of London. 

 Very respectfully submitted, 



Geo. S. Soheemeehoen, J a., Secretary. 



— •♦> — • , 



The National Rifle Association. — A meeting of the 

 Board of Directors of the National Rifle Association was held 

 Jan. 2. Judge Stanton, the President, in the chair. The re- 

 port of the Treasurer showed the receipts of the past month 

 to have been $428.82; disbursements, $412.49; balance on 

 hand, $26.33. Col. Wingate reported that the Superintendent 

 of the range at Creedmoor had repaired the woodwork in the 

 markers' butts, in such a manner as to preclude the necessity 

 of further repairs during the coming year. The Range Com- 

 mittee, he said, was also in favor of retaining the present 

 Superintendent, W. H. Brower, a3 beiDg perfectly fitted for 

 the position. The Committee on By-Laws reported certain 

 amendments to the code of by-laws governing the association. 

 The following officers were constituted Honorary Directors, 

 ex-officio, in addition to those provided for in the old by- 

 lawss The General commanding the Army, the United States 

 Department Commanders, the Superintendent at West Point 

 Chief of Ordnance of the United States, Adjutant-Generals of 

 the several States and Territories, and the Presidents of the 

 State Rifle Associations who have affiliated. These Honorary 

 Directors will be allowed a voice in all matters relating to the 

 association, but will only be entitled to vote upon the' general 

 rules of the association in relation to rifle, practice^ and all 

 international or inter-State rifle matches. Other important 

 changes were as follows : After a member has paid annual 

 dues ($3) for ten years he shall be constituted a life member, 

 and any member of an affiliating club who lives more than 

 100 miles from Creedmoor shall be entitled to all the privi- 

 leges of annual members on the raage, The amendments 

 were adopted as a whole, and will noy. Ite the 



entire National Rifle Association at its next annual meeting 

 for their adoption as a whole. A communic served 



from Mr, Thomas E. Lamb, Jr., of the late American team, 

 announcing that he bad not received the su ue to 



him according to a resolution passed bj 

 turning that amount to each member of the team for his 

 expenses. On motion the Treasurer was directed to pay Mr 

 Lamb the amount asked for. 



