Forest and Stream. 
A Weekly Journal of the Rod and Gun. 
Copyright, 1908 bv Foeest and Strbam Pubushing Co. 
™'^s1x^^^o''KxJ.r^^°^^f NEW YORK, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 1903. UuI^^^.o^^JA^'yo.. 
A SENTRY'S BLANK. 
A New London press dispatch reports that Sergeant L. 
i. Bryson, of the Second Company, Coast Artillery, sta- 
ioned at Fort H. G. Wright, Fisher's Island, was shot and 
iistantly killed last Saturday by a sentry. The explana- 
ion given out is that the sergeant and some companions 
i'ere cutting up pranks in the rear of the mess house 
/hile dinner was being served, and an officer ordered the 
entry, Private Price, to fire a blank cartridge at the sky- 
irkers. "Price slipped a loaded shell into his piece and 
red at Bryson. The ball passed through Bryson's body, 
illing him instantly. While on guard, the soldiers carry 
ve rounds of blank ammunition and five of loaded car- 
ridges. It is claimed that Price got a loaded shell in 
listake for a blank. He is under arrest, pending an in- 
estigation." 
This is an extraordinary explanation. Is the public to 
nderstand that it is a practice in the United States Army 
) fire blank cartridges at human beings? A more in- 
enious system to insure the inevitable did-not-know-it- 
'as-loaded style of manslaughter could not be contrived 
1 the army or out of it. Give a man a supply of blank 
id loaded cartridges and order him to shoot a blank at a 
lan, and sooner or later, seldom or frequently, as pure 
ick may fall out, he is certain to do just such slaughter 
) this of Sergeant Bryson. That man does not live whom 
ny one of us would trust to shoot blanks at us if he 
ad also in his equipment a stock of shells loaded with 
ullets. 
Of all men in the world soldiers, whose trade it is to 
andle weapons of death, should be taught always and 
nder all conditions to remember that the gun is a 
eadly weapon and must without any exception whatever 
handled as such. Of all men in the world the 
3ldier should be the last one to fire a gun at a 
uman being unless the intention be to wound or kill. If 
le Fort H. G. Wright blank cartridge firing at a skylark- 
ig sergeant is in accordance with the regular procedure 
1 such cases made and provided, the regulations cannot 
e too speedily amended. If, as is more probable, the 
rder to discharge a blank cartridge was simply a mani- 
;station of criminal foolishness on the part of the officer 
rho gave the command, that individual, too, should be 
ut under arrest along with the agent who executed the 
rder. 
THE ORANGE COUNTY LAW. 
The last New York Legislature enacted two special 
Lws relating to Orange county. Section 26, amended 
Y Chap. 520 of the session laws, provides as to Orange 
bunty grouse: 
Sec. 26. Grouse shall not be taken ... in the county of 
>range from December first to October fifteenth, both inclusive. 
And Section 27b, added by Chap. 475 of the session 
,ws, reads: 
Sec. 27b. The close season for grouse, woodcock and quail in 
le county of Orange shall be from December sixteenth to Octo- 
er fifteenth, both inclusive. 
As a natural result of these conflicting enactments the 
jn clubs of Orange county have resolved themselves 
ito debating societies to determine where they may law- 
illy go shooting. 
While the law at first glance appears to be compli- 
ited, it is comparatively clear and simple when ex- 
nined and construed by the rules which govern in such 
ises; and we give the construction as adopted by the 
anie Lcrzvs in Brief. 
First, as to woodcock: Sec. 27b holds, and the season 
as stated therein. 
As to grouse : Sec. 26 prevails over Sec. 27b ; because 
hap. 520 which amended it was a later enactment than 
hap. 475, which added Sec. 27b. The grouse season for 
range county is therefore the season specified in Sec. 26. 
The quail season is the one about which there is most 
jestion in Orange county; but there is no room for un- 
irtainty as to it. At the time when Sec. 27b was enacted, 
le quail close season for the State, as prescribed by Sec. 
