Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-08-26
Brigade Team Men Satisfied With
the Result of Their Labors.
WAS PENNSYLVANIA REALLY AFRAID?
New Jersey Comes Here For a
Shoot in October.
OTHER MILITARY MATTERS.

and complete in every respect, and as one
OF the team men put 1t just before leaving
headquarters. was payment in full for a
/ long summer of hard work. Few people
outside Of the number deeply interested
| In rife practice have any idea of the steady
application to business which was neces-
| sary before there could be a reasonable
nope OF success. Few even in the inner
circle had any idea as to the amount
| OF worry over guns and ammunition and a
dozen minor necessities. 1t is interesting to
note not mat the score made by the team In
point or so OF its average Of practice. The
highest aSgregate-and that was made I'M
der phenomenally favorable circumstances
was LOST, but that was only reached once,
tween l.O45 and loo So far nothing has
which now holds the two trophies won at
Sea Gfrt. They are at Harrisburg and WILL
It is presumed. be forwarded to brigade
awhile they will be on exhibition in one of
the downtown store windows. and from
thence will be transferred to the corridors
OF the War Department, where, for nearly
| year. the Hilton trophy stood to be ad-
mired: Medals for the twelve men who
shot IN these matches will also be here
| soon, Gen. Spencer having ordered them a
week ago. Medals for the brigade team
are also being designed and will be prob
the New Jersey State Rife Association as
Association.
Was Pennsylvania Afraid.
A great many people have not yet arrived
at satisfactory conclusion as to why
Fennsylvania and New York did not put in
an appearance at Sea Girt this year. For
New York the excuse is offered that team
practice had been impossible on account Of
the Creedmoor range being used so extens-
nHeIy Ior class practice, while apologists for
Pennsylvania insist that the organization OF
decent ha
accomplished until after the state matches
mad taken place. Such an excuse has not
men who amounts to anything for IL the
state could have done no better IL might al
least nave ordered for team duty the twelve
hen whose skill won the trophy in 1882 To
surrender such valuable prizes without
making the slightest effort to retain them
SING TO the average man of cowardice,
ano II Is not surprising that the general
sentiment at Sea Girt was to the effect that
rennsylvanfa had come to the conclusion
a snat victory would: this year. be impossible,
anu that instead of putting up the best fight
" could 1t would lie down and cheerf,illv
submit to being walked over and kicked.
1onduct OF this sort from the soldiers OF the
Old rifemen In the Pennsylyania Nsttonai
Guard are extremely indignant and make
no enorts to conceal their sentiments IT
was understood at Sea Girt-and the author
NY nao every appearance Of being rood
that both Governor Pattison and Adiutant
General Greenland had written to Col. Os-
ternaus requesting him to put team in the
neid and that the colonel had replied to the
enect that IT was impossible II that be
true then Pennsylvania National Guard is
very Tar from being as efficient as Pennsyl-
vanians ike to have other folks imagine Il
Is If Gen. Ordway notified his Inspector
general Of rife practice that he would like
70 nave brigade team in any competition
or competitions there would either be a
team or new inspector general of rife
practice: That's one OF the points of differ
ence between the military methods of the
District nrnh ND
syivania. New York. too, Is. after all, with
out valid excuse for non-appearance at Sea
Girt TO say that there was no team ready
Is TO state that which Is arrant nonsense
Out OF 1900 National Guardsmen there are
surely twelve who. after a day or SO of
practice. could make reasonably good
showing In fact. II the spirit Of competi-
ton had any hold upon General whitlock
VINO looks after the empire states target
work. he could find all the team he wants
inside Of fifteen minutes by calling upon
Major Haywood Broun. Inspector OF rtfe
practice for the twenty-third New York
Directed by Major Broun and aided by that
most wonderful of "wind-jammers" Ord
nance Sergeant Bryant. a dozen of Col
Partridge's cracks would keep any twelve
men In the country on the jump. It was
really great disappointment to the District
team when they found out that neither Of
the two great National Guard states would
fire shot for possession of the biggest
trophies In the country. The District team
had trained all summer long that IL might
meet and vanquish these particular oppo-
nents. and when the opponents failed to put
in an appearance there were many express
sions of disgust. Their coming had they
shown UP, would have bettered the Dis
trict's score anywhere from ten to twenty
points. and although they might have shot
very well. the proba bilities are against the
defeat Of the local rihemen The New York
Sun seems to have this idea, for in an edi-
torial published during this week. II says:
Although the August meeting at Sea
Girt, which closed on Saturday. brought to-
gether far too few marksmen. and especially
no ~ o1
les, vet In one respect II achieved a brilliant
success The shooting for the Hilton trophy
inter-military match was also of the very
highest character. This splendid result was
due to the District of Columbia team, which
beat the New Jersey marksmen by a hand
some margin, although the latter eed not
be ashamed of their work. The fine show
ing OF the District riflemen was not accom-
was far from steady throughout on The
range, as the flags at different distances
sns at 0ae PERIOD by blowing in differ
equaled records by excellent team work in
all particulars.
It is a matter Of regret that the teams ex-
appearance on the New Jersey range. Not
that there would have been much danger of
the District rihemen losing their victories
might then have had the satisfaction Of
meeting a larger field Of competitors.
The summer gathering at Sea Girt ought
matches Of the National Rifle ASSOCIATE
twelves from the National Guards Of Mas
sachusetts. Connecticut, New York. New
Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware Maryla,,d
and the District OF Columbia, while the reg
ulars In New York harbor who are entitIsa
to enter, might well find means to do so AZ
they used to at Creedmoor New York and
Pennsylvania, which were present ar Sea
Girt last August. failed TO 60 this wear
New York was beaten at that time. ard
does not seem anxious to try again; but
Pennsylvania had won the chief laurels of
the year and might well have ATTEMPTED to
Keep them. Next year these two great
states. at least, should De at Sea Girt. n
the matches of the National Association
are continued there to measure skill with
the District Champions"
Chasing the Empire State. Too,
New York is catching it on sea as we'll
as on land. some very caustic criticisms
having been directed against its N..,.
Reserve. A correspondent Of the Balti
more Sun says that so far as can be learn
ed the first battalion OF the New York
Naval Reserve will this year be towed
down Long Island sound in the old hulk
New Hampshire and be safely moored g.
some secluded cove, where there win he no
danger from winds and waves The navaI
reserve men will then, 1t is undeA
stood, be landed on the beach dali,
Tor instruction in the duties q
a soldier. The charge Is made that the
New York battalion is letting the high
toned, social yachting grade interfere with
Its promised efficiency.
Information is reported to have reached
omcials OF the Navy Department that un-