October 2026 (1) - Flipbook - Page 72
continued without haste,
consulting with each other after
every shot. Finally, around six
o’clock, Scotland 昀椀red their
last shot and the closing scores
were: Ireland 523, Scotland,
523, America 509, Canada 493,
Australia 490.
With the end of the 昀椀rst
days shooting positions were:
Scotland 1,586, Ireland 1,582,
America 1,577, Australia 1,545,
Canada 1,490.
The next day spectators
began to arrive on the early
morning trains to watch the
昀椀nal day’s shooting. The
numbers attending approached
9,000, and were as large as
could be accommodated within
good observing distance of
the 昀椀ring points. Conditions
were favourable, with pleasant
sunshine, a clear atmosphere,
and a steady, brisk breeze.
The 昀椀ring at 800 yards
began at 10:40 a.m., the general
desire being to complete the
match before 6 o’clock in
the evening. All team scores
at 800 yards were down on
their previous days shooting
and 昀椀nished with America
and Scotland on 525, closely
followed by Australia on 522.
Both Ireland and Canada were a
considerable way behind scoring
502 and 492 respectively. This
was probably not the start that
any of the teams had aspired to!
In the afternoon more space
was staked out for the 900 yard
昀椀ring points, and with the vast
crowd under control, it was kept
at a convenient distance from
the marksmen. Despite two
of the American team having
ricochets as a result of a light
charge of powder or a defective
bullet, which did not score, they
昀椀nished with a commanding
lead. The 900 yard team scores
were: America 515, Australia
494, Ireland 485, Canada 465,
Scotland 462.
At the start of the 1,000
yard shooting, America had
an almost unassailable lead;
Scotland, 44 points behind, and
Ireland, 48 points behind, were
their nearest rivals. Scotland,
opening the 昀椀nal shooting
distance and perhaps dispirited
by their lack of success at
900 yards did not shoot well.
Having started the day with a
The Grand International Ri昀氀e-Match At Creedmoor – Second Day – Shooting At A Thousand Yards
(Harper’s Weekly, 30 September 1876)
72
October, 2026, Issue #4