J, was December 16 to October 31. Subsequently to the 
lactment of Sec. 27b, the general quail law (Sec. 22) 
as amended to make the close season December i to 
ctober 31. But this later amendment of the general law 
I Sec. 22 did not affect the special Orange county law 
I Sec. 27b. Section 22 might have been changed 
;L'a(ud!y v.i:hout affecting Sec. 27b. The purpose of 
lacting Sec. 27b was, as to quail, to provide a special 
Orange county season differing from the general season 
given in Sec. 22. The general law in Sec. 22 did not 
apply to Orange county previously to the amendment of 
Sec. 22, no more could it apply after its amendment. 
The close season for quail in Orange county tlien is 
from December 16 to October 15, both inclusive; and 
the open season is from October 16 to December 15, both 
inclusive. 
We understand that the protective authorities have 
given out conflicting opinions on the Orange county 
seasons. It is clear, however, in view of the construc- 
tions which must be given to these sections, that no close 
seasons can be enforced other than such as we have 
designated. 
THE AMERICA'S CUP. 
The outcome of the recently completed races for the 
America's Cup was to us a foregone conclusion. After 
studying the performances of both the challenger and the 
defender closely and dealing with the situation from 
every point of view, we did not see how Reliance couid 
help but win, not only the series but every race. Early in 
the year we ventured the statement that Constitution 
could successfully defend the Cup, and as subsequent 
events have proven she could have done so handily, and 
in" some instances when the weather conditions were tu 
her liking she would have beaten Shamrock III. worse 
than Reliance did. However, we are not sorry that Re- 
liance was built; not because she was necessary for the 
safe defense of the Cup, but because it is interesting to 
know that a scow could be produced in the largest racing 
sloop class that was a fast all around boat and a consist- 
ent performer in all weathers and under all conditions. 
As the next challenger and defender will be designed 
under the new rule which it is hoped will produce a more 
normal and wholesome boat, it was educational if nothing 
more to know before making a radical departure that a 
more extreme boat in every particular than Constitution 
could be built and made successful. The indifferent showing 
that Independence made two years ago rather created the 
impression that boats of the scow type were not practical 
in the ninety foot class. Reliance's success upsets this 
theory and demonstrates again the Herreshoifs' wonderful 
ability both as naval architects and engineers. Neverthe- 
less, the design and form of the hull is becoming less of a 
factor, and the boat that has the great advantage is the 
one with the best sails and the most competent skipper. 
In Shamrock III. Mr. Fife turned out a remarkably 
beautiful boat of a normal type, compared with Reliance, 
that at times displayed unusual' speed. To our mind Mr. 
Fife made the mistake of going' to extreme refinement in 
form and taking a comparatively small amount of sail. 
Had he turned out a little more extreme and powerful 
boat than Shamrock III., taken less waterline length and 
given her the same amount of sail that Reliance carried, 
the result of the races might have been different; they 
certainly would have been much closer. It is the old 
story that the boat that carries the extra sail can in- 
variably afford to pay for it, and such was the case in the 
last races, for it was Reliance's extra sail that saved the 
day (together with Barr's superior handling), and she 
could have paid a much heavier penalty for it than she 
did and still have won. 
