The evening times., 1895-12-10
kEtli. RIDERS PROTEST
Military Cyclists Dissatisfied
with Reports Of Their Ride.
BEAT THE SCHEDULED TIME
Clipped Off an Hour and Twelve MIN
utcs Instead of Only Twelve Min
utcs, as Stated by Local Daily
Distance Was Greater Than Was
Originally SEIZED uled.

There have been SO many falsesrepcrts
rrini.,d about the relay ride which was re-
Gently made from this city to New York by
members of the Washington Military Cy-
clists that the Military Cyclist boys have
. entered protest. A local paper came out
last Saturday with n report that no, only
| served to beiit,lc the capabilities OF the
men who made the trip, but which was
| jumble OF mistakes from beginning to end.
In an interview with Lieut.. F. L. LIB
| hey OF the Military Cycle Company of the
Northumberland of the District OF Columbia
he stated that the correct facts as to the
time made in tie run are as follows The
actual riding time was twcnty-one hours
fort Weight minutes, thus covering The entire
| distance of 260 miles none hour and twelve
minutes less than tue time officially sched-
! nlcd for the rice. When this schedule was
made the distance was tboughtto be IiS z
miles. but when Lieut.. Libbey and Private
Pitkin went over the road their cyclometers
showed that they had covered 26O miles i'll
place of 249 1-2. ...-t-
The first relay left this city at Z O'Clock
in the morning, and according to Lieut..
Lihl,cy's private schedule, which has been
carefully examined by The Times, the mes
next morning, thus allowing twenty three
hours for the ride. -- Us the lieutenant and
Private Pitkiu reached the end OF the last
rcla a I 4:4S the next morning. il can easily
pe seen that they beat the scheduled time
by one hour and twelve minutes.
COVERED MORE GROUND.
When II is taken into consideration that
the men went eleven and half miles
further than was calculated when the sched-
ule was made, ii can be seen that the riders
covered themselves with glory. The very
bad roads which they encountered also de-
lared them greatly. as i'll several instances
the men had aiot oniSstO get down and walk,
but were compelled to carry their wheels.
The statement that they only beat the
scheduled time by twelve minutes. and that
a number OF local riders could have covered
thedistance inmuch less time, riding straight
through. than the military cyclists did with
reiays can be seen to be founded ON fiction
alone.
Apropns OF this ride, the following clipped
from an exchange is directly in point
The statement that the bicycle, us ap-
pied to military purposes, is not "a sue
cess does not appear to be borne out by
recent events In Europe attention is con-
staItly gwen 10 the application of the BIZ
cycle TO the pIrp,Iscs OF wIr. The French
are active IN this ,i;'tici and have a"i.iDn
str.ited that the bicycle is a valuable
agency FOR army Use. Very many United
Statesarmy Officers are favurably Impressed
with the possibilities Of the bicycle. Gen.
Mics, liz his last report said:
CLIPPING FROM MILES REPORT.
- "A force equal t., one full regiment of
twelve companies be equipped with bicycles
and motor wagons, and their utility thor
oughly demonstrated by actual service ~
Gen. Miles says there is Il large number
of officers and men in the army able tn use
the bicycle, 50 that Il sufficient number ur
the most skilled wnuid br selected. That
he advises a distinct organ:Z1tinn is clear
from his asking authority tp make the nrccs-
sary transfers.
The iirst ANIMAL convention Of military
wheelmen, held in New York in November.
expressed its opinion that the government
should, rs soon as possible. establish a
fun bicycle regiment The speeches
made at that convention referred Ia what
the European armies had been doing with
bicycles for carrying dispatches, ana their
use in transferring infantrym.n. Lord
Wolsclcy predicted that the day is coming
when large bodies of cyclists will become
Integral parts of every army in the field
A VALUABLE ADDITION.
The army is not more concerned in tiiis
matter than are the State troops. AT the
convention spoken of it was observed that
the League OF American Wheelmcn had 30,
600 members, 80 thai the training Of even
a fair proportion OF iLem TO miItury duty
would form a valuable auxiliary for The
National Guard. 1t is absurd To suppose
that the wheel can take tie place oI Ilc
horse entirely, ana lli;.t cycle corps cOuid
C'sIGtc cavalry. TIE bicycle is a means
of transportation" is Gen. Niles exrTes-
sive phrase, and covers everything prac-
teal. The wheel costs less than the hCIse,
and nothing Tor Maintenance. Sometimes
II needs repairs, as the horse must lie dec
tored. The wheel may be kBoo kcd 10 pieces
by n shot, but so may the horse.
in Connecticut the Signal Corps OF the
National Guard has for five years used bi-
cycles. and rifles or carbines were at first
carried on the backs and aiterward on clips
on the machine, but now are disca rIcd for
revoivcrs. The army experiments in dis
tance riding are well known.
The convention OF military wheclnlen was
of the opinion that rifles should be carried
by cyclists for use when dismounted. The
weight of the military bicycle should be be-
tween 25 and % pounds, including baggage
case and tool bag.