INTERNATIONAL RIFLE COMPETITION.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 5038, 17 May 1877, Page 3

INTERNATIONAL RIFLE COMPETITION.

The American National Rifle Association are evidently desirous of making the match for the Centennial Trophy—in which an Australian team competed at Creedmoor last year —an an'uial one, if possible, a< may be seen from the follow ing condensed report of a meeting of the Trisli Rifle Association, which was held at the Mansion-house, Dubliu, on the afternoon of Monday, January 22, and at which the Lord Mayor of Dubliu presided. Major Leech, who was captain of the Irish team that took part 'in the match—read the following letter which he had received from the secretary of the National Rifle Association of America:—"New York, Dee. 2, 1876. Dear Sir, —At the regular meeting of the board of directors of the National Rifle Association, held 'in November just past, the following resolution was adopted :—'Resolved, — That the executive committee be requested to consider and determine, after obtaining the viwws of the American team aud of foreign representative riflemen, upon the propriety of making any changes in the terms of the international competitionsforthe Centennial Trophy to take place hereafter.' In compliance with the terms of the foregoing resolution, the executive committee, at a meeting held yestei day, December 1, instructed me to communicate the same, and encloso at same time a copy of the original conditions to the captains of the foreign teams who participated in the late international match, with the request that they should consider the matter and inform this association of tkeir views, all of which I have the honor to do as above.—(Signed) Geo. G. ScHEiiJIEUHOTVN, juu., Secretary National Rifle Association."

He had embodied that letter in a circular which he had issued to the shooting men of Ireland, pointing out that the trophy was surrounded by medallions, on each of which was engraved a date beginning with 1876 and ending with 1884, and enclosing the printed conditions of the match, and requesting the views of the shooting men as to the desirability of altering the terms on which the trophy was to be competed for. The conditians were is follows : " International Long Range Match for Championship of the World. Open to riflemen of all countries. "Teams. —Each team shall consist of eight men. Members of the various teams participating must be native-born citizens, and residents of the countries they respectively represent, except in the case of teams representing a provincial territory of a Government, in which case a residence in the province will be sufficient, provided the member is a nativeborn subject of the parent country. Rifles— Any, not exceeding 101 b. weight: minimum pull of trigger 31b. Breech-loading rifles to be loaded at the breech only. Distance—Boo, 900, and 1000 yards. Number of shots—3o at each range by each competitor. No sighting shots. Match to last two days. Competitors to fire 15 shots at each distance upon each day, commencing at 800 yards. Position— Any, without artificial rest." In his opinion the 800 yards range was not a sufficient test either of the marksman's skill or the qualities of his rifle, and might be omitted with advantage ; the match might then be shot at 900 and 1000 yards, viz., 20 shots at the former and 25 at the latter distance. If a third range waß desirable, 1100 yards might be added, and thus each man have still 15 shots at each distance. It appeared undesirable to have such a match shot at a range which was the practice range of one of the competing teams, as in America ample accommodation- could be had elsewhere than at Creedmoor. From consultations he had had with Irish riflemen and with the clubs, he found that there was a general desire that this match for the championship of the world should be shot in Ireland on the first occasion subsequent to that upon which the Irish were successful, it being the privilege of the winning team to retain the trophv until defeated at home by some other representative team. This desire was the greater from the fact that the match which had now assumed such importance had originated in Ireland. In the match shot in America, in September last, for the championship of the world, five teams took part America, Australia, Scotland, Canada, and Ireland, each man to fire 90 shots, and the possible score was 3600 points. At the finish the difference between the Irish and the Americans was only 22 points. On that occasion two members of the Irish team—. Messrs. Johnson and Milner—at the 800 and 1000 yards ranges, achieved successes hitherto unknown in the annals of rifle shooting, the former making 15 bullseyes in his 15 shots at 800 yards on the first day of the natch, and Milner performing the same feat on the second day at 1000 yards. The Australian team lost third place by only one point, and he confessed that, after the Irish, he would not have grudged the victory to the Australians, for a finer set of fellows never represented a country, aud in America they were deservedly most popular. Our Canadian friends were, as they always were, friendly and goodnatured—nor could he speak too highly of the Scotch team, who had the advantage of having for their captain so high a functionary as the Solicitor-General of Scotland. He then went on to say: "There is another point of view from which the subject may fairly be regarded. It is not too much to say that competitive rifle shooting has, withfci the last few years, assumed dimensions hardly contemplated by those who were its originators. It was then regarded simply as having its end in itself, and as a means of promoting friendly meetings and ivholesome competition, like any other pastime. Now, however, it seems to have raised itself altogether above the level of an ordinary pastime, and to have become rather a valuable instrument for the promotion of international harmony, on by no means a narrow scale. To those whose experience is limited in such matters, this statement may seem to be exaggerated ; but those of us who crossed the Atlantic last summer, and witnessed the welcome which the American nation gave to the representatives of Ireland, Scotland, Canada, and Australia, will be aware of the truth of what I say. It was a matter of universal regret that Kngland did not form a team to take part in that competition, and for my own part I am inclined to think that by their declining to do so, they missed such ail opportunity as rarely presents itself to promote good feeling between the two nations."

After some discussion, it was agreed to allow the whole matter to stand over until the next meeting of the association.