68 
Is/Iay 1 
THE RIFLE. 
The Irish .Hatch. 
The joint committee on the International Match held their regnlar 
weekly meeting on Friday, April 23, at which Gen. McMahon, the 
treasurer, reported subscriptions of $100 from Mr. tVm. R Gam- 
son and $100 from Mr. Martin B. Brown, besides many lesser 
amoonti made up of small items. 
Col. GildersleeTe wished several points settled with reference to 
the International Match placecompetitions. Whether any practice 
would be allowed on the days of the competitions at hours preced- 
ing that fixed for the opening. When the final struggle came, there 
would be no sach practice, and he wished an expression of opinion 
whether such a method should be carried out in the preliminary 
contest. It was finally agreed upon to permit such shooting up to 
the hour of the match, if desired by the riflemen. 
Another point upon which informaiion was asked was the pubii* 
cation of the scores in the public papers. For himself, CoL Gilder- 
sleeve was opposed to giving the record fer use by the newspapers, 
he thought it had a tendency to keep some away who might other- 
wise attend and prove valuable acquisitions to the team. He knew 
of several such cases now. and as during the last year considerable 
contention had arisen between the indefatigable reporters and the 
riflemen on this very point of publication, he thought it would be 
better to decide the matter authoritatively, by a vote of the whole 
committee. Col. Wingate remarked that it would be impossible 
to prevent the press from getting the scores, and therefore 
he did not see any use in attempting to fight the inevitable. Gen. 
McMahon wanted the widest publicity given to the scores. If any 
sbootist was too modest to come to Creedmoor to shoot lest his 
name should find its way into he newspapers, whai would he do in 
case he took a place on the selected team, when his name and fame 
would be heralded abroad on the press of two continents? Capt. 
Casey thought that in place of acting as a repressing influence, the 
publication would be rather a stimulant to more effort. It was also 
suggested that any hiding of the record would create distrust and 
lead to the idea that it was done for speculative objects. Gen. 
Woodward closed tne debate by observing that as the match was a 
public affair paid for by the public, they had a right to know what 
was being done, and when Mr. Alford moved that the shooting 
scores be made public, all were in favor of it except Messrs. Gilder- 
sleeve and Fnlton. 
Gen. Knox pressed the cltums of Gen. S. W. Johnson, who was 
going abroad on May 3d, and wished some honorary or other post 
on the team, so that he might be received by the riflemen abroad. 
This refreshingly cool request was laid on the table. 
Messrs. Alfdrd and Woodward were appointed a committee to 
send a dispatch to Major Leech, mforming him of the date of the de- 
parture of the American team. A vote of thanks was also carried 
to Mr. J. P. M. Richards of the 7th Regt. Rifle Club for his ser- 
vices in paying a visit to the Dollymonnt range and sending a des- 
cription to the committee. 
The last part of the session was devoted to the reading of several 
applications for posts of honor aud profit under the committee. Ce- 
cil Bnckland, who had been selected to represent the X. Y . Times 
as special correspondent, asked that he be appointed secretary of 
the team, with or without compensation . A colored man wished to 
be made servant of the team, as he had a desire to go abroad. Col. 
Thomas W. Knox, gentleman- at-large, asked that he be honored by 
the post of secretary, and in the course of a long letter said: 
have the vanity to believe 1 could perform all the duties of the office 
satisfactorily, including the various dress-coat occasions that are 
likely to form part of the tour. I chink I know men of all nationali- 
ties snfficiently well to avoid treading on tbeir pet corns, and though 
I cannot shoot the rifle to any alarming extent, can get off a speech 
when occasion requires. As to keeping the scores and writing up 
the accounts of the trip, ‘"Tis my vocation, Hal.”* All tnese re- 
quests were laid on the table to be disposed of by the Team and 
Captain after they shall have been selected. 
The International Team. 
The first competition among the American riflemen for places on 
the team to represent this country in Europe, took place at Creed- 
moor on April 24, Saturday last. In the early morning the day ap- 
peared fine, and gave promise of being a mild spring day. 
