The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-09-04
THE PRIZE DRILL.
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Nothing but the very hardest kind
of hard work, really approaching. the
severity of training for "A great attn
Eletic confession which strength and en-
durance would be required, won the
drill prize for Company c. Its one adj
vantage was the tutilage and leader
ship of Capt. j. NJ. Camara, Jr. He has
been soldier and an officer from the
earliest days of the old Honolulu
Rifles. In addition to a knack for com
handing he has the deepest familiar
ity with the tactics and the experience
and confidence accumulated by years
of study, practice and active duty. He
had much to do besides instructing in
the manual, school of the soldier, com
pany movements and open order work.
Many of his men are not at all apt
with the English language. All of
them earn their bread by the sweat
of the brow. Their homes are scat
tered from Manoa to Kalihi and they
have walked from and to those distant
localities for drill practice. Capt. Ca
mara adopted "a system of education
for the effort which resulted in his fine
victory. First he gave lessons in the
school of the soldier and manual.
Then he had his non-coms., trained by
himself, instruct squads. Then he
took the company as a whole and with
remarkable patience, perseverance and
diligence labored with it night after
night for months. He was thorough
an persistent and had the sympathy
and cooperation of the men to the
point of enthusiasm. Capt. Camara
and his lieutenants, non-coms. and
men in the ranks are entitled to the
highest praise. They are a credit to
the country and the pride of the First
Regiment, n. G. H.
, \ few words of commentator and
compliment are due Capt Paul Smith
and John NJ. Kea and their assistants
and commands. Company \, Capt.
Smith, has half of its drill detail en-
ployed on the Government dredger.
For many weeks this machine has
been operated day and night and full
practice drills were not possible more
than one evening in seven. In the face
of this disadvantage "A most excellent
showing was made. g. Company is "A
comparatively new organization. Just
= when practice began the first lieuten-
, ant Chas. Wilcox. was taken i'll, is
, still on the sick list and was substi-
tuted but quite recently. Capt. Kea
was the youngest in term of service
, and experience of any commander on
the field. Despite the handicap, some
of the work of G was not equalled by
, its rivals. The perfect precision of
their performance IN handling the rifle
excited the admiration of all. Capt. c.
j. McCarthy's command, ID Company,
did not consider itself competitor
for the prize, but merely put in an APP
pearance to show President Dole and
Col. Mclean that they have been maxi
ing AN effort in the direction of ac-
, quiring proficiency. The present COM
+ mander has been in charge but a few
, months and during that period has
, worked hard with the men.
1t is a happy thing that very little
has been heard of nationality, so far
although nothing on Punchbowl is too
good for member of c now. The
defeated men duly and honestly con
graduated their victors and there is
8 no feeling whatever. The service has
| been greatly benefited by the con-
test and the general public has been
5 interested.