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Mahn-a-Wauk C G. 
Fourteen years ago the Mahn-a-Wauk C. C. was 
organized, and three years later had an active member- 
ship of thirty, while to-day the members are widely 
scattered, only three residing in Milwaukee. This situ- 
ation represents the canoe sailing interests in the 
Middle West; but, fortunately, not the canoe sentiment, 
as the paddlers have increased in the same proportion 
that the sailors have diminished, and to-day in Mil- 
waukee there is a colony of canoe men and women who 
spend their leisure hours on the upper Milwaukee 
River, where a stretch of three miles gives ample sweep 
for paddling. 
The Mahn-a-Wauks were a lusty organization, be- 
gun by enthusiastic canoeists who limited the mem- 
bership in order to keep out those who were not be- 
lievers in canoeing and did not own canoes, but 
wanted to join the club because they thought canoe- 
ing was a delightful fad which was worth cultivating 
for the social enjoyment which it brought. 
Edward H. Holmes, who now resides in Chicago, 
was Milwaukee's pioneer canoeist, and after interest- 
ing Frederick W. Dickens and Frank B. Huntington 
in the sport during the spring of 1890, the trio went 
on a canoe cruise on the Wisconsin River the follow- 
ing summer. Their experiences and exploits on that 
memorable trip' interested other Milwaukee men, and 
on March 7, 1891, the Mahn-a-Wauk C. C. was organ- 
ized with a membership of fourteen, and E. H. Holmes 
was elected president. The boat house on the lake 
shore at the foot of Mason Street near the North- 
western Depot was secured from the Lakeside Boat 
Club, and as the canoes made their appearance on Lake 
Michigan, the interest in canoe sailing grew. 
The first racing meet and camp of the Mahn-a-Wauks 
was held on Oconomowoc Lake from July 4 to 18, 
1891, and this diversion was so pleasing to the partici- 
pants, that the members joined the Western Canoe 
Association during the winter of 1892, sending a dele- 
gation of six members to the midwinter meet of the 
Association in Cleveland. To the efforts of the Mil-, 
waukee canoe men was due the selection of the Lake 
Winnebago camp site near Oshkosh for the 1892 meet, 
at which the Mahn-a-Wauks were represented by four- 
teen members and ten canoes. In 1893 four members 
of the club went to the meet at Ballast Island, but in 
1894 the entire membership went to Madison, where 
the meet was held that summer. Two went to Ballast 
Island in 1895, but only one representative of the club 
attended the Mullet Lake meet in 1896, while, with the 
exception of Commodore Cook, of Chicago, all of the 
tenants of tents at the 1897 meet at Delavan Lake 
were Mahn-a-Wauks. Then there was an interval of 
four years during which none of the Mahn-a-Wauks 
went to the Western Canoe Association meets, al- 
though two of the members went to the A. C. A. meets 
on the St. Lawrence River. 
To the untiring efforts of F. B. Huntington and 
Frederick W. Dickens the old Western Canoe Associa- 
tion was merged into the Western Division of the A. 
C. A. during the regime of Commodore F. S. Thorn, 
who came to Milwaukee at the beginning oi his term of, 
office with Henry C. Morse, of Peoria, and effected 
the transposition. Then in 1892 Mr. Huntington, who 
had been elected vice-commodore of the division, and 
Dickens, who was elected secretary and treasurer, again 
went to work with all of their energy, and as a result 
the division held its first meet at Ballast Island, the 
home of the Western Canoe Association. 
Under the leadership of E. H. Holmes the club made 
giant strides in 1891, and F. B. Huntington, who was 
his successor in 1892 as commodore, scored a success 
in handling the organization, which showed marked 
growth. George P. Mathes became the commodore 
in 1893, and during his regime the Mahn-a-Wauks 
showed their strength, the membership growing rapidly 
and the club house being completely overhauled. F. 
W. Dickens became commodore in 1894, and Richard 
Merrill succeeded him, and so great has been his popu- 
larity that he has never been superseded. 
Three years ago the members joined the Milwaukee 
Y. C, which owned a fine house further up the bay 
and in a more satisfactory location, and there the canoes 
are now stored away on racks. The old club house was 
admirably arranged for the purpose to which it was 
devoted by the Mahn-a-Wauks. The ground floor was 
on a level with the waters' edge, and a long dock ex- 
tended 15ft. toward the breakwater, giving the members 
ample opportunity to rig up their craft before launching. 
