The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-12-13
THE NAVAL BATTALION.
VJRGJyIA HAS TIE NEcfSsARYLA "
BUT NO ORGANIZATION
so,u.thiu Abou,the Cslifornia Battalion.
Tn. Nav Magazine Kihs-Csmmis-
sions Issued by he Governor.

The Adutant-General has just received
a copv Of the biennial report Of Adjutant-
General G. c. Allen, of California, which
contains some statements Of general in
terest even to residents oil other states.
In regard to the existing haNai od''aiioH'
Tor instance, the report say
we have a battalion of four companies
OF naval militia-Company a, San Diego,
and COMPANIES Il. c and ID, san Fran
cisco. Lieutenant Frederick H. Stable.
San Francisco. IS In command OF the bat
talon, and brings 10 the uuue9 OF the
office an experience had IN the naval
service During the summer Oh 4o5- lhe
companies In San Francisco joined IN
cruise to Santa Cruz on bOaTd lhe
Charleston. furnished the pdl.allou py
direction Of the Secretary OF the Navy
and every facility was granted ny me
commander OF the snip t'' "'th sup
and gun drills. The result has been shown
in the increased interest manifested by
tho entire command AS this force Is
orqanized and maintained by the State
without expense TO the nauohaI Govern
meot. we have a right TO demand ana 10
receive better and more frequent oppor-
,u,ities for sea service and gun drills,
which should be furnished by the United
States AS the service Tor Whlch TINS
battalian is being maintained VIII be al
most entirely for the beneht OF me navy
in manning the new cruisers the puIueh
Of the expenses should be borne by the
covornrnant The battalion is uniformed
nv the State. but arms and some equip
monts are furnished by the Navy De-
partment'
During the last session Of the General
Assembly Of Virginia law was enacted
through tho efforts OF Mr. William y
Fentress member Of the House of Dele
gates. entitled AN act TO establish
battalion Of naval militia, 10 be known
as the Naval Battalion OF virginia vol
untecrs" Under this act the battalion
was 10 Doe formed as soon as TWO com
panies were completely organized, ana
il was not 10 consist Of more than four
co npanics.
Since then preliminary steps have been
taken repeatedly 70 create such a naval
battalion. but no satisfactory response
has been made by citizens living in sea-
bordering cities and towns. II seems that
for some reason the plan is not very
fayorably looked upon, and all further
efforts i'm that direction have been re-
inqushed. A least for the time being.
The NFw MAGAZINE RIFLE.
The report Of the Acknowledgement OF
California also contains reference to the
Ktag-JOrgenson magazine rifle. which dur
ing the past year has been adopted by
the United States authorities AS "A fire.
arm for the army. I'm regard to this rife
tho report has the following interesting
statement.
The magazine board organized by the
Secretary Of War 10 decide upon the best
rifle Of reduced calibre has. after a long
series OF experiments, decided TO rec
Ommeud the KraE-j orsenscn. Fourteen
different guns were presented 10 this
board and each was subjected 10 tho
standard tests and stood upon SIS own
merits. without regard 10 the Kras-Jor-
genscn. and without being compared with
IT, The Springfield arsenal IS now en-
gagged In the manufacture OF this modern
rifle. and undoubtedly all arms Of cali
bre A. will be called I'm by the Government.
10 be replaced by the new rifle.
AS to the new and improved rifle. /
am unable to speak without assuming
to question the efficiency az r9pid-Griug
magazine rifles. | have serious doubts
OF their utility for purposes of the guard.
We fire too rapidly now; much ammunl-
ton Is unnecessarily wasted owing TO The
tendency 10 ire as many shots as posi-
bile in the shortest time. With the maya
zine rifle. where FIVE. cartridges are in
serted, practically one time and two mo-
tons the evil will be greater. Aston
ishing results. however, are reported with
this improved arm. At two hundred
yards the nickle-plated bullet was sent
through forty-fve inches Of poplar plank,
and again through thirty inches Of oak;
at six hundred yards twenty-five inches
was penetrated; at one thousand yards
eighteen inches. and at two thousand
vards-say. a mile and oue-hfth--it pierced
the shoulders of a horse with force that
would have sent IT completely through
three men. Even AT twenty eight hum
dred yards-uearly mile and three
duarters-it penetrated four inches into
oak pianking, and at thiry-two hundred
yards its retained force was still suiii-
cicnt to have gone through human
body
4 sample Of the (rag-JorEeusen rifle
has been sent 10 the Adjutant-Gcucral Of
the state some months ago. but no op-
portunity has as yet presented Itself To
subject the new arm to satisfactory
test I'm Virginia.