AUSTRALIAN RIFLEMEN AT PHILADELPHIA.

Evening Star, Issue 4079, 23 March 1876, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN RIFLEMEN AT PHILADELPHIA.

{From the Argus.) New South Wales has taken the lead in obtaining a rifle team to represent Australia at the grand international match at Philadelphia, and it is quite refreshing to observe the public spirit displayed on this occasion in the sister Colony. At a meeting the other day several of the leading citizens of Sydney were present, and one gentle-man—-Mr H. Dangar subscribed the handsome sum of LIOO on the spot. The proposition is that each Colony should send five men, the eight best to finally shoot at Philadelphia. Should the men snoot at Wimbledon first and Philadelphia afterwards, the expenses would be L3OO per man, and were the visit confined to America L2OO would suffice. A sum of L 1,500 in the first case, or Ll,ooo in the second, is required from each' Colony. Great Britain has already accepted the challenge, and so has Canada ; and France, Germany, Switzerland, aud other Continental nations are to be represented. It might be thought at first that in such formidable company Australia would have no chance, and would do well to keep apart from the contest, but there is an infallible test that reassures us on this point. An appeal -can be made to scores, and below we give the absolute results of the international match between America and Ireland last year, and compare it with the shooting in the intercolonial match, Victoria and New South Wales. Our match was fired under disadvantages as to weather, and yet neither an Irishman nor an American made higher individual totals than Australian marksmen obtained, and on the average score Australia is more in advance of America, who won the match, than America is ahead of Ireland. On the gross totals Australia is easily first, and if attention is transferred from the International contest at Dublin to the. small-bore shooting at Wimbledon, the aspect of affairs is equally satisfactory. Nor was the firing in our Intercolonial contest of 1875 at all exceptional. The fact is that equal and even better shooting is a matter of everyday occurrence with us, and it will be seen on reference to the association matches that the firing throughout was as regular and good in the one instance as the other. The members of our small - bore club frequently excel by several points the record of the intercolonial contest, and very often our marksmen have accomplished the feat of obtaining the highest score that is possible. Victory can be promised to no one team, but it is certain that were Australia to Send her best men to Philadelphia, she could afford to meet her rivals on equal terms. Her chance would be as good as that of any of the competitors.

* To make up team.

Scores of best 8 Scores of Match Fired in America Weather fine, g“od light, and Wind imperceptible! in Intercolonial Matdh. Wettthet squally and showery part of timejight, dull. CD $ OB Irish. American. 1 Australians | b £ 800 Yards. 800 Yards. 500 TitdB-1 H.S,Wt j 56 J. Eighy ... 52 Fulton ... 58 Lynch Slade ...1 Wilson ... 54 Tale 65 56 Hamilton.!. 58 Btidine 54 Bfishella ... 55 Milner 57 Gilderslove. 53 Linsley ... 53 Johnson ... Walker ... Hepburn DAkin . Victoria , SO 48 53 53 X. Draper... King 0 Average ( 43 Average 0 54 Wardill ... 56 two men* ) 53 two men * j 54 G. Draper... 55 422 434 446 900 Yards. 900 Yards. ,800 Yard* ; J. Rigby •... S6 Fulten 57 Wardill ... 56 Wilson 61 Ta'e 56 Templeton 55 Hamilton... 52 Bodine ... 51 King fl Milner 49 Gildersleve. 51 T. Draper... N.S.W. Lynch i. 61 . Johnson ... 49 Hepburn ... 50 54 Walker ... 55 Dakm ... 45 Gee 57 Average > 52 Average 1 52 Bushello .. 50 two men* ) 52 416 two men* jf 51 Mnddioks... i 48 422