Evening star., 1896-07-04
THE NATIONAL GUARD
What is Said About the Armory
Rent Appropriation.
COMMENTS MADE BY SOME OFFICERS
What is Said About the Personnel
of the Rifle Team.
OF IN TIER ES T


Duct of other officers in doing business
direct with the District Commissioners
without first consulting the commanding
general They claim that the proceeding III
question is not only foreign to all military
methods but is also extremely unfair for'
as they allege. soon as the new armory
building was completed the commanding
general notified the 1st Battalion that
quarters would be assigned the battalion in
the new building
The officers of the battalion mentioned
decided that they did not care TO leave
their building and were thereupon INFORM
ell that no rental could be allowed them,
iTasnuch as Congress had made an ap-
propriation for the rent OF an armory
build.r. Similar understanding. it is said
WIS had with the officers of the National
Rifles but. it is charged, certain officers OF
th+. fwo commands broke faith by appear
ing before the Commissioners and asking
for percentase OF the armory appropria-
ton.
rot of those two commands that the ar
rnory of the Washington Light Infantry
corps is very frequently rented for other
than military purposes-fairs, cycle SHOWS,
fCcd exhibits, balls. and, latest OF all, mas
80, leased 70 the management of the
Christian E,ndeavor convention for the en-
tire month OF July, thus rendering impossi-
1t is g5ssiped around that as soon as
The comruandjng general is furnished with
a decision by the District Commissioners
Is TO what they propose 10 do in the mat
ter of the National Guard appropriation
the officers referred 10 VIII be called upon
To explain their conduct.
Camp Way he Postponed.
The District Commissioners are respon-
sibie for the delay to camp. More than
month ago, long before the appropriation
LiI N into effect, the commanding gen.
erai as a preparatory measure, asked the
Commissioners for decision as 20 how
they proposed to expend the fund for the
National Guard. which. in violation of the
militia law of the District. was placed in
their hands. The statute provides that the
exge.Idi-ure shall be by the quaItermaster
general. and that provision is not respected
by che practically useless rider that was
placei upon the District appropriation bill.
No reply has as Yet been received, so it is
not at ali surprising that the plans for
camp have been delayed.
II is among the probabilities that the
oil.Iaissi0ners will reach some sort OF a
confusion during the early part of next
w=-k. Ia View of the Shortness of the
tine. howeysr due to the delay al the Dis
tTi.t .J:i ing. i; Is quite probable tnat the
s-,sJin-m will b= pos pOIed until next
June. l. = Uns'erS ood that tre command
iuy general docs not desire 10 postpone the
camp. nIt r-tl,Zes that a large proportion
Of tie fiji ers and enlisted men have COM
II led arrangements for their annual
leave. sr aE2s-r..en s when, in fairness 10
them. could not be overturned at this
even n hour.
The chances at present are that there
wi!, be no camp until 1877
iIxcnce of Old ReIinbIcs.
Within ii few days an official circular
will b. isSIe1 from headquarters announc-
ing ths program arranged for the selection
ami practice of the rifle team that will
represent the brigade in the annual
Uateh-s at Sea Girt next September. The
deals in regard to the team have hereto
fore been published in The Star, but it may
be interesting to note that the team of
1876 will undoubtedly consist of less known
material than those of former years, and
If il should be that the twelve men finally
selected 20 do battle on the Jersey range
turn out strong in craftsmanship as
the team OF 1sg:,. not a few persons will
b. somewhat surprised. Unless the new
men show up remarkably well, the coming
team Will be weakened by the absence of
several old rellabies. Corporal Maurice
Appl, by has charged his place of residence
from Washington 10 New jersey, and there
folks who do say that Gen.
Spencer is too good soldier and team cap
tain not to take advantage of the opportu-
nifty 10 corral the former engineer corporal
in o the inClOSure of the Jersey team. Pri-
ya:e Wethecald is no longer a Guardsman,
and that fact, of course. excludes him
from consideration in speaking of the per-
s5nnsl Of the team. Sergt. James Stewart,
who has been a member of the Districts
brigade team since its inception, is at pres
ent at Concord, Conn. and the chances are
that he will be breathing Connecticut air
during the period of shooting at Sea Girt
Corporal r. p Carleton, who recently re-
ceivei his degree as master of laws, is
pected TO soon leave for Florida, there to
engage in practical politics
Promising Material in Plenty.
In all events, it may be stated practically
a certainty that not more than eight of
the men who shot the team of 1895 will
be among those to defend the Hilton tro-
ply at the coming competition. But on the
other hand there is lots of promising ma
terial available. and some of it is not with
out experience Particular attention is to
be paid to the new men. and If they can be
worked into shape during the next two
months. strong hope exists of the team
reaching the standard established last fall.
outside the membership, the team of
1896 will far surpass those of days gone by
in the way of equipment, for the men
to be provided with every known mech
anism that has proved an aid to marks
manship.
The range at Ordway is now undergoing
O thorough clea ming. The grass is being
moved and a large force of men are work.
Ing steadily fixing things in tip-top shape.
As to Free Ammunition.
The idea that seems to have found stand
men to the effect that the department of
rifle practice is organized for the purpose
OF throwing ammunition all over the coun-
try is slight mistake. Free ammunition
Is limited TO twenty rounds day per man,
ana VIII De issued to no one who has not
completed the required gallery practice.
Those men who could not find time to COM
pete their scores during the six months
set aside for that purpose, have no cl inns
at the present time for the issuance of
ammunition And again, the ammunition
VIII be issued only to Guardsmen who are
likely to develop and show Improvement.
H. after two or three Issues, any officer or
man failed TO display signs of progress,
cut off,
battalion inspectors of rifle practice will
De supplied with check books and on their
Recommendation ammunition will be issued
at the range, II 1t is clear that the man
presenting the check has completed his
gallery practice: the question will be easily
determined by reference to a list of those
who have finished the indoor work, which
viii be handy at the range office
The work of loading shells at the armory