Evening star., 1897-07-31

what de describes as an erroneous impress
sion-that the rif1emen of the Engineer pat
taliCn desire Ito shoot as the brigade te n
for tie Hilton trophy. Lieutenant Young
declares that the engineers have not re-
quested to be allowed to shoot as-the Dri-
gade team and do not intend to make any
such request. The engineers are going TO
Sea Girt, he says, merely as a battanon
team. If they should find that the officials
there allow battalion teams to shoot IN
the Interstate matches the enginef 8 VIII,
of course. make application for entry. nu.
never as brigade team nor as team
representing the District of Columbia
Lieutenant Young wishes 1t made plain tnat
the engineers have no desire to assume
the place nor the prerogatives OF the Dri-
gade team.
Saved From the Storm.
The District Commissioners have issued
the necessary orders for paving the alley
in the rear of the National Guard armory.
the flooding by rainfall of the space for
merly occupied by the Light Battery.
Thousands of dollars worth of government
property, including camp eQuipage, is now
stored in that portion of the armory build
ing. Water would cause much damage.
Prearranged Plan in Texas.
Apropos of the experience of Company B,
I'd Battalion-the Morton Cadets-at San
Antonio, Tex, recently, an army officer of
high rank now stationed In Washington,
but who served In Texas a number Of years
and is thoroughly acquainted with the Off
cials of the Texas volunteer guard and
others, yesterday stated to Star reporter
that he was convinced of the existence of
a prearranged plan that the Galveston cup
and the first prize of 5000 offered in the
interstate competitive drill should not be
carried out of the lone star state. All the
workings of the alleged scheme are said
by this officer to be very clear to him. and
1t is his intention to speak very plainly to
the adjutant general of Texas on the sub
ject as soon as an opportunity Is presented.
In all probability, the Morton Cadets will
give an exhibition drill at Marshall Hall
next Saturday afternoon, and repeat the
drill in the evening, in order to show the
people of Washington just how they lost
the cup. and how they demonstrated their
superiority over every other company on
the field at San Antonio, although the ulti-
matum of the judges was to the contrary.
What Capt. Shilling Says.
In conversation with Star reporter yes
terday, speaking of the drill in general,
Capt. Shilling said:
The program that was used by COM
panies In the interstate class was rather
simple, according to the opinions of several
of the rival captains. 1t took my company
just thirty minutes to go through all the
movements. the first half of which was
taken UP with the manual of arms, by the
numbers repeating without the numbers.
and the firing, the second half being con-
sumed by the foot movements in which
there were not more than half dozen
platoon maneuverS.
After the drill of the Thurston Rifles, on
the first day, Capt. Foye stated to several
Mortons that the program was very ambis-
uously worded, and the printing was in
small type and of poor quality. When
placed in my hands. fifteen minutes prior
to the drill of my company, I found the
program very distinctly worded and the
printing very clear and plain. At the foot
of the first twenty-five or thirty numbers
in the manual of arms were the words
Repeat without the numbers, in heavy,
full-faced type. That was the sentence
overlooked by Capt. Foye.
THE only comment 1 can make on the
program is that the headings were rather
close together, necessItating a careful
watch to prevent overlooking number or
two. The most serious break made by the
captain of the Thurston Rifles was In clos
ing ranks preparatory to executing the
firings, without repeating the manual OF
arms without the numbers. When his at
tention was called to this error Ivy the
judges-a rather unusual proceeding on
their part-he Immediately opened ranks
again and went through mis- program.
"One portion of the program read, the
bayonetS being unfiEed:
"'Stack arms (using SWIVEL.
Take arms.
"'Staok arms (using bayoneD.'
When Company D, 1st Minnesota,
marched upon the drill ground. Capt. Ed.
s. Bean used part of the fifteen minutes
grace allowed him prior to beginning his
| drill in instructing his company how to eX-
ecute stack arms with the bayonet and
! when the drill finally opened entered into
| an argument with the judges as to the pro-
prety of stacking arms with the bayonet
stacking swivel. The Judges refused te
| listen and peremptorily directed him to
! follow the program. Capt. Bean based his
| argument Oil paragraph of the drill regu-
! lations which states that stacks will not
| he made with the bayonet If the rifles are
| provided with the stacking swivel
That Alleged Wrong Interpretation
| Zone of the first few numbers in the foot
+, movements directed the captain to form
| column OF fles, then march in line to the
| right The next two commands were
| march to the left in column of files ant
reform column of fours.' All the captains
except Rober1eau, after forming column o
| files, executed by the right Hank then %!
the left flank and next, form fours, righ
| oblique.'
Lieut.. Jenkins. originally selected as on,
of the original judges, and the officer VIII,
| made out the program. told me. the da!
| after our drill, that he had watched tn,
| Morton Cadets on the field, and stated tha
| the company had drilled as was INTENDED
by the original board of Judges. Lleutcnan
! Jenkins Witnessed the drill of the MortoI
| Cadets at Savannah, Ga, in May. 1896
while in that city as commandant of tn
| Citadel Cadets of Charleston, S. c.. an,
he said that the Texas drill team In hi
opinion, was vastly superior to the Savan
nah team. Our platoon movements he re
garded as wonderful.
so far as my Impressions are concerned
1 have no apologies to make, no excuses t
offer. The drill of the Morton Cadets II
the competition could have been worse
do not think it could have been improved
The manual of arms was perfect, the iir
ings We're magnificent. and the foot move
ments have never been exceiled."
| GOOD NIGHT.