THE RIFLE MATCH BETWEEN WALKER AND CHRISTIE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXVII, Issue 3356, 27 November 1871, Page 3

THE RIFLE MATCH BETWEEN WALKER AND CHRISTIE.

. „£> [From the " Ot&go Daily Times."] This match, which has during the last week beun a topic of engrossing interest amongst the members of the Volunteer force, was commenced last Monday at the Forbury Park. Various rumors had been current of the extraordinary scoring of both of the competitors when practising, and each found supporters, willing to back their opinions to a considerable extent. A fair amount of money has been staked on the result of the match, the betting being eyeD, but Christie being the favorite. As most of our readers are already aware, £150 has been staked by each party, the whole amount being deposited with Captain Dargaville in Auckland. The conditions of the match were — ten shots each at 200 and every succeeding hundred up to 1000 yards, any rifle or ammunition, and any position. The butts from the Anderson's Bay range had been moved to a spot on the sand hills farther to the south, the line of fire running right through the Forbury Park, and mounds being erected at each of the distances from 300 yards upwards. At the hour of noon, which was fixed for the commencement of the match, Mr Christie and Captain M'Farland, who acted as his umpire, with a few spectators, were upon the ground; but Mr Walker did not put in an appearance until nearly one o'clock. This was the first delay. Preparations were now made for the commencement of the firing, the agreement between the parties to the match being read. Mr Patersou, late a captain in No. 1 Company, acted as umpire for Mr Walker. Conditions of an intercolonial small-bore match, which took place in Melbourne in 1867, were produced by Mr Walker as the conditions under which the present match was to be fired. A clause in this ran as follows : — " The marksman to be allowed two assistants on the mound to shelter him ; no others admitted on the mound." Mr Christie having stated his intention of not using the mounds which had been erected, this clause was pointed out by Mr Walker and his umpire as making it compulsory on the part of each marksman to use the mounds. The other side objected to this, and so much time was occupied in its discussion with no result that there seemed a strong probability that the match would not tako place. A new cause of dispute next arose, it being shown by the regulations of the International Rifle Association, 1871, that the back sight on Mr Walker's weapon was the first of a number of sights (No 20) which had been disallowed. On Mr "Walker asking what objection Mr Christie could have to shoot from the mounds, he replied that they were neither level nor sufficiently firm, and that he would rather file from the ground, and further state 1 that he would not have taten exception to Walker's sight if he had not first objected to his (Chrisfcie'3) firing from the ground. It was also urged, on behalf of Christie, that the clause in the rules did not necessary imply that the mounds should be used by both marksmen, and if, as alleged, it was compulsory to fire from mounds, why was not one erected at 200 yards? After much more discussion, in which many of the bystanders joined unasked, and one of whom received a merited rebuke, a compromise was effected, Walker consenting to change his sight, and Christie to fire from the mounds. The office of referee was accepted by Captain Trouton, who arrived Sydney by the Phcebe, and SnrNightingale watched Mr Walker's \ interests at the butts. Christie having won the toss, commenced, his sighting shot being a centre, and Walker's the same. The following is the score at 200 yards.

The Auckland man now, having headed his opponent by three points, the interest began to be apparent, the number of spectators, too, having considerably increased. Christie's friends were not at all disconcerted at the result of the firing at this range, it being anticipated

by them that Walker would score the most at the short distances. At 300 yards, the result was a tie, and it became evident that the men were not not ill-matched.

Up to this range the size of the bull'seye had been eight inches square, but another plate was now added to the target, and the bull's-eye enlarged to 24 inches square for the next three ranges. So far, Walker, was still 3 points ahead. At the next range Christie's sighting shot resulted in a bull's-eye ; Walker's ditto. Christie first scored 3 with a centre, but Walker again " got on," and continued scoring bull's. eyes in singular succession for the whole of the ten shots, the result being as follows : — ■

Walker was now 7 points ahead, and his success did not take place without causing a diversion of opinion strongly in his favor. At 500 yards Christie made a centre for his sighting shot ; Walker a bull's eye. Christie began his score with 4 ; Walker ditto. Christie's next was 3 ; Walker's 4, being his fourteenth bull's-eye in succession. The firing at this range had the effect of placing Walker one more in advance of the Otago man, the score being : — 500 YABDS.

