Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-17

ysAA ANA low the good example
N~kE4.l.1 set them by some OF the
H. European volunteers
MI In several respects the
Mi National Guard il more
VIII practical than any Of
w the English volunteer
commands, for the troops in several OF the
states have seen active service and in the ma-
jority Of instances acquitted themselves cred
itably, but there are lines OF instruction on
which the British citizen soldier has distin-
guished himself that have OF been touched by
the American militiaman. One OF these is
long distance marching Competitive efforts
OF that description are bv no means uncommon
across the Atlantic and there is no good reason
why they should not speedily become popular
here as soon as they have been properly intro
duced. In this il may be the privilege Of the
District National Guard 10 lead the way and
thus add to its already brilliant reputation for
careful attention TO the exacsing details Of the
soldiers work. The Army and Nary Journal
tells the story OF a recent contest in England
follows:
The long-iistance marching competition
among the regulars militia and volunteers Of
the East Surrey regiment al district was com
menced on saturday morning. November 5,
| concluding in the earlier hours of Sunday
morning, November 6, in generally satstac-
ganlzed by a committee of officers belonging TO
| the East Surrey regiment. with Capt Wynyard
assecretary,the conditions being that any num-
Der OF teams each consisting OF eight men. with
| non-comrlissloned o.hcer IN command. repre-
| senting the regulars at the depot, the militia
/ and the volunteer battalions attached to the
East Surrey regiment should march from Kings
| ton to Guildford and back. by way of Cam
berley. two teams being dispatched every
hour from a: m. to p. m. one to Guild
| ford vim Camberiey, the other direct to
| Guildford and thence to Canlberley on the re-
| turn journey. 1t was provided that no strag-
CLING be permitte6-in the event of a man fall
ing out the team to halt until he rejoined it
| the dress TO be what is known as "feld-dav
order, every man having his great coat oiled
| on belt behind. canteen on top water bottle.
haversack, and two pouches containing forty
rounds of ball cartridge and an officer to ac-
company each team us umpire. The trial
| regarded as very severe one, the distance
| from Kingston through Csmberley and Guild
| ford being reckoned at fifty-four miles, There
were eighteen teams entered One team was
composed of regulars two Of militia, and four
teen OF volunteers. and all Of these started ex-
cept one.
Eight out Of the seventeen teams performed
the task, the best having made little more
than three miles an hour and the worst nearly
two miles and q half. including stoppages
| And not one of the nine teams which were
| obliged, from one cause or another. to give in
had covered il is said. less than thirty miles OF
ground before doing SO. The teams took the
road at hour intervals up 10 in the after
noon. in order that all might be sufficiently
apart TO prevent anything like racing. No run
ming WAS allowed The condition of the roads
had been greatly affected by the recent rains
The first prize (fs0) was won by Kingston
men, No. team of the Sd '. Il. East Surrey
led by Color Sergt. Warren. who. starting at
noon on Saturday and marching through Cam
berry first, and thence by Guildford home had
completed the distance in l7h. 3Gmin, an
average Of about three miles one furlong an
hour. The second prize fell to the team OF the
| 4th (militia) battalion (Sergt. Beasey), which
going to Guildford first, finished in In 4smfh.
| only twelve minutes behind the best squad: and
| the third to No. 3 team of the Sd V. B. (Sergt.
| Wiliams). 1Sh. 2Smin. The times Of the other
squads which competed are: No. of the LIST
Surrey, 19h. l5min.; Sd V. B., East Surrey. I9h.
37mia.; No. l, ditto, 20h. 44min. No G. ditto,
9Th. 25min., and No. l, LIST Surrey, 9Th. Amin.
| The ages of the nine members of the volunteer
team which won the first prize averaged a frac-
ton more than 2S-the eldest man being IL and
| the youngest 20.
1t will be noticed that the volunteers defeated
the regular troops. 1t is not at all improbable
| that a similar competition viii be arranged for
battalion teams OF the ID. c. y. G. some time
during the present winter. The first race would
hardly be for more than ten or fifteen miles.
| STIRRING THEM UP FOR 80.
Interest in rifle practice was very thoroughly
aroused by the fail competitions, and unless all
the signs fail there will be more shooting done
in the gallery this winter than ever before
Consequent upon a satisfactory gallery season
| Will be better scores, and more of them, when
| the range is opened for the outdoor work of
| 1885. and there will, therefore, be determined
| effort made to get every man in the brigade to
| do his share in the practice an effort that wall
| commence as soon the new wear opens
4 will la a. e. 81, -
what these will be cannot be definitely stated
at this time, but it would seem as though a
medal will be given the officer enlisted man
who in the regular ordered prsctice-gallery
| and range-makes the greatest aggregate score.
| In addition to this there will be a decoration
| for the enlisted man who reaches the top notch
under the same conditions. Capt. Cash plans
| for the encouragement of the fret regiment
have not yet been fully formulated. but Capt
Bells program is about complete. The follow
ing circular, which has been sent TO each of the
captains in the second regiment, explains itself
Dear Sir: The high standard of the skill Of
the rif1smen OF the second regiment is a matter
| of pride in which every man of the command
| has just share. and evidence of that
| standing il is only necessary to state that when
skill and knowledge of rife shooting is in de-
mand this regiment is called upon TO furnish
| the talent. As one evidence of this fact will
instance the three battalion inspectors of the
| first regiment and the Lieutenant commanding
tue rlne platoon OF the engineer corps. who
were all taken from the active service of the
second
Our qualified marksmen and sharpshooters
| for 1891 numbered within a fraction of three
| times as many as were qualified by the other
commands obthe brigade combined. With five
companies less than last year We have total Of
forty-one sharpshooters and lightweight
marksmen, which is over 40 per cent of the en-
| tire regiment
This point Of excellence was attained by the
| united efforts of the officers and enlisted men,
prompted, have no doubt, by the pride which
| each felt in the desire to maintain the we'll
| earned title to the name Of the Shooting Regi-
ment of the Brigade
1t should be our aim in the coming season TO
qualify every man in the regiment, aud feel
warranted in the belief that not less than 80 per
cent will be either marksmen or sharpshooters
| At the end Of 1893 To attain this point ask
the cooperation Of the entire command, and ss
first step in this direction l would like you to
| appoint from your most enthusiastic rifemen a
ride committee Of three, whose duty il shall be
| to see that every man fires his regular scores
and to keep the record of the rife matters Of
| the company.
Please send me the names Of the men as soon
as they are selected, that I may call them to-
gethsr for consultations upon the matter winch
We have in hand As an incentive to induce
the attendanca Of he man AZ tba rasx,,l. -.