THE CHALLENGE RIFLE MATCH.

Evening Star, Volume IX, Issue 2734, 21 November 1871, Page 3

THE CHALLENGE RIFLE MATCH.

We continue our report of the scooting. Yesterday. 600 Yards. Christie 3344433233-32 Walker 4441443343- 36 Christie’s eighth shot was only a centre,— in fact was just within the centre ridge- r the had shot being no doubt attributable to the Wind rising suddenly at the moment of firing. At about a quarter to six o’clock the filing ceased for the day, the aggregate scoring standing —Christie, 172; Walker, 184. Both men used muzzle-loaders —Christie a Higby, and Walker a Whitworth. Walker makes all his preparations for shooting with extreme care; he is furnished with every appliance for facilitating loading ; and his attitude when firing is much more graceful than that of his opponent—with Ida reet towards iLe target, ha' reclines on his back, resting 0 n his right shoulder; his left foot is planted firmly, and the right kept erect as far as the knee, the angle thus formed by the crossing of his two legs being the support of the fore part of the barrel. Christie adopts the ordinary lying down attitude. There were between 350 and 400 persons on the ground in the afternoon. To-dav.

As was the case yesterday, the shooting did not begin until nearly two hours after the appointed time—viz., noon. At twentyfive minutes to two both men appeared at the 700 yards range to commence the day'? work. ‘Christie started with his sighting v for which bo registered a bull’s eye. Walker, mounting the mound, complained of its irregularity, and after ten minutes had been occupied in making it tolerably level, Christie went on it again to take a fresh sighting shot, One of the assistants appeared alongside of him on the mound to afford him shelter; while the other stood directly in front of him, the mound being too small to admit of a second person appearing bait. Walker at once Raised the objection that in terms of the clause of the regulations cited in connection with yesterday’s dispute, the marksman must have his two assistants on the mound. The point being conceded, a further adjournment was necessitated, and the mounds had to be lengthened. This action on Walker’s part gave rise to considerable comment on the part of the c,n, lookers, which, to say the, least ui it, was totally upejignitied. Walker no doubt acted from a sense of what he considered right ; and to cast motives in the face of a competitor, more particularly one who is a stranger, is ungenerous. The mound difficulty having been got over, the men obtained fresh shots, Christie leading off with an outer, Walker following suit. Christie’s second sighting shot was an outer, and Walker’s a bull’s eye. At the stroke of two, the match vv>s resumed, the wind blowing strongly from the north, with a tendency to rise, Christie’s first shot Was a' capital one almost in the centre of the bull’s eye. Walk*r followed with a bull’s eye rather low down. Tfie next shot each piade register d a ceptrc, both shots ip good lipe. t bristle's third sh°t Was a dead on—right in the centre of the bull’s eye— while Walker’s was rather low, but of good elevation. Then followed a succession of bull’s eye —all the shots well placed, until the seventh round, when Christie led off with a centre, scoring another at the ninth shot, while Walker re gistered a bull’s eye for his seventh. It must be stated that at this point the targets became shaded, which will doubtless explain Christie’s falling off. A eye artdj a centre each for the two last shots brought the shooting at the 700 yard? range to.ji closed

700 Yardsrhristio 4344443343-36 Walker 43444-14343-37