The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-25
MILITARY RIFLE PRACTICE.
REPORT OF THE GENERAL INSPECTOR TO THE

REPORT OF THE GENERAL INSPECTOR TO THE
ADJurANT GENERAL OF THE STATE.
General George w. Wingate, Chief Of the Depart
ment Rife Practice Of this State. has forwarded
his annual report for tho expired to the
Adjutant General of the State. The document is
quite lengthy. and contains record Of many inter
esting facts concerning the condition Of the
National Guard in respect Of craftsmanship and
concerning the facilities for practice now
listing in the State. General Wingate COM
mences his report by expressing great satisfaction
with the progress made by the soldiers during the
year. and also with the thorough manner in which
the prescribed system Of instruction carried out
He seys:--'I have received detailed reports from
organizations numbering 7es3 men as against l33i5
last year and Z $50 in 1876. The number of
marksnen is s.o59 against 2.126 in 1877. being
gain of A per cent, without considering increased
difficulty in qualifying" The remaining troops are
qualified follows-First class. 7o3 second. s.l52
third. 2,5T3: fourth. s.049. comparative table
showing the relative proficiency of the different
organizations places the Ninth separate company
rs Of organizations in this city and vicinity the
Twenty third regiment. of Brooklyn, ranks highest
and next to it the seventh. Separate Troop leads
the cavalry. General Wingate adds :-..The Forty
ninth regiment. of Auburn; the Twcnty-third and
the Seventh are the three regiments showing tho
highest standard, and deserve special commendation
To effect the above results 800 cartridges
expended in practice average OF forty-nine rounds
per man Tor Ill VINO were pretent ~ inspecuou. nc
regards sixty rounds per man about the average
that probably be expended In training the back
ward men. great saving effected this year
previous ones. Thirty-two ranges available to the
National Guard now exist In the State fifteen of
which were constructed this year. These vary in
capabilities bu. all sufficiently well equipped for
purposes of instruction aud practice. Arrangements
have also been made i'm all tho armorics for sub
calibrc shooting, as practice in aiming and firing.
General Wingate regards this AZ . most important
branch of the system. Ho says;-"Thc fundamental
principle OF our system of rifle practice Is that ac
curatc shooting rs matter of drill which should
be carried In the armorics during the drill season.
the ranges being used mainly to test the lessons pre-
viously taught
The report includes q compliment to the different
subordinacs of the department for jealous aud eff
Gent service, and also to the rank and hlc Of the
militia for their earnest endoavors to acquire the art
Of shooting and for the good discipline maintained
during practice days. II concludes as follows THE
business depression which has prevailed throughout
the country has had unfavorable effect upon rifle
practice. Both officers and members OF tho National
Guard have found II difficult 10 devote tho time or
money to shooting which they would otherwise have
done and rnany have been unable to accompany their
regiments to the ranges. am grathcd to BIO able to
say that In spite of these drawbacks, tho interest
taken greater and tho prospects for future
improvement never moro promising.