Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-30
THE DISTRICT RIFLE TEAM.
Practice mt Sea Girt Is Proceeding
Under Favorable Conditions.
Correspondence of the Evening Star.


CAMP WERTS,
SEA GIRT. N. j.. August o. 1894.
Team practice for the contests that are to
come of next week progresses very salts
factorily, so far as the Washington rifle
men are concerned. This morning the con-
ditions were especially obstreperous. both at
30 and 800 yards. but the scores made could
not be complained of by reasonable beings.
The wind was much stronger than at any
previous practice. and 1t rendered anything
like record-breaking impossible. but the
breeze was welcomed heartily for the edu-
caticnal qualities 1t unquestionably had;
1t may be that next Tuesday will be just
such a day as this, SO the experience may
be profitable. A careful summing up Of yes
terday's work shows a decided advance in
the scores, and todays aggregate at 800
yards is so much better than any Of its
predecessors as to give reasonable ground
for believing that before the close of the
week the District team will be In fairly
good shape to meet the ravencus combina-
lions that are coming to fight for the honors
with which the program for next week Is
ltberalIy supplied. But the training has to
proceed very slowly. In past years the DIS
trict team has been on the range for at
least three months before competitions were
I'm order, so the men were hardened up IN
ample season. This year the work of
months has necessarily been compressed in
to a week, and. rs result, There are sore
shoulders and other little ailments that can
not do otherwise than detract from the
..shootability' of the detachment. Great
caution has therefore to be exercised in
placing limit upon the practice INDUCED
in. Yesterday the total number or shots
fired by each competitor seemed low enough.
but today il was cut still lower, and, 1t Is
believed, with beneficial results Tomorrow
the required practice will be down 10 a
minimum of about twenty shots, and by
Friday the bruised shoulders will probably
be prepared to withstand the pounding they
must undergo for week thereafter.
Figures upon which the interested public
may base comparisons are not ready Tor
publication. but the chances are decidedly
bright for a marked improvement In the
match work by the Districts representa-
tives Yesterdays high men on totals for
seven shots each at 40, 800 and Goo yards
were Private s. /. Scott, Private George E.
Cook (who unfortunately put a on the
wrong target and was short so many
points), Lieut.. CT. B. Young. Private s. b.
Wetherald and Sergeant c. W. Dickey. The
biggest score at any one of the ranges was
made by Capt w. Fl. Meyer, who put up a
"a out of possible - at 500 yards.
1t is rumored around here this afternoon
that a team from the department of the
east. United States army. will be on the
ground en- Monday to compete in the Hilton
match. Definite information is expected to-
morrow. Gen Spencer and Gen. Wingate,
president of the National Rife Association,
have been in comInUnicat ton. with Gen. o.
o. Howard for some time past. and are en-
couraged to the belief that Capt. kingsbury,
who is inspector of small arms practice On
Gen. Towards staff, will be here with
team by Tuesday.
The Georgia team arrived this evening
and will be on the range tomorrow. The
Maine team Is expected tomorrow evening
or Friday morning
Col Theodore Mosher, the Districts adj
jutant general, was in camp this morning,
but returned to Bay Head, where he is sum-
mering. He will probably occupy tent
here from Saturday until after the meeting
Is over.