The San Francisco call., 1897-12-06
REGULAR ARMY NOTES.
Troops Are Still in 6, State of
Uncertainty at the Pre-
sidio Post.
Result of the Target Practice With
Small Arms in the Depart
ment Of California.

Lieutenant Frank Greene of the Signal
Corps has been granted leave OF absence for
one month from December 10.
The talk of the transfer OF troops seems to
have died out and while there is a belief that
there will not be any change at The Presidio,
still there is not that degree OF certainty in
the m inds OF the officers and men that they
would like 10 enjoy. The recent orders to be
ready to move disturbed the comforts of some
of the men in the quarters and they packed
up many things that have not yet been re-
placed, nor will they be until there is more
certainty on the subject of stay or go.
The exhibit of the result of the small arms
practice in the DEPARTMENT OF California for
the year 1897 has just been given in orders.
These show that in the eight companies OF in
Iantry that participated there was a numerical
gain of 27 per cent over the previous year,
and that the average of scores over the pre-
yious year's practice was marked at all dis
tanCes.
AT 200 yards the gain was a gain over last
years practice OF lO.6 per nj, at 300 yards
SO per ce {, at 500 yards 13 per cent al 600
yards 1873 per cent, at 800 yards 10 4, at 1000
yards 22.6, at sk1rmish irtng 2 o per cen,.
The best average percentage At the 200
yards distance, it being 70. With the excep-
tion OF the 800 and 1000 yards distances and
the sklrmlsh firing Company D, Captain Pet
TIT, Is in the lead, the record showi1g perce t.
age as follows: 200 yards. 80 l; 800, rs 8;
500 g Ss oiPao%y iPooCy p 9 SoS % py % SGo
pany {. 81. 3 skirmi h. 80 4; Exceeded by Com
pary II, 4l6 Company mad 50 men, SO, c
% and ii 90. The lowest average score al
the 1000 Yards distance, being so 4, yet a gain
OF 20 over the preceding year. In the resume
OF the firing at rectangular targets, skirmish
firing and volley firing the average percentage
for all firings is highest-Company D. 454;
lowest, G, 1868. The other companies are cred
I'D as oil VS.; A; AZ 3; B, 39.4; c, 4o.1; E,
But Two troops OF clvalry fired Their
record shows gain at all distances, the aver
ag percentage for ali firing being Troop B,
d.. D, and Troop |, 37S.
There was firing By eight batteries of the
Third Artillery, but a only 200 and 300 yards
distances. Four hundred and eigh y-two men
fired and the average score at the Fl rst dis
lance was 56.15 and at the second distance
54 7S Compared with the infantry, that had
bat 469 men, the average at these two dis
tanCeS was considerably lower. AT 200 yards
he infsntry's score was rs; that of the artil-
iery 56 is AT 800 yards that Of the infantry
was 69.4 hat II he artillery 547S. By com
many scores ID leads al the first di-tance with
Gil and at the second dis stance with
50 %. Al 200 yards Company d OF the infan-
tIy scor so and at 800 yards Battery B
scored 10, While the lowest infantry sore at
Inc first distance was 63 3 against 50 16,
the highest for ar tlllery. and at 800 yards tae
lowest infantry score was 612 against 81 70,
she artllleTys highest.
The following are the names of the sharp
shooters of the Department OF California who
qualified during the current year:
Fist Infan ry-John NJ. Basey, corporal, Com
Thomas Holman, sergeant B Daniel sullivan
corporal ID; William r. Be nett, b; Arthur +
l.: Joseph Havlicek. A: Joseph Meizer, E; Fred
erick " Woodley +: Joseph Rollins O. Lou
NJ. Perkins, c; William Webb r.; ames w. Gar
EFT, B. Charles r Peck, B: William w. Blooo
ID: Marshal. II. Zimmerman, sergeant, H; Carl +.
Brunotte' h; Wills o. Grgsoy; first sergeant, H {;
Daniel +. Manning sergeant, II; Nils Chalmers,
corporal H Marshall q. Fisher, H.
fourth Cavalrv-kobert D. Cooper corporal
Company J.; Chares H Rankin, sergeant b;
SAMUEL Adams b; Alvin Arm It, first sergeant
|; Edward y Farrel, sergeant. b; James Conway,
l; Charles IL. a. Brooke, b; Axel Gilman, B;
liam I. rant, corporal p; Albert ]. Morrison, b;
Owen Davis corporal, b James LDc&ett, captain
|; Jamcs T. kobertson frs; ser rseant, b: George
+. Goodr!ch, serEeanh IS: John N organ. ack-
smith. B, Daniel W spalding, sergean, /; John
NJ. Neal, first lieutenant b; George W. Monit,
sergeant, B: otto kuntGe, 1: Joseph simon, ser
geaut b, harles 4. Fitch, corporal, l.
Recent reports show that the standard of the
United sta eS army is a this time q great dea |
higher than it was few years ago. The en-
isted men arc not only required to be able 10
read and write, but hey while in the service
are required to attend school 10 perfect them
selves in the ordinary branches of English
education, including history, geography ana
arithmetic. AT preliminary examina tinn
held i"w weeks since in one of the barracks
| Al the PresidiO 1t was ascertained that out of
the sixty-two men present but three were
unable 10 give fairy intelligent answer to
each question asked
To snow the care that is taken in the selec-
!
figures are Interesting: During the fiscal year
ending on July 80 41,05S, or slightly over
S312 per cent OF the number seek m en- ist-
meat, were rejected. OF this number 279I
were rejected because they were not citizens,
end 1888 were rejected for ilIileracy. There
were S2S5 applicants accepted, $3.50 being
original tn.tstments and 3005 being re-enl ST
ments. Or these 6259 were native born and
2046 OF foreign pIrth.
The thirty-seven Indians who comprised
Troop L OF the Seventh cavalry have been DIS
charged and with their scharge ends the
scheme that was form ulated about SIX years
ago tor an Indian Onttneent of the army.
This branch of the service did not prove q
success.
Secretary Alger has suspended his recent
order TO return to the Old system of indiyid usl
payments to officers and men as he desires TO
further investigate the matter.
The battery OF the Third artillery that has
been assigned 10 San Diego will shortly COM
mence the task Of mounting three large guns
there. This will give them practical knowl-
edge that is, undrr the present manner of
handling heavy artillery, very desirable they
should know.
1t is expected that during the week there
Z l.