New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-22
would not be long before the military bodies all over
the country would be uniformly armed"
TECHNICAL. OPINION

the country would be uniformly armed"
A TECHNICAL OPINION.
Colonel Alexis c. Smith, of the 23d Regiment. who
is Justly proud Of the good shooting records made by
the members Of his command. said that he thought
the National Guard should be supplied with a new
magazine rife in place of the in use. He
said:
The .O-cabre Remington rifle Is too large in bore.
Using the regulation cartridge of 70 grains of powder
Beyond go YARDS Under faSorabs Weather condi
lions fair degree Of accuracy can be obtained al
bullet Weighing SO grains fair degree Of accuracy
can be had up to and including 500 yards The re-
shooter is compelled to wear pads protect the face
and shoulder The cabre Of 30 Is so large that ,a the
In the bore (the effect being somewhat IKE that pro-
duced by shooting round bIlleU g Keep erns more more
accuracy Is obtained charge Of s. to 20 grains OF
be more accurate. but few If any could stand the
recoil.
Colonel Smith said that he would favor the intro
duction Of a rifle like the one now In use IN the
United States Army. under certain conditions lie
went on: II would favor such rife II accuracy
could be obtained AS yet this has not been proved.
Quite the contrary results have been obtained. In
adopting the Army rifle. II appears that rapid
flight OF the bullet, extreme long range and nat
trajectory gained at the expense OF accuracy.
A year or so ago few Of these new rifles were put
in the hands of expert citizen marksmen The
criticisms the inaccuracy of the arm were so
great that they were withdrawn. 1t Is also iact
that the report of rifle practice in the United states
Army for 1895 shows the qualifications were below
1884, due to the naccuracy Of the rifle with the pres-
ent ammunition"
Colonel Smith favors uniform arm for the Ma
tional Guard Of all the States This view Is shared
by many officers in other States, and it is believed
that when a rifle has been selected for the Ma
tional Guard Of NewYork 1t will not be long before
other States will adopt the same weapon.
TALK WITH GENERAL W1NGATE.
General George w. Wingate said:
The commission which has been appointed to
select the rifle consists of men of exceptional
f and % Tnsy are se arHe
Will command public confidence At present they
uf the s to be ' made h
only is this most inconvenent OF access, but there
APPLIANCES NECESSARY for making the requisite tests
and to erect them there would involve a large and
Government armores. where the electrical. and other
penetra lions and veocties My own Judgment is
has Guard With s hes s the that
used by the Army. While the Navy has made Itself
ibre and bullet from those Of the Army rife do
not think there Is any probability that the comms
that all troops Of the United States should use the
same cartridge is too self-evident to be contro-
The existing difference between the Remington 30;
calibTe used by the Network National Guard ard ,
acts Of the latter. not of the State
When the commission OF National Guard officers
OF which the late General John Il. Woodward
a member. selected this gum they reported that
they considered the 45-calibre be superior the
officials that the Army did not intend to make any
change they considered the military advantages OF
having the same calibre so great that they recon-
mended the adoption OF the 80 Yet ii is character
stic OF Government methods that within a very
brief period the Government itself adopted the As
ADVANTAGE OF IDENTITY OF WEAPONS.
Even II it be assumed that the cartridge be the
same. 1t is not wise. in my judgment. TO arm the
National Guard with a different gun from that
which is used in the Army The great value OF the
National Guard is that 1t is military school. from
which are to be drawn the officer. and commits
stoned officers who Will command the volunteer
In the time OF war 1t is. therefore. imperative that
these men should be trained to use the same rife
which % be be to e o hsy w hayr to
their troops In shooting on which military efficiency
rests There greatforce in the answer to this objec
ton that the present Army rifle has such wretched
sights that the most skilled marksman canno. be
certain Of hitting anything with It, cannot but
regard this as great military blunder Of the ord
nance authorities.
Their theory. as understand it, is that because
not be likely accurately to adjust fine sight. and
taught to do. in time Of peace. what he would not
do In war. therefore it is the proper thing TO give
p p% for hm 70 hm SO as o
ject he aims at Therefore, while the Army rifle
seven inches in diameter the solder using it has 10
aim four to five feet away from the mark he de
has has to be twenty to thirty feet away ''''' 90"
II the Army gun had decent sights 1t. even II
mission. its merits would not Be Sufficiently srea,
to justify It's being adopted instead OF the gun used
Government Issues to the Army gun which can
not be shot .t accurately, even by distinguished
State troops gun with which they would be able
to hit something.