Evening star., 1896-10-03
THENATIONAL.. GUARD
Attendance Of the Various Commands.
at the.Rifls Range.s'.. ,4
RESUMPTION Ur GalLERY PRACTICE
Use Of the DsiII HRH Still. an Open
Question.
S E A GIRT EC-H s.

S EA GIRT EC-H OEs!
The storm Tuesday evening last played
haYoc on the rifle range at Ordway. In
his report covering the matter, Capt.
Th0mas-> s. King. superintendent of g the
range, says: There was not even one
paper target left on the frames Weones-
day morning The vane of the windclock
was blown Off and the iron rods twisted
out Of shape. The telephone wires were
broken in several places, and the tent flies
we're blown down. I employed extra men
in an endeavor to get things into proper
shape, and thereby managed to place the
2O0-yard target IN condition by the time
the troops scheduled to shoet Wednesday
arrived. Telephonic- Communication was
also restored between the Office and the
3O0-yard pit" go.
10 Owing to the storm Tuesday, the I'd Bat
talitn n was unable to complete its practice
at the range. Some progress was made at
200 yards, but the work was then dtscon-
tinued.9 The officers and men expressed
themselves as anxious to have another try
and VIII go out again Thursday of next
week.
The attendance of the commands that
visited the range during the week was
rather light, and this Is explained by the
inability Of many officers and men to leave
their business pursuits for the purpose of
completing their scores. The appearance
and conduct OF the men who did practice.
however. has not been above criticism. In
company OF the 1st Battalion quite a
number of the men, and at least one off,
Ger, passed the time at the depot, before
boarding the train,- in smoking: this too,
while they were under arms and in ranks.
q of r{H ,h,
was present at the time, was overheard
to remark to the officer In command Of the
company referred to that such conduct
was, to say the least, surprising. 1t is not
unlikely that the matter will be called to
the attention of the adjutant general.
RihcS I'm Poor Condition,
A report has also been forwarded by
Capt. King, superintendent Of the range
to the effect that the greater proportion
Of the rifles used by the 1st Battalion were
so effected by rust that it was only with
difficulty that the cartridges could be ia
troduced into the chambers. In one in
stance an ejector was broken in effort
to remove a shell that had been forced
into the chamber. Good shooting with
such arms was, of COURSE out Of the Ques-
ton.
The I'd Battalion was reported as by no
means perfect. Company A had nine men
present. under command Of a non-commis-
did not receive its. equipment until the
eveni.-g preceding. showed up with twenty
men, un Ter command of Capt Domer.
Four members of Company B constituted
the representation from that organization.
The Sd Battalion was reported at the
depot with about so per cent of Its quail
fled membership in hne,i but the command
was about twenty-five minutes late in put
ting In an appearance. The 4th Battalion
was about thirty strong. Maj. Campbell
and his entire staff, however. were pres
ent. The schedule for the practice of the
remainder of the troops is as follows: 1st
Battalion. Monday; 1st and I'd Separate
Companies Tuesday: Engineer Corps, We'd
| nesday: I'd Battalion, Thursday; general
| staff, general non-commissioned staff and
| the field and staff and non-commissioned
staff Of regiments and battalion inspectors
of rifle practice Friday. ,1' .--.. ...
Practice In the Gallery.
The regular ordered practice in the gal
lery will be resumed December l. In this
| connection 1t may be stated that the series
of monthly matches between company bat
| TALON and legimental teams. which proved
SO interesting and successful last season.
| will be repeated, beginning with December.
| The conditions governing the matches, it
| Is presumed, will remain to all intents and
purposes the same as heretofore. =--.t
| Post-Season Practice at Ordway.
After the close of the official practice
| 1t is probable that the Ordway range will
| be open for several days in order that
| those men who were unable to fire their
scores CT the dates scheduled for the Or
| ganizatlons of which they are members
| may have another opportunity to qualify
| Definite arrangements to that end, how.
| ever, have not yet been completed.
| Matches of the Rifle Annexation.
| A. decidedly healthy interest is being
1 @ol,1
near future at Ordway under the auspices
| Of the National Rifle Association. The
| business en- Of the city are responding
very literally to the requests that are be-
| ing made and many valuable contributions
| as prizes in the merchants match have
| already been received. The good work ir
| the cenvassing line is to be continued with
| out cessation, and 1t Is expected that the
coming meet will be on a larger scale
and the mcst successful ever held In the
| District.
1.-THE report of the formation of a Ma
tional Rife Association in Washington D.
c., in the near future" says Shooting and
Fishing, will be gratifying news to all
rifiemen Of the country
Pennsylvnnia Experts at Work.
It will be interesting to District rifemen
to know that in the third match OF the
series Of six for the Mears-Wiseman trophy
| being shot at Philadelphia, and open to
teams of the 1st Regiment. Pennsylvania
| National Guard, Private T. F. Shonert
scored 96 and Private H. j. Mehard, few
| days ago. scored 80 out of a possible 1O5.
| Both these men are we'll known here, hav-
ing been members of Pennsylvania team
in the Hilton trophy match at Sea Glrt for
| several years past. In the Hilton match
in 1896. when Pennsylvania won the trophy,
| Shonert scored 96.
Opening Of the Drill Hall.
For the present at least the troops OF
the District National Guard will have the
use Of Convention Hall for drill purposes
but how long the arrangement will con-
tinue is not known. About the middle OF
next month preparations for the opening
Of the Ice palace, so 1t Is understood, will
be begun, and, as many company com.
manders have declared that they will not
compel their men to maneuver on the thin
flooring above the ice for fear of. serious
injury to their health, the matter is fast
approaching q decidedly interesting state.
The hall will be opened for the first time
since spring, this evening. Until further
notice the following assignments for the
use of the drill hall will be followed:
I'd Battalion. second and fourth Mondays
Of each month.
Sd Battalion, second and fourth Saturdays