The match was the first public contest that has been held on the 
range the present season. Some had gone down over night and were 
at it practicing early to get elevations and break themselves in for 
the day's work. Bat 17 enrolled themselvws as candidates for places 
on the four vacant positions on the team. Of these, one, Mr. H. H. 
Parker, withdrew after making bat four points at 800 yards; the 
rest fired on. in company w*ith four members of the old team, who 
alee went through the practice to pot themselves on record and get 
what drill they could. Gen. Shaler acted as supervisor for the day, 
and after the old team had chosen tbeir target, arranged the other 
competitors at one or another of the six targets set in position. Of 
the seventeen entries, it will be seen chat five are new names to 
Creedmoor. One of them Mr. R. C. Coleman, promises to be a 
valuable acquisition, and from bis performances at this opening 
match showed that he is acquainted with hie arm. He is a lawyer 
from Goshen, Orange County, T., and President of a rifle clnb 
which has been organized in hie locality during the past winter. 
The position in shooting was seen to have undergone a general 
change from that ol last year. Xow a rifleman in the old belly posi- 
tion is a variety. Besides Hawley and Dakin there is hardly a good 
shot who still sticks to the r^nlation position. The effect of all 
this bnckisg up was partially seen in the nnmber of cross-fires made ; 
the blander seemed to have become epidemic, and from one end of 
the line to the ether, almost every marksman made one or two bits 
on the wrong target. Fulton, Canfield, E. H. Sanford, Coleman, 
Conlin. Whitley and seyeral others were guilty of this error, and a 
■costly one it was too, since every such cross-fire scores a miss. 
Among the outside practicers were J. T. B. Collins and Mr. A. 
.Anderson, who stood last year at the head rank, bat this season de- 
Moline to enter. They each made very creditable scores, Mr. Ander- 
son running up a total of 134. 
The day which had promised so grandly in the morning, tamed 
out to be one of the most disastrous for fine work. The wind took 
on a changeable fit and twirled here and there, testing and surpass- 
ing the skill of the most expert riflemen to follow it. The shooting 
was on the whole very poor. The change of guns which many 
have been induced to try may have had something to do with iL 
The solid men came to the front, Dakin and Hawley heading the 
list, while Fulton took third place. The scores in fall were as fol- 
lows: 
GEX. THOHAS S, DAKIN— REMIXGTOK SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 yards 4 3 4 4 3 3 3 4 3 4 4 4 3 3 3—52 1 
90.1 “ 43244344444444 3—55 V 146 
1000 “ 3 4034 323 343 4300— ..9) 
GEN. JOSEPH R. HAW LEY— ^HARPS SPORTING RIFLE 
SOO vards 3 2 4 3 4 2 2 3 3 2 3 4 4 3 3—45 i 
^900 “ 224 3 433 444 34 4 4 3— 5<V143 
1000 “ 334333 24 4 333043—45) 
HENRY FCLTON— KEMINGfON SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 vards 3 4034002423333 4—38 j 
900 “ 3423334 4 043344 4— iS -135 
1000 ** 3 4 3 4 2 4 4 3 4 4 4 4 3 ^ 0-49 ) 
COL H. A. 6ILDERSLEBVE — REMINGTON SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 yards • . .2 433422433 4333 3-^ J 
900 “ 430 334334 4 4 3034— « -130 
1000 0 23034 4 33333224—39) 
R e. COLEMAN— REMINGTON SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 yards 3 33 2 4444043433 3—47 ) 
900 *• 33 4 4 34 243 344 42 4— 51 >123 
1000 0 33333 2 3300200 0—25 ) 
CAPT. L. C. BRUCE — SHARPS SPORTING RIFLE. 
SOOyards 2 343 2 24340 3 303 3—39 ) 
900 ** 300438 434 42 3 4 44— 45 ^l:a 
1000 “ 304 042334 33 2232—38) 
H. S, JEWELL— SHaRPS SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 vards 3 3 2 3 3 4 3 4 2 3 3 4 3 2 3—45 ) 
900 “ 323302 3 4 2333440-39 V121 
1000 “ 0 2 2 3 4 0 4 0 3 2 3 3 3 4 4—37 ) 
A. T. CASFIELD, JB . — REMISGTOS SPORTING RIFLE. 
900 jardi 4 3 i 4 4 3 4 0 2 3 2 32 4 0-— 10 i 
900 ■• 44 043334 4302334-14 -120 
WOO “ 033303304233342—36) 
G.^W. YALE— SHARPS SPORTING RIFLE. 