Much of Reliance's success was due to the discipline 
that prevailed on board and to the excellent way she was 
managed. To one who has been aboard the challenger 
and defender the difference was, to say the least, very- 
marked, and a comparison showed that the superiority lay 
in favor of the Reliance. Mr. C. Oliver Iselin, the manag- 
ing owner of Reliance, is well known as a great discip- 
linarian and a splendid organizer. From the time he first 
interested himself in the defense of the Cup his efforts 
have met with pronounced success. He has surrounded 
himself with well-known amateurs, and the best procur- 
able professionals. Captain Barr caught Mr. Iselin's spirit 
early in the game, and this, added to his knowledge and 
ability as a yacht skipper, has made him so superior in his 
line that to-day he is in a class by himself, without a 
peer. He in turn surrounds himself with the best possi- 
ble talent. His mate, Christensen, has been with him for 
years, and has adapted himself to his requirements and 
needs in every way. When it came to the selection of a 
crew, men were picked from the smaller racing boats 
where quickness and intelligence is more of a factor than 
iu the larger ones. Many of the racing boats on Long 
Island Sound lost the crews that had been with them 
several seasons because the pay on Reliance made a posi- 
tion there more attractive to them, and after having sailed 
on a Cup defender it is possible for them to secure a bet- 
ter berth the next season. The men on Reliance were 
almost without exception Scandinavians and Norwegians, 
men not as well educated or with the natural intelligence 
of the Englishmen on Shamrock III., yet under the train- 
ing they received they turned out to be a better and more 
efficient racing crew in every particular. The men on 
Reliance were worked very hard, just as the men on 
Columbia and Constiti:tion were, yet they were given 
sufficient recreation, excellent food, and Dr. Monahan not 
only looked after the comfort and sanitary conditions of 
their living quarters, but each man came under his watch- 
ful eye and care, and they were kept in the best physical 
condition. Such are the details that are part and parcel 
of the management and the running of the successful 
defender. On Shamrock III. the men had much the same 
attention and care, but the system and discipline seemed 
lacking, and the men did not work with the same, snap 
and vim as those on the defender. Barr received a salary 
of eight thousand dollars for his season's work, two 
thousand dollars more for winning out in the trial races 
against Columbia and Constitution, and two thousand 
dollars more for successfully defending the Cup. The 
owners dealt very liberally with the crew, and they re- 
ceived a bonus in addition to their large pay. 
All those who came in contact with Mr. Fife during his 
stay, here were greatly drawn toward him, and his quiet, 
unassuming manner won for him a host of admirers and 
friends. Many would have liked to haye seen Shamrock 
III, win out on his account rather more than on -Sir 
Thomas Lipton's. Mr. Fife proved himself a fine loser, 
and he took defeat like the thorough sportsman that he is. 
We hope no more challenges for the America's Cup will 
be forthcoming for at least three years, for the racing be- 
tween these big boats is ruinous to our yachting in gen- 
eral, but now is the time to challenge, if it is desired to 
strike home, for many reasons. The designer of the de- 
fender and challenger will begin on even terms, for both 
the boats will have to be designed under a new and un- 
tried rule. Even Mr. Herreshoff himself has turned out but 
one large boat under it — the schooner Ingomar. The 
rule is supposed to produce a compact boat of a normal 
type, and if anything the English designers have been 
more successful at designing boats of this description 
than our own. A new boat would have to be built, as Re- 
liance would be so penalized under the new rule that she 
would not be a practical defender, so both sides would 
be without trial boats, for what we have just stated would 
apply to Shamrock III. as well, only in not so marked 
degree. 
The courses for the Cup matches were excellently 
patrolled by Captain Thomas D. Walker's boats, and the 
yachts have never had less interference from the attend- 
mg fleet than this year. The work was difficult, particu- 
larly on the day of the triangular race, but the revenue 
cutters and the yachts in charge of revenue officers had 
Ihe situation well in hand all through the series. 
The Regatta Committee of the New York Y. C, 
Messrs. S. Nicholson Kane, Newbury D. Lawton, and E. 
D. Wales, deserve great credit for the able way in which 
they handled and managed not only the final races for the 
America's Cup, but all of the events that the club has 
given this season. Their work has been very arduous, 
and all through the summer their attention to their duties 
has been untiring and the responsibility very great. The 
New York Y. C. is to be congratulated on being for- 
tunate enough to secure the services of three such able 
and capable men who are willing to devote all their time 
and energy to making the racing — the life of the sport— ' 
and the club a success. 
Of the 34,989,000 acres of forests in Germany, 17,443,188 
acres, or nearly one-half, are under public control, be- 
longing to the States and municipalities. All this public 
forest, as well as that held by private owners, is main- 
tained in a high state of scientific cultivation. The sys- 
tematic economy practiced by the Continental people in 
their use of the products of the woods is a revelation to 
Americans traveling in Europe. Every part of the felled 
tree is utilized; even the smallest branches and twigs, 
which in America we burn to get rid of, are in Germany 
bundled for fire wood. 