On the floor above were the racks on which the canoes, 
duffle and sails were stored, access being gained by a 
lift controlled by an endless chain which carried the 
canoes safely to their second floor from the dock. Im- 
mediately in the rear of the canoe room was a large 
shop supplied with work benches and tools. On the 
third floor were the general assembly room, a galley 
and dressing room, around which were arranged the 
lockers. The walls and ceiling of the room was deco- 
rated with pennants, bunting, pictures, paddles and 
trophies of various description, all appropriately and 
artistically hung by F. W. Dickens. _ . 
The racing machines are no longer m favor; Mil- 
waukee canoeists have taken up the paddling canoes, 
making the upper Milwaukee River their base of opera- 
tions instead of Lake Michigan, and their number is 
steadily growing every year. For the men who still 
prefer sailing to paddling, the old Western Canoe As- 
sociation Class C canoe makes a comfortable cruising 
craft. They are 16ft. long and 4oin. beam, have an 8ft. 
cockpit and carry 125ft. of canvas distributed in a main- 
sail and a dandy. They are a staunch, seaworthy craft, 
capable of being navigated in a big sea with a fair degree 
of comfort, and besides, carry "two." 
A. W. Friese. 
* * The current number of Game Laws in Brief gives 
laws of all States and Provinces. Price 25 cents. 
— # — 
Fixtures. 
Nov. 8.— Greenville, N. J.— Annual 100-shot championship at 
Armbruster's Park, 
Col. Bruce on the Palma Matter. 
When, several months ago, the Palma trophy, representing the 
international rifle championship, was returned with resolutions of 
apology and regret from the National Rifle Association of this 
country to the N. R. A. of Great Britain, nothing was heard in 
the matter from the captain of the winning American team. Col. 
Leslie C. Bruce held that position at no small personal outlay 
of time, effort and money, and when he brought back the trophy, 
he was congratulated on what everybody considered a worthily 
won victory against heavy odds over a field made up of no less 
than seven representative national teams. Having spent a sum- 
mer of hard work in carrying out what to him was a most agree- 
able task, Col. Bruce arranged for a long foreign ramble, and 
when the N. R. A. people here were hurrying the trophy back, 
the Colonel was off. in the mountains of Morocco after a sojourn 
in the picturesque south of Spain. It was not until he reached 
London on his way back a few weeks ago that he met a New 
York militia friend, who mentioned the fact about the trophy. It 
was the first the Colonel had heard of it, and he at first refused - 
to believe it. On arrival in New York, there was a hurried 
catching up with a lot of past history, and now the Colonel is 
outspoken in his bluff Kentucky way over what he characterizes 
as one of the silliest bits of business which he has ever met with 
in his whole experience with American rifledom. Speaking to a 
member of the Forest and Stream staff, Col. Bruce was asked 
to go over the story of the team and its work, particularly with 
reference to the alleged irregularity which came from the Council 
of the British R. A. 
The correspondence which preceded the return trip of the 
trophy has already appeared in these columns, and our readers 
are aware that the question at issue was as to the character of the 
barrels of the rifles used by the Americans. Col. Bruce said: 
"I cannot but feel that a grave blunder has been made, and 
I am not willing by my silence to have it appear that the Ameri- 
can team at Bisley in 1903 won the trophy by taking the slightest 
unfair advantage of the other contestants. This is the only 
inference from the fact that the trophy has been -returned and the 
victory of our team declared improper and irregular. More than 
that, the declaration made by the president of the National Rifle 
Association here, that, as captain of the team, I neglected to 
carry out orders, and thereby made possible the position taken 
by Col. Crosse, the secretary of the British Rifle Association, is 
utterly at variance with the facts. 
"Let us make a very brief review of the organization and work 
of the team. I went forward, when the call was issued for a 
team, prepared to win a place on the squad, if possible. Gen. 
Spencer, president of the National Rifle Association, asked me 
rather to assume the post of captain and co-operate with the com- 
mittee in the selection of the men in the preliminary tests, and 
later institute the team system which had so often won victory 
for the American marksmen. As a member of the original 
American team which visited Ireland in 1875, and of several sub- 
sequent teams, and, further, by constant participation in the 
sport since, I had been well schooled in this method of conduct- 
ing matches. The conditions required us to use a service rifle, 
and we secured a lot of Krag-Jorgensen arms from the United 
States Ordnance Department. They were found to lack the uni- 
formity of caliber necessary in the severe test we had before us, 
and we replaced the barrels with others of private make. These 
were prepared by Harry Pope, of the Stevens Arms Co. Tney 
take the Government ammunition and are in all essential respects 
true service rifles. At this time the United States Government 
was making extensive tests toward the selection of a new arm 
for the Regulars, and the barrels we chose were among those 
under trial. In Great Britain, we participated by invitation, 
using these weapons without objection in matches shot by organi- 
zations affiliated with the National Rifle Association there and 
under its rules. These shoots were prior to the date of the big 
match. Before the formal Palma match, our rifles were subjected 
to every form of inspection the official cared to make; our 
trigger pulls were tested, and I remember handing Mr. A. P. 
