Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-02

A,~f -S the meager little sum
ofs5, 600 needed for the
camp Of instruction
would be provided for in the measure. Prom
ises enough we're made by members Of the con-
ference committee. but an adverse majority Of
democrats forgot all about pledges in their haste
to saw the appropriation down to the lowest
limit without regard to reason or necessity.
Gen. Ordway toiled without any appearance Of
cessation. and for a time believed the encamp-
ment to be a possibility. but he gave the fight
up two or three weeks ago, as did everybody
else who had any information on the subject.
The fact that there was an implied con-
gressional agreement that the brigade was to
have camp at least once in every two years
cut no figure at all. The democratic members
of the House committee had no thought for
anything but appropriative abbreviation and
its possible effects upon the bucolic voter in the
coming presidential election. Noone made any
real objection tothe National Guard. but there
was overweenfng desire to hang on to every
dollar as long as possible.
MINOR COMMANDS WILL 60 IT ALONE.
or course there will be a number Of indie
pendent camps-how many no one knows, be-
cause the various commands have been waiting
to hear from Congress before they figured on
the POSSIBILITY of going under canvas on their
own account. These Independent camps will be
ahead of no camp Mt all-but they are short of
the brigade aggregation and afford but little or
no opportunity for battalion or regimental drill.
Troop will probably enjoy another practice
march like unto but better than that historic
march they had last summer.
Other portions Of the brigade will secure
instruction and pleasure at one time. 1t may
easily be that one of the battalions will ask per-
mission of the New Jersey authorities to 60 into
camp at Sea 6irt-an ideal location.
GETTING TO WORK ON THE RANGE.
Rifle practice commences during the coming
week. This will be good news for q large num-
Der of men. About all of the guardsmen who
are proud of being soldiers have concluded
their gallery practice and for some time past
they have been longing for an opportunity to
get on the range. To MANY of the men the
experience will be rovel one and few will
probably feel somewhat disappointed because
their initial essay with ise-size cartridges fails
to show up as well as did the gallery work.
Recoil. heat, light. wind and flies all have q
part in shaping the varied forms Of torment
which worry the novice. but they all disappear
before patient determination and conscientious
endeavor.
Yesterday force Of men, directed by Lieut.
King, started in to repair the butts ut the bar
racks range; it is expected that all things will
be ready on, Wednesday morning. Frem then
until September the ordinarily mephitic Mt
mosphere will be disturbed more or less by
the flight of bullets, while tho sewer born odors
which emanate from the James Creek canal
must compete with the not unhealthy perfume
OF burnt gunpowder.
WHAT WILL BE REQUIRED OF EACH MAN.
While the order for practice has not been
issued and will not be until the latter portion Of
next week it can be stated that considerable
changes have been made in the regulations.
Gen. Ordway has discussed the subject with
Moi pplt % 80
tice, and the scheme il now ready to be put in
operation. One day in each week will be set
apart as battalion day. Each battalion and
separate company will have date assigned it,
and on those days the respective battalion in
spectors will be on duty. The commands will
not struggle on to the range they have in
times past: they will assemble at their armories
and will get to the firing point by
such means as may be ordered by the officer
in charge. Every man will be required
to fire ten rounds at 200 yards and ten
at 800 yards before the close of the sea-
those two ranges he will not be permitted to
shoot at 500 or 600 yards. Men who make
marksman's scores at the short ranges will 60
back to the mid-ranges and will there be af-
forded opportunity to qualify in one Of the two
most honorable classes. The regulation il a
fair one and it will be enforced. If man can
not beat 81 out of possible 80 at 200 and 800
yards he is clearly unfit to wrestle with the
more intricate problems presented by the in
crease of distance.
THE LATE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION.
Just where and for wha. the brigade team
will shoot this fall is not yet apparent. The
first and second regiment teams and perhaps
the engineer team viii go to Sea Grit to make
things interesting for any other aggregations
that may endeavor to take away from Wash
ington the bronze interstate trophy which now
decorates headquarters Of the first regiment but
il is by no means certain that the brigade team
will do any more than put upa friendly match
with the Jerseymen. There Is no more Creed
moor. II there was to be meeting Of the Ma
tional Rifle Association Of the State OF New
York at the famous and likewise notorious Long
Island range the d. C. N. G. would have no
representative there. But the n II. A. s. N. Y.
has been elected. New York's general inspector
of rife practice il Gen. whitlock. He succeeded
Gen. Robbins. Gen. Whitlock knew how Creed
moor had been conducted-he had doubt
less been reading The STAR-so he arranged
his practice schedule in such q manner as to
Gust the N. r. A. S. n. Y. When this became
known New Jersey proffered the N. R. A. s. n
Y. the use of its range at Sea Grit, and the offer
has been accepted. 1t Is understood that the
meetings of the n. r. A. 8. N. Y. and Of the
New Jersey Rifle Association are to be combined.
If that is true. and il the N. r. 4. s. n Y.
transports to Jersey its lax and unsoldierly
rules about guns and ammunition, then it is
easily within the bounds OF possibility that not
even a regimental team will go to Sea Girt from
this city. All the team men and visitors who
went to Sea Girt last year are in love with the
place and with the Jersey militiamen, but their
affection will not outweigh their good judg-
ment. There are in the brigade a score of men
who will compete with any other twenty men in
the world il all parties use the regulation
Springfield rife and shoot the factory ammuni-
ton which is issued, but there is not one who
will ever have anything to do with a match or
meeting in which the methods Of the National
Rifle Association Of the State of New York play
even o minor part.
Capt. ]. A. Perry. company B, first separate
battalion, has resigned his commission on &C.
count of i'll health. The resignation took effect
yesterday. Capt. Perry has been in the District
National Guard ever since its organization and
has rendered valuable service. For three wears
he has been member Of the brigade board of
examination. When the question Of consoli-
dating the colored battalions was being agitated
Capt. Perry was selected to command the newly
organized battalion. but when it was seen that
the trouble could be more easily settled by the
assignment Of another officer he readily stepped
aside. Capt Perry will probably be succeeded
in command Of B by First Lieut.. T. B. Meredith.
A good deal of guessing is being done at the
War Department and elsewhere as to the prob
able successor to Col. Long a. adjutant general.