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

will be all possible encouragement for those
who desire voluntary practice, so there
does not seem to be any good excuse for
complete failure to finish up scores. Some
few of the officers and men might find it
practically Impossible to proceed to the
range on the days assigned to the COM
mands to which they belong. but none of
them are likely to be situated as to
render attendance impossible some one
afternoon between June l and October 30.
Ofnclal practice on designated day is pre-
ferable to struggling voluntary effort be-
cause 1t is desirable that officers and men
should in this matter be associated as
closely as possible. but when that cannot
be 1t should be the duty of officers to make
use of the voluntary privilege until every
space on the company target record mas
been filled up.
Radical yet rational amendment of
paragraph TO- General Orders No. "a. series
of 1859, will do much to give the brigade
a better relative position than it now oc-
cupieS in the statistics of the National
Guard The paragraph in question treats
or the annual company report and says
thereof: This report will = contain
the name of every man. that has been
borne on the rolls of the company during
the year This works injustice to many
companies, for the frequent changes that
take place in the membership of every or
ganization compel the carrying Of the
names of men who We're discharged before
the target season opened, or were enlisted
after the season came to an end The re-
suit Is figure of merit which does not
represent the real condition of the company
during the target season An equitable
provision would limit the season to ona
month and would require the target report
to bear only the names of those officers
and enlisted men vino are On the rolls dur
ing that period. Better still would be the
requirement Of two annual reports one as
at present provided for. and the other
shaped in accordance with my recommen-
oatlon; the average efficiency of each COM
mand all the year round and its specific
efficiency during the target season would
then alike be evident.
Ammunition Should BE Gratis.
Ever since the organization of the
brigade it has. unfortunately, been neces-
sary for the department Of rifle practice
to depend for essential funds upon ammu-
milton sold to those engaged in voluntary
practice. The custom is not wholly desery-
ing of commcndation. for it is nothing
more or less tian tax upon those who, of
all others, should be encouraged l am
convinced That the time has arrived when
the financial barrier which has effectually
stayed tie progress of many promising
rifemen should be removed, and l there
fGre recommend that ammunition-n such
quantities as l may deem sufficient-be
placed to the credit of the respective COM
mands and issued by designated officer
On orders signed by the inspectors of rife
practice Railroad fare to and from the
range amounts, In the course of a season
TO considerable sum in many instances
and when there is added to that the cost
OF ammunition the result is a greater ex-
penditure than should be required of or i'm
posed upon those industrious members of
the National Guard who endeavor to per-
1ect themselves in one of the most i'm
portant of soldierly duties So far as the
financial conditions will permit there
should he similar Nber ality as to ammuni-
ton for voluntary practice in the gallery
One of the weak places easily to he
amended and strengthened is the aiming,
sighting and position drill, rarely INDUCED
IN by any company and untaught to the
majority Of recruits. although that train
1rg Is provided for in general orders. Com
pany commanders should be required 20
impart this necessary instruction. and
should not be permitted to recommend for
promotion any enlisted man who is not
thoroughly qualified to instruct in this es-
sential preliminary to skill as a marksman.
To the end that there might be more
knowledge and more interest in the alpha
bet of efficiency, an officers school was
established at Fort Washington during the
brigade encampment in June last, and
when the officers of the line (and many
volunteers from the staff had become fit
ted under the tutelage of the officers Of the
department of rifle practice to act as in
structors. the work was carried through to
the ranks with excellent results. Only in
few instances, though, has there since been
any serious effort to continue the drill,
many of the company commanders err
Ioneously imagining that 1t Is the duty of
sc me one else-generally the battalion in
spector of rifle practice-to train recruits
In the v ay in which they should go.
The most important work of the season
was the locating and constructing of the
rifle range. Sea rch for a suitable site was
in progress throughout the autumn and
winter Of 1894. but it was not until the
sIring Of 1895 that it was decided to lease
q tract of land-about seventy-five acres in
extent-ln the vicinity of Magruder station
on the Pennsylvania railroad and less than
eight miles from the city. AS soon pos
sbie after the appropriation for the cur
rent fiscal year became available, the task
of doing great deal with very little monsy
was proceeded with vigorously. Pits were
dug glacis built and the range equipped
with twenty sliding targets; five each at
100. 800. 800 and GOO yards. A frame build
ing. sufficient in size to provide the neces-
sary office accommodations and store
room. was erected. Telephones connected
the office and the pits. A we'll was sunk
The range-namcd Ordway. in honor OF
use August ), in ample season to permit
the practice needed by the brigade and
regimental teams that went to the Sea
Girt meeting, which opened September l.
Official class practice took place in Oc-
tober. from the Is TO the 18th inclusive;
it's most unsatisfactory feature was the
small attendance, due, mainly, to lack OF
interest on the part of many field and
company officers. The lamentable fact that
our officers and men are not paid by the
government when they are ordered out for
duty constitutes serious obstacle A cash