The sun., 1897-04-28
THE MILITARY SHOW NOTABLE.
Many Army Omcera Never saw No Many ReGu-
lars at Once-No End or militia.

Many Army Omcera Never Saw No Many neGu-
lars mt Once-No End OF militia.
One OF the most interesting features OF yester
days parade WAS tho opportunity which II af-
forded to the spectators, and to military men in
particular, to compare our regular army organi-
cations and men with the National Guardsmen,
and also to compare tho National Guards
men with one another. Chances to see
SO many regulars together come SO sell
dom that there arc many officers who
have been In service In the United States
army for score more of years who have
never seen even a thousand men under ems at
one time. Those who have sought TO watch the
working OF changes in the drill regulations have
been obliged to visit our State Camp at Peeks-
kill or the camps of New Jersey, Connecticut.
Massachusetts, or Pennsylvania, where the
annual gatherings include bodies varying from
single big regiment like the Seventh to a
brigade.
1t was also of particular interest to the
whole Of our own National Guard brought to-
gether at one time and to make comparison be-
tween tho apparent efficiency of the different
organizations relates TO each other and also
relates to their condition of a few years ago.
Tho results of these observations will probably
not be altogether gratifying either to our people
as whole or to those Of this State. New York
there one thing that was made too clear for
dispute it Is that the Seventh Regiment has no
equal in the National Guard and that the First
Brigade OF this city. commanded by Gen. Louis
Fitzgerald. holds the first place among National
Guard brigadcs clearly by right as does the
Seventh among regiments.
Probably the most surprising thing that was
developed was that, taking the military exhibi-
tiJn OF each State rs whole. our sister State,
New Jersey, carried or the palm for excellence.
mn hp hpt tRr n IN
the regular army than those which were in tho
march yesterday. Thesc We're the Ninth and
ranks are good soldiers may be true. bur II they
judged by the standard OF National Guards
averngo OF the National Guard regiments in
physical and mental qualities, and their work
in the line was not remarkable.
The United States artillcrymen ranked better.
hut marching as infantry, as most OF them were,
teres %Sch no marched With ther guns made
good show and It would have been difficult to
distinguish one of these batteries from one OF
those OF our own Guard.
The superiority OF the United States cavalry
to any OF the National Guard troops was mani
in the whole mounted display which excclled
our own Squadron in neatness and general ap-
The three years administration of Adjt.-Gen.
McAlpn appears to have wrought harm among
Separate COMPANIES Of the State, and considered red
were formed into battalions yesterday, and as a
whole certainly made a iine appearance, but there
were many companies which showed lack of
unity of action which they did not use to show,
at the bottom of the list, but 1t is improving.
The Improvement shown in men and discipline
most like the old Sixty-9inth Of 1888.
The Fourteenth and Forty of Brook:
hushine % S were probably In 3Ss poorest shape OF
our State organizations and d. even the Twenty.
third is no Longer siva, tr OF the ss Seventh. nov.
those OF New York. and the first of their regi-
ments in line. the Eighteenth, made a very bad
impression compared with our own men. Tho
men talked in the ranks rs they marched turned
and looked even backward over the line OF
march, aud s!ragglod out Of l!no until some
companies looked uke target company of the
The Sixteenth Regiment showed better dis
cpine, but the men were slouchy in appear
ance. The First Iegiment made better show.
Sna SsSw hs OF but the
The Jerseymen crme next. and In honor of
yice-President Hobart perhaps, the turnout was
large. They marched twenty files front, and
there was not an organization which did not
show men who looked well physically and mon
tally nor one which did not march steadily and
The Masss chusetts Guard Is roputed to be
who made a ino appearance, and the second
Regiment, and both OF them showed discipline
ALSO sont A iss s I Who & aoE
ornamental than useful.
the srs S tax *
organization Of Baltimore, In their uniforms OF
gray. almost Ike our own Seventies, they might
easfly be mistaken for our favorites. but
unless they did themselves an injustice
because of too much overnight merry
making. they are not rivals of tho Seventh nor
af half 4 dozen other good regiments that were
iIf. the line. There were many fine troops from
other States, including the Richmond Blues,
the First Vermont. some Ohio companies and
some from Illinois and the fancifully uniformed
Washington bodies, and 1t q matter of
remark among those who were paying special
attention to this feature of the show that taking
the whole OF the National Guarlsmen and con-
siderng them body. they arc superior in