900 yards 23433323433323 3-^4 ) 
900 •• 034344334433043— HVia) 
1000 “ 0 0334304323430 0—32 ) 
L. M. BALLARD — SHARPS SPORTING RIFLE. 
900 yards 2 3333443443443 4—51 i 
900 •■ 3033243 20023233— 33 >11T 
1000 *• 3 0 4 2 2 4 0 3 3 3 4 2 0 0 3— 33j 
J. S. LATIMER — SHARPS SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 Tards 0 3030233333 2 4 4 4—37 ) 
900 yards 3 4343433432 4 32 3-^8 -lOO 
1000 •• 20 220202233 r3 30— 21) 
E H. SANFORD — REMINGTON SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 yards 3 3 2 4 4 4 2 3 4 4 0 2 4 0 3-421 
900 •• 003330004442344— 34V107 
luOO “ 3320O4000333424— ol) 
P. O. SANFORD— REMINGTON SPORTING RIFLE, 
800 yards 2 4300204244223 3— .35 1 
900 •• 434344340400433— ISyiOO 
1000 “ 000320303322202—21) 
G. CBOUCB— REMINGTON fPOBTLNQ RIFLE. 
800 yards 4 431 3 3 4 4 3 4 3 4 4 3 3—53 1 
950 •• 2 2 4 0 2 3 3 3 2 3 4 3 3 0 3—37 > 100 
1000 “ 030o0400300000a-10) 
I. S. CONLIN— REMINGTON SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 yards 3 3403223334303 4—10 1 
900 •• 0 0 4 4 4 3 4 2 3 0 2 2 4 3 3—38 >• 98 
WOO “ 0 0 0 0 3 3 2 3 3 3 0 0 0 0 3—20) 
A. J. RoeX — REMINGTON SPORTING RIFLE. 
8X) Yards 2 0 0 b3 3 0 00 4 4 3 3 3 2— 27 1 
800 •• 3 0 0 0 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 4 4 2— 38 V 90 
lOOO “ 033333330000004—25) 
J. E. WHITLEY — SHARPS .SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 yards 3 2 0 4 3 0 4 3 3 3 3 3 4 3 0-38) 
900 •• II00433342202233— 31 y 88 
1000 “ 020002333033000-19) 
E. H. RAYMOND — SHARPS SPORTING RIFLE. 
800 yards 2 2 2 0 3 4 0 3 3 2 4 4 4 2 2—37 1 
900 •• 022002432000000-15, 86 
1000 “ 3 003340222133 2 3—34 ) 
JOSEPH HOLLAND — SHARPS SPORTI.NO RIFLE. 
800 yards 0 044333242 2 434 3-^1 1 
900 “ 4 0000003 003 4 033— 20 y 84 
1000 “ 2 003024004 203 3—23) 
LEON BACKEB— REMINGTON SPORTING RIFLE . 
800 yards 3 4 0 0 3 2 0 2 4 2 3 3 0 3 3—32/ 
900 “ 200000033443424-29 , 77 
1.00 •• 300330030000220—16) 
The Dollymount RaD^e. 
Mr. J. P. M. Richards, of the firm of J. P. Moore's Sobs, has 
been taking a tnra in Europe, and has taken the opportunity to pay 
an advance visit to the Dollymonnt range. He gives a description 
of the range as it appeared to him. accompanying his text with a 
map, showing Dahlin Bay, where the range island is seen, a mere 
sand bar. apparently, low and long, something like Coney Island, 
at the mouth of New York Harbor. The account is sent in a letter 
to the 7th Regiment Rifle Club, and we quote the following: 
“Instead of being able to drive right on the range, it was neces- 
sary to cross a lon^ bridge on foot to an island (of say a good mile 
and a half in lengtn, formed by the washing np of the' sea and be- 
coming higher and drier every year,) on which Dolljrmonnt Rifle 
Range is located. You can come down by horse-cars or cab to the 
little hamlet of Dollymonth. TTie distance from Dublin is about 
three miles There are four targets, arranged at present for 500 
yard firing on the new system. They do not take dow n the extra 
slabs as we do, but just give the surplus ones a daub of red-lead 
paint. They rest on the groond level with the rest of the island, 
but are disiinptly seen from the firing point, which is on slightly 
rsing ground. The marking is done from iron mantelets, similar 
to the old turf hut we once used, and which I should think must 
shade the target at certain times of the day. 
