Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-13

prize of attractive yet reasonable dimen-
sions offered to the company reporting the
largest percentage of membership on the
range on its day for official practice might
have animating effect.
Long Stride in Advance
with the opening of the range season of
1896 the District National Guard will prob
ably take long stride in advance as to tar
gets. Soldiers in the field will never be called
upon to fire at any living thing that could,
even by fevered imagination, be brought
to resemble the regulation target. Com
paratvely few National Guardsmen have
any idea cs to how a uniformed man would
appear at varying distances. The COM
manding general has authorized ex-
pertinent with Paper target on which is
Autographed In proper colors the standing
and ltfe-size figure of a soldier. The same
size target Will be used at all ranges. The
figure will be suitably subdivided so that
hits may be accorded proper valuation. 1t
is expected that the figure target will
supersede what is now the regulation
target. AS soon as financial conditions
will permit. it is my purpose to recon-
mend the equipment of the range with
moving targets for company, squad and
Individual practice. Company volley fir
ing shoad ne added to the requirements of
range work
Especially excellent and encoura cling
were the results achieved by our teams in
the competitions at Sea Grit The brigade
team won the Hilton trophy for the third
time. and did it with score of 1907, thus
breaking the worlds record, which until
then was hold by the famous world
leatng' team of Massachusetts, with a
score of 1896. made at Creedmoor in
1857
The report then shows. by figures, the
gradual betterment of the brigade team
since the first Hilton trophy match at Sea
Girt, as well as the progress of the regl-
mental teams, by comparison of the win
ming scores in the regfmental match. The
in 1894 and 1895 are named, after which tie
report continues:
Supreme HOnrrs of the Season.
'The supreme honors of the seasons of
1894 and 1895 belong. however, not to the
teams, but to Company p. 9th Battalion
Capt. j. S. Tomlnson. In 1894 this COM
psny reported q sharpshooters and %
Harksmen out of q total membership Of
10: in 1895 the report showed II sharp
shooters and 30 marksmen out of total
membership of Al. In accordance with the
authorization of the commanding general
there will be procured and placed in the
keeping of Capt. Tomlinson the trophy
which was promised the company which.
maintaining the minimum legal strength
qualified the greater percentage of marks
men or better; sharpshooters to count as
marksmen. Too much credit cannot be given
Capt Tomlinson and his command for their
achievements on the range.
Il desire to here give formal expression
| of gratitude to the inspectors of rifle prac-
tice generally. and specifically to Capt
James E. Bell. l. r. P, I'd Regiment and
First Lieut. Thomas S. King, 1. r. p, I'd
Battalion. who. because of the serious ILL
ness of Capt. William l.. Cash. 1. r. p, 1st
Regiment. has been acting inspector of rifle
practice of the LIST; to Mr.. Colin Studs,
southeastern passenger agent of the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company. for courtesies
| extended the guard and for his active in
terest in matters pertaining to rifle prac-
tn hn NIT
pany for it's gift of railroad tic without
which the range could hardly nave been
constructed during the past season. and to
the governo' and officers of the state of
New Jersey and the officers of the New Jer-
sey National Guard for their efforts to
| make things extremely pleasant for the de-
tachment of the District National Guard
which visited Sea Girt in September