Grand Marksmen Festival in Meran Hosted by Archduke Johann

Austrian Monarchy.

Meran, 18 May. (Corresp.) Today, on the classic ground of marksmen life, we celebrated a festival bearing the purest stamp of the Tyrolean people, unfolding as warmly and splendidly as was intended by its illustrious host.

In the morning, companies of marksmen marched into town from all valleys, along all roads and paths, with resounding music amid the cheerful crack of mortars. The terrible windstorm, which had raged for several days bringing winter cold over the blossoming fields, subsided so as not to strike a discordant note in the unfolding festival. At 11 o'clock, the procession of the marksmen and citizens of Meran formed at the shooting grounds and at the town hall. They marched up to the town's jurisdictional boundary beyond the Passer bridge, awaiting here the festive procession of His Imperial Highness the Archduke and host from Schenna, who arrived shortly before 12 o'clock. The procession returned via the Hospital Bridge through the Bozen Gate, the Laubengasse, and the Rennweg to the shooting grounds.

The civic guard opened the procession with music, followed by the guilds with their banners, the municipal council of Meran, the reception committee, drummers and fife players, the flags of the Meran marksmen company, the target markers with the targets, the shooting scribes, the marksmen leadership, and the civic guard with the band of the Kaiserjäger regiment, which Colonel von Burlo had dispatched from Innsbruck to Meran to enhance the festivities. To this procession of the people of Meran joined the festive train of Archduke Johann from Schenna. The marksmen of Schenna with music led the procession, followed by the splendid, magnificent flag of Schenna, the 9 commemorative flags for the principal shooting grounds of Tyrol, the 20 special prizes, 3 prize carbines, 4 wreath prizes, 12 prize flags, and the cup of honour. All these prize gifts were borne by the rural folk of Schenna. Then followed His Imperial Highness the Archduke and host, accompanied by the two cooperators of the parish of Schenna, the Reverend Messrs. von Mazza and Klozner, and the municipal council of Schenna. His Imperial Highness wore the simple marksman's dress, a grey marksman's coat with green facings and the marksman's hat adorned with a black grouse feather.

The procession was continued by the company of young marksmen, led by the Count of Meran. He was followed by the marksmen companies from Passeier, Algund, Tirol, Riffian, Partschins, Gargazon and Burgstall, Mais, Bozen, and the Puster Valley, each with flag and music or fife and drum.

At the shooting grounds, the festive procession was awaited by His Imperial Highness Archduke Rainer, Archduke Heinrich, District President Count Fünfkirchen, the colonel of the Kaiserjäger regiment, the colonel of the gendarmerie, the imperial-royal authorities, and the clergy. The stage of the flag tower, where the distinguished guests gathered, was ringed in ever-widening arcs by the marksmen companies.

His Imperial Highness Archduke Johann stepped forward onto the stage and delivered the following address, given here according to its sense:

"It is an ancient, fine custom that whoever has acquired a property invites neighbours and friends to a heartfelt festival of joy. What our forebears did, I did not wish to omit. When I purchased Schenna, I immediately thought of calling my neighbours in Tyrol and Vorarlberg to a celebration of joy. About the nature of this celebration I was not in doubt for a single moment, knowing as I do the innermost delight of the Tyrolean. Yet the premises of Schenna, where I was to and wished to hold the celebration, were too confined to accommodate the marksmen of the land. I turned my eyes to neighbouring Meran, which met me with open hearts and energetic assistance, and whose splendid shooting grounds were suited for the festival.

Several years have indeed passed since I settled among you; but the circumstances of the times and my absence plead my excuse that I only today honour the old custom and invite the marksmen of Tyrol and Vorarlberg to a shooting festival."

A large, wonderful ibex horn with a silver base, lid, and artistic mount, filled with the noblest juice of the Adige grapes, was now set before the Archduke, who continued his address.

"With this juice, as red as our blood, as fiery as our courage, as strong as our loyalty, I raise a toast to His Majesty the Emperor, that he may complete his begun work to the glory of Austria!"

"A toast to the land of Tyrol, this land of loyalty that stands as steadfast as its mountains, that peace and unity may dwell in every valley, in every village, and in every cottage!"

A toast to you marksmen, to the old as well as to the young, that you may peacefully practice in play what you have performed in the gravity of war, and that you may often and merrily awaken the mortars at the targets!

A toast to the town of Meran!

"This cup of honour, which we have now consecrated to the festival, I bestow upon the Meran shooting grounds, under the custody of the town."

With these words His Imperial Highness presented the cup of honour to the senior shooting master Dr. Putz, who, deeply moved, expressed his warmest gratitude in concise words and proposed a toast to the Archduke. Brighter and mightier than all preceding ones, this cheer resonated from the deepest breast of the immense crowd. A cheer followed for the Count and Countess of Meran.

Archduke Johann then had the cup of honour handed to him again and spoke: "It is a rare fortune, a rare joy that brothers find themselves together at such a festival as Archduke Rainer and I. Therefore, a toast to my brother!

This toast, more heartfelt than all the others, moved all those present so deeply that tears, witnesses of the deepest emotion, rolled down men's cheeks.

The senior shooting master concluded with a toast to the constitutional Emperor!, followed by the Imperial Anthem, performed with precise and artistic playing by the Kaiserjäger band.

After the Imperial Anthem, the marksmen companies defiled. On the face of the Archduke, youthful and manly joy was written. It was as though he were saying:

"What as a youth I cherished and did,

I would not forfeit in old age!"

With heartfelt delight he gazed upon the good old flags that the marksmen of Tyrol had so often borne victoriously from battle.

To the elderly captain of Algund he called out a genial "How are you?", shook his hand, and the old man's joy beamed from every feature toward the Archduke.

The Archduke proceeded to the shooting stand and made a good shot, though without hitting the bullseye; "for in three years," he said, "this is the first shot I have fired."

— An appeal by the marksmen leadership yesterday evening invited the public to the reception of the marksmen from the Puster Valley. At 7 o'clock they arrived and, accompanied by the reception committee and accompanied by music, marched through the Laubengasse to the shooting grounds. A cordial greeting by the speaker welcomed them to make themselves at home in Meran.

This morning at 6 o'clock, the bands of the Kaiserjäger and the civic guard opened the festival amid 27 mortar salutes.

At 10 o'clock, the marksmen companies from Bozen and Brixen marched in. The latter was accompanied by the Reverend Canon Hirn, highly deserving as a field chaplain in the wars of liberation and as a friend of the marksmen. The welcoming speaker, senior shooting master Dr. Putz, greeted these marksmen in a short speech, encouraged joyful festivities, commended their customary energetic neighbourliness, and concluded with a toast to His Imperial Highness Archduke Johann.