Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-30
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Presentation of Prizes to Winners at
Rifle Association Meet.
FAREWELL TO TEE HILTON TROPHY
Progress of the Protest Against the
Engineer Battalion.
AMERICAN TEAM AT BISLEY

/ L
In regard to the proposition to send a
team Of American riflemen to England
next year to participate in the annual
competitions of the. British National Rifle
Association at Bisley. discussed recently
! at Sea Grit Major George H. Harries, who
| was authorized to proceed with the ar
rangenents, has received a reply to the
| communication sent to Colonel Mackinnon,
outlining the proposition. Colonel Mackin-
| ron states that the matter has been re-
! ferred to the council Of the British Ma
| tional Rifle Association for action, as he
was not in a position to speak officially
| for the association.
Colonel Mackinnon, however, suggested
that it might be well for himself and
| Major Harries to enter into correspond
ence without delay, pending action by the
council, in reference to the rifle to be used
| by the American team in the event that
| one does go to England. Major Harries
has suggested to Colonel Mackinnin that
! the team be armed with the Lee-Metford
| rifle. the standard English arm, in order
| that the competitors should thereby be
| evenly matched. 1t is desired that the test
| be one that shall be based on the merits
Of the riflemen alone not on the frearm
or ammunition.
Progress of the Protest.
The protest of the 4th Battalion against
| the team of the Engineer Battalion, in con-
nection with the battalion match that was
| shot during the recent meet of the National
| Rifle Association at Ordway, heretofore
| referred to at length In The Star, has been
| forwarded to the inspector general of
| rifle practice. and by that officer back to
headquarters. 1t is understood that the
1nSDectOr general of rifle nractfce insists
that the protest is not based on law or
equity and that he takes the stand he as
sulned as executive officer of the National
Rifle Association, to the effect that COM
pany not officially armed with the rifle
cannot be required to shoot with the rifle.
Presentation of Prizes.
1t is probable that the prizes offered in
the matches, open to National Guardsmen
at the National Rifle Association meet at
Ordway, will be formally presented to the
| winners about the 10th Of November. The
presentation, 1t is expected, will take place
| in Convention Hall, and will be an affair
of some Importance The I'd Regiment, and
perhaps the entire brigade, may be ordered
out.
Checks in payment of the cash prizes Of
fered in the matches, open to association
members only, were mailed yesterday by
the secretary treasurer of the association.
Farewell to Hilton Trophy.
The famous Hilton trophy that has
graced the corridor on the second floor of
the l. street 'armory for two years past I'M
| interruptedly will be expressed to the adj
jutant general of the state of Georgia dur
ing the next ten days. Before being sent
away, however, the trophy will be decorat-
ed with four small shields commemorative
of the victories of the brigade rifle team of
the District of Columbia National Guard.
Interesting Maneuyers I'm Now York
The LIST brigade of the National Guard of
| the state of New York recently INDUCED in
some interesting maneuvers. The brigade
was divided into two bodies, one, the
western force" consisting Of the sth,
| 9th. 18th and 22d Regiments of infantry,
| the LIST Battery Of artillery and one troop
of Squadron A. and the other an eastern
force" consisting of the 7th, 6}th and list
Regiments of infantry, the I'd Battery and
| two troops of Squadron A.
The western force" was detrained at
Riverdale. They were considered as the
advance guard Of a force moving down
| from the Hudson river to attack New
york by way of Kingsbridge, and maneuy-
! cred to find the enemy, guarded the ad-
vance of the troops and ultimately formed
| the left flank of the force that had ad-
vanced on Kingsbridge.
The eastern force detrained at Will
| iiamsbridge and Woodlawn, on the Harlem
railroad. Their object was to find the
enemy and check its advance and having
| united with force coming from Kings
bridge by broadway, moved as the right
| flank of this imaginary force to repel the
attack Of the western force" on the city
The troops operating west Of Broadway in
the last stage OF the movements were i'm
agined.
Commanding officers were under instruc-
tons to handle their men as If in the
actual presence of an enemy, to not I'M
necessarily expose themselves and to make
such tactical dispositions as would enable
them to carry out the instructions given
with the least possible exposure of their
men. The movements were executed DELHI
erately. The firing of infantry and artillery
was slow and carefully aimed the sights
being properly adjusted. certain hill and
stretch of ground, for the purposes of the
exercises, were considered an impossible
| obstacle.
At the conclusion of the maneuvers dinner
was served. and then the brigade reformed
for review by Major General Wesley Mer-
view the several commands returned to
their armory by the routes which they took
| to the field.
Aiming the Militia.
In his annual report. just completed, Gen.
F'lagler, chief Of ordnance of the army I'M
der the caption, "Arming the Militia"
states that 24.564 Springfield rifles, caliber
AZ, have been issued to the following
states: Arksnsas, o.; Connecticut, 1884;
| Georgia. 1.13s; Iowa. 40: Louisiana, 1872;
Maine, $50; Nebraska, 1877; Nevada, 200:
lima, $50; South Dakota. 80; Tennessee, lao:
Virginia, $50, and Wisconsin. 1000. OF
Springfield carbines. caliber 40. sol were
issued. as follows: Arkansas. 50; New
York, 40, and Oregon, 1O1.
| Continuing. Gen. Flagler says:
| 1.-THE manufacture of new arms during
the year ended June &c. 1897. comprised
%, 800 magazine rifles and 1880 magazine
carbines. model 1885, The rifles of model
| 1892 on hand have been fitted with sights
| of model 1896, and altered to Introduce as
far as practicable the improvements per-
1 tanning to the later model. During about
| two and one-half months Of the year the
quality of steel for barrels required was
not furnished by the contractor. This
caused suspension of the manufacture of
| barrels and the assembling of completed
arms, though the manufacture OF the other
parts of the arm was continued. The de-
livery of suitable steel for barrels CON-
menced in May. The rate Of production Of
barrels was then increased. and the num-
Der of arms assembled was increased to
200 per day. This will continue Until the