Humphrey, a member of the Council, at his request, a dozen or so 
of the cartridges we were using. On the afternoon preceding 
the day of the match, there was a meeting of the captains of the 
seven teams competing. ' Every point on which an objection 
might be raised, which any one wished to discuss, was brought 
up. I recall now the point made that the Norwegian team had 
bright gilt sights, which were not of service pattern, but no , one 
objected. With me at the gathering were Secretary Jones, of the 
National Association here, who was billeted pn our team as a 
member of our mess, and Vice-President Haskell, who was 
abroad at his own expense. On the morning of the match, the 
range officers made further and customary official examination of 
our arms in every respect, and not the slightest whimper of a 
protest was made. Our boys worked together beautifully. It 
was this application of our old-time team system that won us the 
contest. The London Times said with truth: 'No better dis- 
ciplined set of men were ever seen on a rifle range.' We came 
back from 800yds. 3 points behind the Britishers. The wind was 
fluky, and I had Cook practically waste a shot to determine the 
windage and elevation. He got an outer, but the others had the 
advantage of his shot, and in a lull of the breeze we got in a 
dozen bullseyes, and this gave us a lead which assured our suc- 
cess. We came home after overwhelming hospitality had been 
showered upon us by the most distinguished military officers, 
noblemen and civilian riflemen in Great Britain, and then, some- 
where in an American out-of-town paper, there appeared an anony- 
mous letter saying that our rifles had barrels of other than Gov- 
ernment make. This letter, the writer, I am informed, sent to 
Secretary Crosse, of the English Association, and provoked a 
query from him. I should naturally suppose that a reply had 
been sent explaining that we had done everything in our power 
openly and above board in complying with the requirements of 
the Palma contest. It has always been the purpose in this great 
international match to develop the arm best suited for long-range 
military use. It has really been the recognized leader on this 
problem. Not one of the teams in the 1903 contest was armed 
with weapons from the ordinary Government ordnance stores. 
Special barrels and carefully selected ammunition of the regular 
Government pattern was the rule. The exception was the British 
team shooting a special charge of Cordite powder and selected 
bullets, each 10 grains heavier than the regulation ammunition. 
"The British Government for half a century has had a proof 
house system, where small arms of all classes and by any 
makers are gauged and tested for strength. We have no such 
precautionary board here. Instead, the name of the maker, tay, 
Winchester Arms Co., Remington Arms Co, Stevens Arms Co., 
etc., as the case may be, is the American standard guarantee 
accepted for quality and safety, and thus far they have 
certainly made good. When tested, the British arm secured 
a 'view' mark as a sort of guarantee. I cannot see in the 
printed rules for the submission of arms any requirement as to 
styles of rifling. The rules of the Palma match, as amended by 
the British Association, permitted the use of rifles with the 
'view' mark. This practically brought a class of weapons into 
use exactly similar to that which the American team was using; 
that is, arms which could take the Government ammunition as 
to strength, caliber, weight and length of barrel, etc., but which 
being turned out in various grades of nickel, Krupp and other 
steels, at great expense, with more care, by private makers, gave 
the shooter a confidence be might not feel with the factory 
weapon from the Government armories. The fact that we have 
no Government official authorized to stamp a 'view' mark on the rifle 
barrel was the small atom of objection behind which the British 
protest was made, a protest which was hinted at rather than ex- 
pressed, and which the American management, to my utter 
amazement, grasped as an excuse for sending back the trophy 
and repudiating all that we had accomplished by our trip to 
Bisley last year. 
"In the correspondence as I have recently read it, Secretary 
Crosse is compelled to acknowledge that no secret was made of 
the exact description of the rifle we were using, and in fact they 
were described in the most minute detail in Forest and Stream 
here and in many of the excellent English publications devoted 
to the art of rifle shooting. These were all prior to the shoot. 