Christie's last six shots being bulls' eyes his friends were still confident, and it was now thought that the figures at the next range would show in his favor. This, however, proved not to be the case, for at COO yards the sight gave Christie a centre, and Walker a bulls' eye ; Christie scored 3, Walker 4. A centre and a bull's were added to Christie, two bulls' eyeo to Walker, which made another success'on of 9 of the same value for the latter. A cap on Christie's rifle missed fire at he fifth shot at this range, Walker immediately claimed that it should be claimed as a miss, but Christie was allowed to fire it under protest. The scores are : — 600 tauds. Christie ... ... 3344433233—32 Walkor ... ... 4413413343—36 It will be observed that Christie's eighth shot here resulted in ouly adding two to his score for an outer, and thi3 was no doubt attributable to the wind, which had greatly subsided since the commencement of the firing, suddenly rising in a strong gust from the right. Walker, following, was of couise able to take advantage of his opponent's experience, and scored a centre. Fifty shots have now been fired by each of the competitors, the aggregate scores being — Walker, 184; Christie, 172. The shooting has, on the whole, been very good, considering the disadvantage of having to fire in a strong and changeable wind. The weapons used are both muzzle-loaders— Christie's beingaßigby, and Walker's a Whitworth. The appliances used by Walker are many, and his careful manner in loading and adjusting the sights of his weapon was the subject of much remark. The charge of powder, carefully measured in a glass phial, is conveyed to the barrel of tho rifle through a tube of the same length as the barrel, with a funnel shaped mouth, The back sight is fixed at the extreme end of the butt of the rifle, and to it is attached a small spirit-level. Mr Walker's attitude when firing is as follows: — With his feet towards the target, he reclines on his back, resting 0!} his right shoulder. His left foot is planted firmly, and the left leg kept erect as far as the knee, and it is in the angle formed by the crossing of his right leg under the left at about the shin that the fore part of the barrel rests. Mr Christie assumes the ordinary attitude of firing when lying down. Owing to the interest which attached to the match, it was anticipated that a larger attendance would have gathered to witness the contest ; but this was so far from a fact, that when the crowd was greatest at the conclusion of the day's proceedings, the estimated number was only about three hundred. The match will be continued to-day at noon. SECOND DAY. Firing was commenced at the 700 yards range. Christie, in his sighting shots, made two outers, and Walker an outer and a bull's-eye. The following was the scoring at this range : — ■

Here it will be seen that Christie made four, and Walker five bull's-eyes in succession. The aggregate scores now stood— Walker, 221 ; Christie, 208 ; Christie being thus 13 points behind. At the 800 yards range Cnristio led off with a bull's eye sighting shot and then a centre, Walker with an outer and centre. The following are the scores at

Christie having gained on Walker by three points, made his friends hopeful, and they relied on his effoits to pull up at the longer ranges, though, as subsequently proved, the points which he lost at the short distances rather too heavily handicapped him to do so. When the time came for firing at the 000 yards range, the fact that Christie had lessened Walker's lead by three, intensified the interest of those assembled, and predictions were freely made that Christie yet would win. Christie's sighting shots were an outer and a bull'seye, and Walker's a centre and a bull'seye. The scoring was —

Christie had now lessened Walker's lead by 11. When Walker made his misses, there were bursts of applause, which the greater number of those present — the assemblage then numbering some 000 or 700 persons — appeared to regard as ungenerous, and quickly suppressed. It was stated that the misses which Walker made arose, in the first instance, from the sight being off his rifle, and, in the second, from neglect to place the bullet in the weapon. He, however, bad still a lead of two. The

interest deepened as the turn came for the firing at the final range, 1000 yards, and Christie's supporters were still hopeful of their man. Eyes were strained through every available sort of eye glass towards the target as each shot was fired. Walker's victory was received with loud demonstrations of applause. The following are the scores —

The total aggregate scoring was thus — Walker, 310 ; Christie, 305. The weather thioughout the day was on the whole very fine, and more suitable for shooting than that experienced on Monday.

Christie 44,44333441— 3 C Walker 0344434933—28

this range : — - Christie 3332443444—34. Walker 2243444323—81

Christie 4844.443343— 36 Walker 3344444843—37

Christie ... ... 4333d. 44144-37 Walker ... ... 4434344144—38

400 YARDS. Christie ... ... 3443443344—36 Walker 44*4444444—40

300 YAED3. Christie ... ... 3434313333—33 Walker 4433334333-33

Christie 4334334343—34 Walker 4434413443—37

Christio 4333323303-27 Walker 3332433324-30