The pitch or angle of the targets seemed the same as ours. There 
are no trees or shrubs on the island; plenty of grass, however. 
There is a wooden house almost as large as our head quarters bouse 
at Creedmoor. at the l,(X10 yards puint. In June and July west and 
s<iuth-west winds prevail, and the coast guard say generally all day. 
Wet weather is exceptional, but it comes from the general direc- 
tion. It wiil often blow steadily west or sontbwest all day and all 
night, not w)ing down with the sun and rising with it as with us. 
Rigby told me that a sign of fair weather and likely to be long con- 
tinued in the summer wis the breeze off the laud in the morning, 
iS. W.) and off the sea in the afternoon (S. E .) aher a calm at noon. 
So I think our team may expect wind from the left near and right 
rear and plenty of^ic, probably ateady and a moist atmosphere. 
Foster, with whom I had quite a talk, spoke of there being very 
baffling light winds at Dollymonnt in fine w eather, caused he claims 
by the changing of the tide. I have berrd of St'mething cf the kind 
before, and there seems to be some reason in it In July, too, they 
often have long sp- 11s of warm, rainy weather. Our boys will want 
long water-proof coats, and must provide for keeping ^eir powder 
dry on the voyage. You know what salt air will do. 
it is claimed that the elevations nsed at rsedmoor were d-lOOless 
with the same weather, at 800 yards, than at Dollymonnt. They 
give fearful hints of the effect of side win^g here; 14-100 to 27 ICO 
being sometimes necessary, and those intending to use the Reming- 
ton rifles would do well to look to the length of their wind gauges. 
Lastly, concerning the peculiarities of Dollymonni. it is said that 
about sunset the atmosphere changes rapidly, as it sometimes does 
with us, aud it becomes necessary to raise the elevations between 
each shot. The change is attributed to the nearness of the sea, as 
they call it; really it is St. George's Channel. 
“Royal” on Rifle. 
In Rod AND Gun, April 24. I read an article on shooting positions 
by *’Nick,'’ and as I have probably had as mnch experience in match 
shooting with the rifle as piost people on tbis continent, as an old 
rifle shot I venture to give a few words of adrice to ••XUk” and 
the devotees of the standing or shonldir position. As X have been 
particularly fortunate myself in standing matches, and for many 
years have been able to much more than hold my own against onr 
best match shots at the shorter ranges, I have less diffidence in ex 
pressing my opinions. In the first place. “Nick*' must not run 
away with the idea that any one position is that most sn.ted to all. 
Some men find it difficnlt, nay almost impossible, to shoot in the 
Hythe, or kneeling position, others make a mull of the Heaton, or 
belly position, as ‘‘Nick" called it, while the Edward Ross, or sitting 
position is difficnlt to many. Fnlton's position is undoubtedly 
ugly, but, as I can vonch tor personally, a most effectual one. 
It is, however, not suited !• short armed men, and only men 
with longish arms can hope lo excel in it. The standing or mil- 
itary position, when properly practiced, is a most uraceful one, 
and very effective in modenite weather, in a wind very •-.ncertam. 
On one occasion the writer made in ten consecutive shots at 200 and 
300 yards, five at each, 36 points out of a possible 40, i. e. six ball's 
eyes and four centres, at the old target, 8 inch ball's eye 2 foot 
centre; on another 18 out of a possible 20 at 600 yards (for a bet, hav- 
ing backed himself to make 15); both the above scores show that 
good work may be done standing. I have merely given the above 
shoulder scores to show tliat I know something about the standing 
position, althongh I consider many others better. 