Instead of making a straightforward, manly and sportsmanlike 
protest as soon as the fact was noted, the secretary naively says 
in excuse for his remarkable silence for so long a period after 
the match, 'that it would be offensive to a competing team to as- 
sume that they intended to commit a breach of the rules unless 
prevented by a protest. It is obvious that if all competitors were 
to feel at liberty to infringe rules in the hope that objection 
would not be taken, it would be impossible to preserve good 
feeling in any match.' Yet in another part of his communication 
Secretary Crosse acknowledges that he had at hand an official 
sample of the very latest model of the United States arm, which 
has since supplanted the Krag-Jorgensen. Of this rifle, the New 
Springfield, he is emphatic, writing 'it could not have been al- 
lowed, although issued to troops for service, as it was not eligible 
under the rules of the match.' Now, to be consistent in his own 
position, knowing as he might, could, should and did, all about 
the rifle which was used, why did he not object, and in the 
absence of that preliminary formal protest, which was his duty 
rather than his privilege, did not his carefully preserved silence 
then virtually declare our rifles entirely eligible? 
"It would be interesting to know just why all this information 
was held back until after the American team, against really 
tremendous odds, had managed to capture the trophy; and 
further, why, under cover of an anonymous newspaper letter, the 
carefully worded queries were put out. 
"What I specially protest against is the excuse given on this 
side; for sending back the emblem, to wit: That the captain 
(myself) had failed to comply with the instructions given him to 
submit both the Government and the special barrels to the range 
officials and get a ruling as to any possible objections. As Gen. 
Spencer, who makes this assertion, knew at the time, we went 
abroad with but one set of barrels. They had been used in our 
team practice here and a year before (September, 1902), when the 
British team won this very trophy at Ottawa, Secretary Crosse 
being present, one of these so-called Pope barrels was used by 
Dr. Hudson, of the American team, while two other members of 
that team, Capt. Graham and Lieut. Casey, used specially secured 
samples of the new Springfield, now the United States arm, but 
not then an adopted pattern. No protest was then made, though 
a British team shot, but the American team at that time failed 
to win — perhaps that makes a difference. 
"Yet, after all, while I am naturally indignant that our work 
should have been practically undone, in such a shabby fashion, 
too, I feel it more on behalf of the boys who won the match 
under my captaincy. They were as representative a group of 
American gentlemen and soldiers as ever, went out to uphold the 
honor of our country. Perhaps it may be for the best in the end, 
as it effectually disposes of those who would belittle unselfish 
efforts where their own petty schemes are interfered with. It 
may help to bring a set of conditions about which there can be 
not even a shadow of a quibble, and make good the words of the 
official captain of the English team, Maj. Fremantle, in a com- 
plimentary speech after the battle that he was glad 'the Palma 
trophy match was one in which every refinement of invention 
could be used or introduced and in consequence a great deal 
was to be ■ learned from these international matches.' I shall always 
remember with pleasure one episode of our trip to British soil. It 
was the invitation from our Ambassador, Mr. Joseph H. Choate, 
to have the team pay a special visit, to the American Embassy 
in London. A distinguished and representative body of British 
army officers had assembled, and an afternoon and evening of 
rifle talk was indulged in to our mutual advantage. I particularly 
recall the venerable Earl of Wemyss, who, as Lord Elcho, estab- 
lished years ago the Elcho Shield match, from which sprang the 
Palma contests, a series which he was proud to say : 'had helped 
incalculably in bringing about that almost perfect arm of pre- 
cision, the long-range rifle of to-day.' 
"There is only one thing to do now, and that is to at once put 
under way such measures as shall bring that trophy, at the ear- 
liest opportunity, back to America. 
"In the making and shooting of long-range rifles, we have time 
and again shown our superiority to the citizens of any other 
nation. There are scores of Americans ready to make up at 
any time a capable team. I can speak almost as a veteran now, . 
though in 1875 I was the junior member of the famous team cap- 
tained by Judge Gildersleeve, and incidentally, if you will pardon 
a touch of conceit, there is a certain total of 219 in a possible 
225 to my credit, made against the British team under Sir 
Henry Halford in September, 1877, which still remains the top- 
notch match score over the Elcho-Palma distances, 800, 900 and 
1,000 yards. I do not speak now to stir up any further discussion 
of an episode which, on behalf of others, had better remain 
closed; but I take this first opportunity to correct any erroneous 
conclusions which my silence might bring about. I would rather 
look forward than backward, and I see in the future a long series 
of well-fought contests for this now famous shield with the 
Americans, giving a good account of themselves in arms and 
men. 
Mr. Baker's Excellent Skill. 
A correspondent writes us as follows: 
"Some phenomenal rifle shooting was recently done by Mr. 
Chas. L. Baker, of Cox's Mills, a few miles north of Richmond, 
Ind. Mr. Baker already has a considerable local reputation for 
