NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA RIFLE MATCH. ("SYDNEY HERALD," OCTOBER 19,)

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XIX, Issue 1964, 2 November 1863, Page 4

NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIA RIFLE MATCH. ("SYDNEY HERALD," OCTOBER 19,)

The second Intercolonial Rifle Hatch fur the possession of a challenge shield, value £300, to becomo the property of that colouy which shall win it thiee times consecutively, And which has been twico contested for between Victoria and New South Wnles, was on Saturday broticht to a olote, and resulted in a, second victory for the latter colony. It will be iv tho recollection of thoie who take an interest' in the friendly contests between these two colonies, that when the last match took placo in Melbourne, tho champions of that colony not only Iv Id their own at tho short ranges —t. c. up to 500 yards — luit gainud a slight lead ; though it was geneinlly conceded, ns indeed the reaulfc proved, that they wuio not equal to their opponents at the long mnges fiom 700 to 900 yards. Tho match just finished imliu.tles however, that they have lost no time in improving themselves at the longer distance?, ns for 700 and 800 yards their scoie in the second match exceeded that at the same distances in the fhst contest by 111 points, and for tho 700, 800, and 900 yardi, by 140 points ; while the New South Wales competitors exceeded their fust Bcore in Victoria at 700 and 800yiudsliy 68 points only, though at the three last distances tlu-y bettered theii'Viotoiian score by 117 points, showing an imj» ovement at 900 yaids of 49 points. The scores made on both sides iv the second m itch show an immense supriiority in the quality of shooting, the totals for both years Htanding thus: —

The is no rtcotd in the history of l ilk shouting where inch a lengthened match has Ijeen contested ho i.losil^ up to 800 Mil (Ik. uiul nftn filing COO shots on wicltMde. At 200 jmds Vietotia g.iitivil tun point*, at 300 v;>nls she was 13 points a-henl, nml »t nOOy.iidn Hgliitin pnintß tin the fitiir-B total. At 600 yniilu New Simih Wales tediiced the nmjniitx ;i<^n iiih-t Ik i to two |>o hh, :it 7<)o vnids to inie |ioint, ami at 800 yard* Victi.iiu. whs still four points in advance; thegieutesldifiei' nee at any range being that »t, 900 yauls, where New South Wales gained 48 points. Tim tun cniiipetitmn ade 177 pointH, or 23 under an outer ]itr shut, while Victoria fell off to 74 twinta under an mitt v per Mint The New South Wales competitor had a decided advantage in the diiectinn of the wind, us it Mew fiom the noith-east, and they h.ive been mote accustomed to it than any other, as it h the pievuiling wind heie dining the suturuer. The victim, on the whole, nhofc well, if we except the scoie of Mr. Hoidein, who, to the surprise of even one, whs pm tioularly unfortunate foi so good a marksman Ins total score reaching only 122. He did not appear to us to lie in his usual trim ; generally he is vuy cool, but the best ufleman will sometimes fail, either fiom excitement oi tlienoivous svstt-m being out of order. The scoies of Messts Kaynet (whw is engaged on the repotting stuff of this juurliaJ), Shaip, Brownimv, Campbell, and Dickson, being respectively 214, 196, 191, 190, and 189, were splendid. Mr. Ravnei's dcoie has never been equ.dltd in these colonies, nml «c •very much doubt whether it has ever been surpassed m England, over the same ranges, in a single match He did not mihs the target once, and made an nggi agate scoie of four over a centie a shot. He received a hearty cheer when he fired his last hhoi, and was warmly ooijgiatulnted, not only by his friends, but by uinny of his opponents TJiis is the thiid intercolonial match in which he his been top gporer. The scores of the remaining five — Messrs. Wyndlmm, 179 ; Rgheits, 163 ; Stiong, 160 ; Phillips, 159 ; and Hordeni) 122— make an average of 156 3-sths. At 900 yaids Mr. Shaip made a total of 27, with 4 bullseye«, 1 centre, and 4 outeis, missing once ; Mr. Biownlow also scoied 27, making 4 bullheyes, 3 centres, and I outer, miuiug twice. Of the Victniiati competitois Mr. Cole wns top scorer, with 194 points ; Captain Couchman being second, with 188 points; Mi. Faucett thiul, with IS3 pointi, Mr. Sleep, who wai particnlaily \mfortunato at 900 yaids, hitting the target only once, fourth, with 177 points ; Mr. M'Naughton fifth, with 160. The avenge of the leniainmg five— Mes&ia. Kewlamh, 16S; Middlemiss 167; Tumplcton, 165; M'Uaitney, ]G1 ; and il'Oluie, 141 — is a shade under two points hetli'i th,vn that of the five lowest scoies on the side of their opponents. The general impression seemed to be that if thg match had been concluded on Fiiday it would have been a lemarkably close one, in which we are inclined to concui, bub any impaitial observer could not but feel satisfied that our men aie excellent at the long ranges, and it would h.ive been difficult to wrest the victory fioin them ; at the same time, though the New South Wales te.mi hive twice been successful, we think they have seen sufficient of their opponents' skill to make them more energetic, if possible, than hitherto, and when the compt'tituu «!i!\ll meet again next year on Victori.m giound, they will have a ttiH moie desperate contest. " " We cannot conclude without a refeience to tlje .liMiigements foi maikincf, at all timei a dthcnle end difficult matter. 'Phi? taigetb weru t'\.imi\ied aftei every fifty shot-,, and tho icoiob corrected by them Captain - W.iid and Major Hail kft no opening for dispute, and the'tuatkers weie so ]iarlicul>\r as to weai\ the patience r,f the spuctatots, whose eyes weie m'ettcd on tho m.inti-1.i!.. So intent was tin- excitement, ,md so acute hid the healing oi some of those present become, tint l>ull^.e>e'', ceuticti, and outei^, inn, even liiocliets, weiu declined wim* tnoincuU ln-foie the flag denoted what h.nl hi-en mule As to tin iiutkcis, tlu-y spemed tji Jjuld <i coiuic.il of w.ai over eiriv <.eoniitl shot — so di teiuiiiiej tw'io they that every "-hot should lie coileclly denoted ; lietrej. 1 .iriangpincjiti in nil ici[»ects uoiiM uof li,uu lienn mnde, d-id \\p lieli>-ert)J t]w compi'tilois wut 1 >.tiiifi«.d with them. 'fow.mln the Llnseiif tin in itch tliee\iitpmpi)K - imoii!j the ispi'ut iti)i s , l)f whom tltPtcwiiu iibmit 500 present, wax vuiy gri'.it. The int'CMUl ion. hovyevi r. wa> tftkt-i) "f keipin.' th" I'tililiu fifty y.uils. fi.)in flio umnpi t|tni->, We should slutc t.h it ilihiv wciv l|o «1 n.tp~ for lh« pm> po,iMil Mfiiiii tln> position of the tliot maiks on th« I wirut idluwid mi the ground, nor weit* thei« any iiulk.iUoii-. i if ,ivy kind |n'iintlt<-d. Cipt'iin Smith, of thi! Bill ii. -vt lluiijtrs, and Sft genii t I'tliw, of tlie Ciilhiigwnoil I'ifles. acted .i« m.uki'i^ fur Vicf'tiin, nnd two of our stuff st'igi'iitits f.ir New Sout)i Wales • while CajiL'iiu Wmdevner and Lieutenant Frecinnn, on the (iiotdny, and thp fint named guntlemnn Lieut. WiUon, on the second .md third dajs were in the butts a« checks upon the tnaiking. 'l'he scores were kept by Mr. J. M Le>j;h, Mr. J. Gi-ifton Ross, C.iptun Eastwood, nijd t\vo gentlemen fioin the Mint, undpr the diit'cuon of Ciptntn W.ml. M.ijor Hall, us mnpiie for Victoiia. and Captain Wftid, as uinpiiv for New South Wu|<*«. gave every SAti^faution. jit the finish of filing twenty-five shqts at each distance, they iode l)p tn the t.ngets, and compute 1 the shot unuks theieon, and, in cases of jjjcouect acoiing, added to or deducted fiom the gener.i} score. It is wot thy of temark that the four highost scores on the Sydney sule iliot with Hemy lifles, and the two highest on the Victoiian bide shot with Whitwoi th's.

