Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-10
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Annual Report of the Inspector
General of Rifle Practice.
A MOST EXCELLENT SHOWING
Some Things Need Amendment,
but Not Many.
1 N T E r TING FIGURES

district national guardsmen who have
been waiting with more or less impatience
Tor the arrival of the crosses, buttons, lars
ana pins with which SO many of their
number are to be decorated will probably
De gratihed within a day or two to hear
that the insignia of skill in the most practical
department Of military training have arriv-
ed In the meantime the waiting ones can
ma profitable occupation in studying the
tacts and figures the figures also being
facts) presented in the annual report of
MAJ. Geo. II. Harries, inspector general of
rine practice Maj. Harries says:
In presenting my report for the year ended
November 30. 1893. 1 desire to direct at.
tention to the marked advance made in
the material matter of rife practice. Pre-
else comparison with previous years is not
possible because of changes in tie marks
man qualification and in the method of
computing the figure of merit but there
mas been decided improvement and is prom
ise OF a nearer approach to the ideal dur
ing the year 1894 should the brigade be pro-
vided with the range facilities it needs.
Inc greater growth of the season past was
In the grade of sharpshooters, there having
Qualiiled as members of that class Id Off
GERS and enlisted men as against So IN the
previous year. AZ in 1891 and Is in 1890. In
the marksman class there is great appar-
ent diminution and yet q real Increase for
the adding of two scores each at 500 and
GOO yards on the range-ordered at the
opening of last season-reduced the number
OF button winners from 16O to e.. Under
the regulations which governed class prac
tice in 1892 there would have been more
than two hundred marksmen in this re-
port. but the mid-ranges had a depressing
effect on large proportion of the recruits,
many OF whom appeared on the range with
out having received the preliminary instruc-
ton which should be impaired by every
company commander. There is in exist
ence general order requiring company
commanders to devote at least fifteen min
utes at each regular drill to sighting and
aiming, but this reasonable requirement is
generally unattended to. The results of
such incxcusable carelessness are far reach
ing. the first and least being an absence of
rifle shooting interest in the neglected COM
panles and consequently poor company
record for the season.
In spite Of the greater activity shown by
many of the inspectors of rifle practice
there is still an extremely large percentage
Of men remaining in the third class. OF
these but few placed by poor shoot
ing the majority are in that class because
they failed to shoot the eighty rounds each
required by orders. Had every officer and
enlisted man in the brigade been faithful
to duty in the matter OF official practice
there is reason for believing that not more
than nifty would now belong to the class
which denotes ineti1ciency in the most i'm
portant military essential 1t may seem
strange that there should be necessity for
extraordinary and continuous eXerton in
the matter OF completing scores, but it $
nevertheless true that but for the persist
ence OF some OF the inspectors ana q few
line officers the qualification record would
have been lar from cre1itable. For this
sluSgishuess there must surely be a REM
edy or the efficiency OF which We have had
4 right to feel proud Will soon vanish.
The obeyinS OF general orders should be the
rule ana not the exception.
Stringent Measures Urged.
Fully satisfied that persuasive measures
have reached the limit Of their usefulness
and confident that severity will not be
wrongly applied in this matter, / respect
fully urge the issuing and enforcement of
an order that will result lii the discharge
FOR the good of the service" of chose SCI
diers who fail TO fire the prescribe, number
of rounds at the ranges specified in the sea
sons schedules There VIII, of course, Da
instances where such action would be I'M
fair to individuals. but they can be arrang-
ed Tor without di1lculty and in such man
ner as 10 afford the habitually careless no
loophoIe through which to escape from
their responsibility. The national guards
man who LOOKS upon the organization mere
ly as something TO anuse. is entirely IN
deserving OF the tender consideration which
has been SHOWN him in the past, ana fCr
which he is not in the least grateful.
Interesting Rivalry.
Continued fidelity to rifle practice by the .
second regiment and a decided awakening
of enthusiasm in the first regiment made
the seasons work more than ordinarily in
teresting. A year ago the regimental fig
ures of merit were widely separated but
they are now more nearly even, with the
chances bright Tor the warmeSt sort of
rivalry during the current year. The second
regiment IS, however, considerably ahead
anu only by putting forth an extraordinary
amount of exertion can the first hope 10 be
even terms with it's compStii 10 aid
in stimulating the utmost efforts and to
encourage the most faithful, 1 have, uE-
officially but with the consent of the COM
handing general, announced that there Will
be established suitable trophy to he an
nually awarded the company which, main
tanning, at least, the minimum legal
strens IN, qualities the greater percen cage
of marx srnen, or better; SharpSnCol2rS TO
count as marksmen. This trophy, suitably
named, should be the one thing to lie de-
sired by every company in the brigade; il
ought 10 rank all uJne- trophies, and The
company holding 1t should be honored in
every possible and rational manner.
capt. James h. Bel, inspector of rifle
practice second regiment. suggests III his
annual report that a sergeant IN eacn com
pany ne detailed 10 act as an auxiliary to
the battalion inspector; to watch the COM
p2ny target records and stir up those W no.
IL left to themselves would neglect rifle
practice entirely The proposition is a good
enc. / recommend its adoption and would
ask that company commanders be req Tired
to designate suitable sergeant for The mn
porlant duty now 50 frequently left unaone.
Medals for Two.
In my report for last year / recommended
the procuring of gold medal to be award
ed for one year to the officer or enlisted
man distinguished marksmen excepted
who should make the highest aggregate at
the regularly ordered practice OF his COM
mand. The purchase of such decoration
was authorized by the commanding gen.
eral. Col. Cecil Clay, commanding second
regiment, is the first who will wear it, his
score being 3Jl. Col. Clay's continual Gevo-
ton to rine practice is fittngiy rewarded
TO SKILL further encourage those who par-
ticipete in the regularly ordered practice
ordnance Sergt. L. A. koglnski of me SEN
eral non-cornmissioned staff, has presented
q gold medal to be annually awarded The
enlisted man whose aggregate is greatest