The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-10-19
a READABLE DOCUMENT.

A Question Of Interest to Rihemen.
Brigadier General Goo. w. Wingate. general
inspector Of rifle practice. State OF New York.
and we'll known to the rihemon Of this country
and Europe. In public letter which appears
In pamphlet form and Is being distributed among
tho riaemen Of the country. makes the serious
charge against Col. T.sT. y. Laidley. OF tho ord
nance department, commanding the Watertown
| arsenal. Of having appropriated the grentsr
portion Of "Wingate's Manual OF Rife Practice
In the preparation OF system OF target prac-
tice. entitled Rife Exercises. or H Course of
instruction In Rife Firing. by Col. r. r. g.
Laldey. Ordnance Department. q. s. A. with
out giving any credit to the author Of the first
named book. or acknowledging his indebted
ness to 1t for ideas and theories
The nature OF tho charge fully appears In the
following extracts taken from Gen. Win9ats's
letter.
Tho letter opens as follows:
AT the time OF tho formation Of the National
Rifle Association the want OF suitable book
for instruction In rifle practice was greatly lel.
At the request OF Its board OF directors q nun
ual Of rltle practice was prepared by the un-
dersigned (who was then It's secretary. and who
had studied and written upon the subject
for several years. which was approved and
recommended for adoption March 3. 1872 and,
haring been copyrighted, was thereafter used as
text book for instructions In the National
Guard of the State Of New York"
After noting reception OF the first edition OF
tho work. Gen. Wingate etates that In 1875 the
work was entirely rewritten by the author and
was reprinted. and In 1873 new Sixth edi-
tion was issued. containing still further altera-
tons. based upon additional practical expe-
Renee" He then goes ON TO say:
In ita rraennt condition tfia mammal Id tha
official textbook for instruction In the National
Guard OF the States Of New York. New Jersey.
vania. Michigan. Illinois. California Louisiana
and several others. 1t Is also uaed In the navy
and ut the government school, Fort Leaven-
worth. In 1877 1t appears that applications We're
at different times made By line officers OF the
army % be supplied with this work, which
o sed IN 81 ay IL
probably the best manual for Instructions. al :
though not intended fer nor altogether ap IL
tatled' ~ COL 4. 4. s. Laidl y. of the ordnance
department. commanding the WATERFOWL ar
to s sy eompet sytn Of arset
i iirln.g By Gol T; & 5; Lsitsy. oTdaaaoe De- De-
| senteu by lis author to Goa, Benet with a letter
dated February 20. 1879. IN which he states: .
hare cuLied from such Jtetda as Uere open 10 me-
| and In falalnttlng the work for approval of
the War Department, the chic OF ordinances
says: IN The prepGratlon of htas' mork all the
| credit g que 70 Cot LaEt{fy ana L am sure the
army Will not be slow in RECOGNIZING its great
merit Upon these recommendations the work
| has now ben ADOPT cd for the use of the army,
1 and mas bAeu published by Messrs. j. B. Lip
| ptncott & Co.. Of Philadelphia
I In no part of the book Is any allusion made
to the existence Of such work as "Wingate's
Manual OF Riffs Pra tice." or to the fact thai
that or any otneT. System OF tnstrue ION was
aver introduced by its author, or had been
/ Brought into practical use by the national
| quad Of the country.
The following comparison between Col. Laid
| lay's book and the skin edition Of Wtngate,s
Manual of Rids Practice will, however, snow
| the extent to which the author Of the former
has availed himself Of the manual aud the labor
lofts author. and for which he has not seen at
to make the slightest acknowledge
/ Here follow comparisons which 90 to show