T.vxKS — We are informed that it is the intention of the different Insuiance Companies, provided they can obtain the co-operation of the City Board to erect a Inrge tank at tho lop of Shorthand stiect, with pipes to convey the water to Queen-stieet, plugs being made at intervals to enable tho hose to be readily attached. Two water-cnts are also being made for the fire hiigade r by Mr. Davidson, of Vulcan-lane, which are intended to aooompany the engines to a fiie. Trifle from Marovtt. — The other day, a housemaid, having finished her diuting in the house, wag olv-eived, fioni the sea-slioro, to bo sweeping tho horizon with a glass. Some Pkrsons arc Never Contrntkd. — "No, Sir, I shant subscribe to vonr Sick Fund any longer. Here I have been subscribing for tho last eighteen years, and haven't derived the slightest advantage from it yet. Yon must excuse me. Sir. but I object to belonging any longer to a Society 111 which the advantage is all on one side." Death op the Rev. Dh. Raffi.es. — The venerable and much respected Thomas KafhVs, D.D., L. L.D , and F.25.S , vj'ho for moio than half a centuly has occupied a largesp.ice in the esteem and respect of the Liveipool public, died yesterday morning, .it his residence in that town. About two years ago ho rctiied fiom the active duties of hii ministry, after having discharged those duties for 61 years. The deceased, who was bom in London on tho 17th of May, 1788, was in his 76th year. H« was cousin to the lato Sir Stamford Baffles, and along with him mado a tour through Prance, Savoy. Switzerland, Geimany, and the Nethei lauds in 1816— then a much less common feat than it is now. As a preacVer Dr. HatHes was widely esteemed^ and from the active turn of his mind ho took a leading pait in all the philanthropic and bonevoloijt schemes of impoitance which were brought forward dining tbpeailici half of the present century, and in Liveipool was looked on a« <m efficient pioneer in velimous and social impioyoments. Among tho inhabitants ot tho large commercial poi tin which he lived and laboured he wa,s. universally esteemed and generally beloved. — Lon* don Tima, August 19th.

1863 1802 N. S 3. Wulei. 1753 ... 1495 ... Victoria. 1712 1431 Excels 1803 263 ... 281