The record-union., 1896-08-17
SHAKING UP THE MILITARY.
Major General James and the National
GuardSmen.
Proposed Inquiry Into the Quality
of Ammunition Used and
Its Cost.

The San Francisco Chronicle" OF
yesterday says that Major-General
James has made his first move In re-
forming the National Guard. The mat
ter of rifle practice is the subject
touched upon by James, and 1t IS eA-
pected he will open up a large field OF
inquiry, with the possibility of scan
dal being unearthed. James would not
taIk-about the order or what his future
plans will be, but the matter has been
thoroughly discussed by the guards
men for a long time. The orders are as
follows:
Regimental Inspectors of Rifle Prac-
tice. and those officers under whose
personal direction and inspection the
annual preliminary rifle practice OF TINS
year has been held Qncluding Naval
Battalion, cavalry troops and Signal
Corps will, as soon after the receipt OF
this order as is practicable, make out
Qn duplicate) and submit to these head
quarters the report Of such practice
under the following headings; (A
The kind of ammunition used, its quail
isy and cost. (B) A summary OF the
number of men in each organization
who are entitled to shoot and the num-
Der actually present. Co A summary
Of the number of men who qualified for
So, so and 80 per cent.
These reports will be accompanied by
such suggestions as would, in the opin-
ion of the officers making the reports.
benefit and encourage rifle practice in
the National Guard. Brigade Inspect
ion of the officers making the reports,
and indorse thereon such remarks and
suggestions as would, in their opinion
benefit the practice, and forward the
reports to headquarters with as little
delay as possible. 1t is desired by the
division commander that the above re-
ports shall be full and exhaustive and
shall contain such recommendations as
may be considered necessary to en-
courage the rifle practice Of the guard
which is Of the most vital importance
Adds the Chronicle: The National
Guardsmen use several thousand dol
lars worth of ammunition every year
The State allows 81, 900 a year for the
expenses of the semi shoots
There has been a. lurking scandal in the
guard for long time about the cart
ridges furnished by the State. 1t is
said they are unfit for USE
The headings "B" and &C" in General
James orders are said to indicate an
investigation into the matter of semi
annual shoots. Under the present rule
the annual shoots are held on week
days. The men say this prevents fully
two-thirds of them competing, as they
cannot leave their work.
It is also evident that General James
intends to study the effect of the rule
H. Joo aay~
cent. at each of the two shoots to quail
ify as a marksman. The old rule was to
add the two scores made, and If they
amounted to 60 per cent. a copper bar
was given to the marksman. In case a
man made IA or SS per cent in the first
shoot and 46 or more in the second he
was given an average of 30 per cent,
and made the proud wearer of a gold
bar. Now the man with A points in the
first shoot would be barred out OF the
championship shoot.
The following order has been issued
by General James:
The following appointments on the
staff of the Major-General are hereby
announced: Edward Olney, to be Ser
geant- Major, to date from July %,
1896; Lionel L. Schmidt, to be Ser
geant- Major, to date from July %,
1896; Henry L. Detrick, private Com
pany K, First Infantry, to be Sergeant
Major, to date from August 1, 1896;
Robert L. Legge, to be Sergeant Major,
to date from August Z, 1896.
Olney and Detrick are graduates from
the University of California, and are
popular young men. Schmidt was a
member of old Battery B, and after
ward First Lieutenant of Company K,
First Infantry Regiment. He is now a
member of the Cadet Corps of the Uni
versity. Legge is a pharmacist, and
was formerly hospital steward under
Colonel Gallwey when the latter was
surgeon of the First Infantry