•' Nick “ advises the new short range club to snnb the Fnlton 
position, by ordering “all matches to be shot in a fair, off-hand, from 
the shoulder fashion.” Has “Nick” ever given a thought to the 
object of target practice? As I have always understood it, the tar- 
tlet was a means employed lo qualify a soldier to tie effective in 
action; ora sportsman deadly on game. To accomplish either of 
tliese obji-cts, and lo become an accomplished rifleman, the begin- 
ner must learn to be at home in any and every position. To take 
them in their order, the standing or shoulder position must ne 
learned first. Let the beginner remember that his left toe should 
point straight to his front, and his right square to the right, aud 
avoid the ugly habit of resting the left arm on his ribs; also keep 
the left hand well forward, and not close to the trigger guard as 
many do, always pressing the slock well into his sbonlder with the 
left hand. Any of the drill books will give a description of position 
driH, aud before matches a few minutes practice at aiming and posi- 
tion drill is beneficial to any shot, no matter how experienced. Next 
the kneeling position, commonly called Hythe, is a good fair weather 
mode of shooting, bat is very inferior in a heavy wind. The sitting 
position ranks next, aud is superior to the kneeling, as with your 
elbows on each knee, and the knees pressing inward, a very good po- 
sition can be obtained. The celebrated Edward Ross, the finest sho 
in the United Kingdom, and the first winner of the Queen's Prize at 
Wimbledon, held this position for several seasons, finally abandoning 
it for the lying down, or belly position. This last is the best of all 
and the most commonly adopted, and the only secretin it is to 
place the legs well to the left when taking aim, as by doing so tlie 
mnscles of the right shonlder are made to form an elastic cushion 
which eompletely ignores the recoil of the rifle. If the rifleman 
lies straight behind his rifle, he exposes his collar bone to the recoil 
and lames bis sbonlder at once, while by catting his legs away to 
the left, he docs not feel it at ail, The Fnlton position is singnlarly 
nngracefni, but having the pleasure of knowing Mr. Fulton very 
well, I got him to teach it to me last August when he was in Mon- 
treal. It took me nearly half an hour to learn it, bat after half an 
hoar's schooling I was forced to admit that it was .much the stead- 
iest I had ever seen. I have however, wandered from what I 
wanted to say. I wished to suggest to “ Nick” the unpleasant fact 
that if the short range clnb devote themselves entirely to short 
range ahootlng from the shonlder, they will in three months at the 
farthest, acquire as great proficiency as will ever come to them, and 
afterward will be disgusted with their want of improvement. If 
“Nick'' really wishes to encourage a short range club let him en- 
deavor to have the distancts ranging from 200 yards to 600 yards, and 
learn to shoot from the shonlder at 200 and 300 yards, from the knee 
at 400 yards, and fire in any position he may please at 500 and 600 
yards. For ranges above 600 yards the match small bore is uecesaary 
(Le. to make decent ehooting.) The object of defining the weight 
of match rifles, is simply to prevent rifles being used that are too 
heary for war pnrposes. Ten pounds is the maximum weight 
allowed. No man need ever think of beginning to practice at the 
ranges beyond 600 yaids, nniil he has become a fairly steady shot. 
Nick will find if he tries it, that while it is extremely easy to make 
clipping shooting at 800 and 900 yards with the small bore, it is very 
easy to miss at 1.000 yards. I waa the first to import the Metford 
rifle in this country, and brought out five match Metford rifles for 
the Montreal Rifle club, for the pnrpose of winning the Any Rifle 
Association Match at Dominion of Canada Rifle Association meet- 
ing in Toronto in 1869. IVe won the match easily, bat were hard 
pressed by the Hamilton clnb, who now challenge the A. R. To 
show that the small bore shooting did not spoil onr short range 
shooting, almost the same five men (three of them) won the Bat- 
talion match at the Quebec Provincial meeting the previons week, 
and a cap. value $.800. shooting with the Military rifle, winning the 
Any Rifle, aDo, match with our Metford, thus in one week becom- 
ing champions for the year with each class of rifle. Let Nick exer- 
eisc a little forbearance, if be does not care to indulge in long range 
shooting. let him leave it alone and not ran down what he evi- 
dently does not understand. I am sure if be asks Gilderslceve, 
