Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-22
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Steps Being Taken to Establish
Downtown Clubs.
CONDITION OF THE RIFLE GALLERY
Entry of the National Rifles is
Postponed.
ENTITLED TO COMMISSIONS

DelnS present. capt. oyster requested tEoSe
who intended entering the guard to step to
the front, and Twenty-Five signified their
intention of becoming soldiers in the eyes
of the law. Drills have been suspended UNI
til the first Thursday in January, when 1t
is expected that decision will be reached.
Two months ago." said Capt. Oyster to
The Star man, 1.-THE Rifles voted to put
company in the guard, and something in
regard to the matter has got to be done
in the very near future At the January
meeting / shall put the question direct.
Some unpleasantness, 1 know not why. has
arisen since the subject of entering the
guard was preached"
The opinion Of number of local military
men, who have been asked how they re-
gard the situation, is that the National
Rifles will not soon become a military body.
Condition Of the Rife Gallery.
The department Of rifle practice has COM
pleted it's removal to the new armory build
ing and is almost ready to begin work.
Finishing touches are now being put on
the loading room and the office Of the SUI
perintendent. The only articles lacking
are the extra targets and the steel plates
which will serve as a background for the
targets: they are expected to arrive at any
moment.
A Board of Survey.
First Lieut.. and Adjutant James L. Mock,
First Lieut.. Charles A Knockey and First
Lieut.. George Phoebus of the fifth bat
talon comprised a board of survey, which
met at the Center Market Armory On
Thursday evening last to take an inventory
of the quartermaster and ordnance proper
ty charged to William B. Greenwood, late
captain of company c, third-now fifth
battalion, and to fix the responsibility fer
any shortage that may have been found.
Some Recommendations for Commits
sion.
Gen. Ordway has recommended to the
President the following for commission:
Second Lieut.. Joseph II. Griffiths, battery
A, light artillery, as first lieutenant battery
A. light artillery; Sergt. Thomas Marvin,
battery A. light artillery, as second lieu
tenant battery A, light artillery. Private
George e. Tralles, company b, second bat
talon, as second lieutenant company b,
second battalion; Sergt. Maj. Sidney r.
Jacobs, fourth battalion, as first lieutenant
c, fourth battalion; First Lieut..
George w. England, company d, fifth bat
TALON, as captain company d. fifth bat
talon; Sergt. James l.. Leeman, company
ID, fifth battalion, as second lieutenant
d, fifth battalion.
Proposed Civic Organization.
Certain members of company c. second
have taken steps to form an or
gariZation to be styled THE Fencible
Club" the object, as stated, being to fur
Their the interests of the National Fenci-
bles. 1t is proposed to rent suitable rooms
centrally located, for club purposes. Per-
sens not members of company c, second
battalion, are not eligible to entry in the
club A meeting will soon be called to per-
feet an organization. The new venture IL
is understood, will not in any manner in
terfere with the National Guard company,
as the club rooms are to be closed on drill
nights and those assigned for rifle practice.
Similar action will, IN all probability, be
taken by the members of company A. Sec
ond battalion, the proposed civic organiza-
ton to be known as the "Corcoran Cadets
Club" The individual competitive drill,
open to members of this company, which
was booked to occur on Thursday evening
last, has been postponed until after the
holidays. Capt. Edwards followers will
have a Christmas tree in the armory on
Tuesday, from which suitable presents are
to be distributed to all members.
in Contrast With New
York.
The corner stone of the new armory of
the ninth regiment, National Guard of the
state of New York, to be erected in 14th
street, west of 9th avenue, was laid re-
Gently by Mayor Gilroy. In a brief address
the mayor said that this will be the sixth
to be built In New York city with
in ten years, at an expense of $4,000,000.
All the expense has been met by the city,
which has also contributed not less than AS
per cent of the cost of erecting armories
in other parts of the state. The estimated
cost of the new armory is $297, 900, and the
contract specifies that 1t is to be COM
pleted In eighteen months.
In the seven years of the existence of the
District of Columbia National Guard the
people of Washington have done practi-
cally nothing for 1T. The guard has been
quartered in rented armories, and has met
with more difficulties, probably, than the
Guard of any state in the Union.
few individuals have encouraged the
District soldiers by donating medals and
other prizes, but their number are not leg
ion. The people, apparently, did not realize
the value of the guard until the coming
of Coxey When lie departed local military
interest accompanied him.
A New Deadly Explosive.
A new era in the development of the
explosives of warfare, says the Philadel-
phia Record seems destined to be sooa
Inaugurated in the trial CT a novel high
explosive shell at the Indian Head naval
proving grounds. Its success will mean the
first solution of a problem that has long
bafIled the ordnance bureau-a safe means
Of firing the most dangerous shells from
big guns, The pneumatic guns at Sandy
Hook have proved their ability to hurl
dynamite bombs for a distance of 1900
yards, but this is their extreme range. The
fleet of an enemy might anchor beyond
danger and pour in broadside that would
destroy these guns. One shot of six pounds
would undoubtedly destroy at blow the
usefulness of each piece of costly appar-
ltus. The ordinary navy gun will today
throw a powder shell thirteen miles. The
flight of the dynamite missile is so slow,
that it is even asserted that
torpedo boat might dodge the unwelcome
messenger.
The proclaimed value Of this latest mis-
sile which can be used in the regular can
mons of the navy, lies in the unique concep-
ton Of both shell and contents. The new
explosive is the invention of Professor
Munroe Dean of the Corcoran Scientific
School of the Columbian University. 1t is
said to be eight per cent higher intensity
than No. l dynamite, and yet able to with
stand the firing force of the most power
full gun without premature explosion. This
substance is composed of dark
liquid and a white powder. and while the
two are kept separated the liquid is as
harmless as water and the solid as harm