The record-union., 1897-01-02
new NATIONAL GUARD RULES
A Certain Percentage Required at Target
Practice.
General WarfieId's Views Regarding
the Proposed Reorganization
of the Military.

~ (iAdI Will Sd1lSCl lllS OCcplC A>e~
uonal Guard. The Commissioners hav-
ing charge of the revision of the codes
nave examined the law relating to the
National Guard, and have come to the
conclusion that number of amend
Hents are necessary. Brigadier-Gen-
eral Warf1eld, commanding the Second
Brigade, commenting ON the amend
ments recommended by the Commits
sloners, says:
There is no objection to the amend
ments providing for cavalry as we'll
as artillery and infantry as the law now
stands. The proposition that the Ma
Jor-Generals and Brigadier- r-Generals
shall in addition to other qualifications
required have served at least four years
previous as officers in the National
Guard of the State is a curious one.
That would shut out experienced SOL
dlers, retired army officers, who by rea-
son of service on the field are qualified
Tor the positions, and men who have
served i'm the National Guard of other
States. Men of that kind are certainly
as capable as men who have served
four years in the National Guard Of
this State
The General was of the opinion that
there was no objection to the other pro-
posed amendments, that the terms of
all elective officers of the line be in
creased from two to four years; that
the rank of the commanding officer of
the Naval Battalion be increased from
Lieutenant Commander to Commander;
that the number of men constituting
the ambulance corps in each regiment
be increased from six to twelve; that
the number of companies constituting
&. regiment be increased from six to
eight and not more than twelve; that
instead of a Lieutenant Colonel there
shall be but one Major as the field Off
Ger of battalion, and that no one shall
be eligible as field officer who has not
served at least two years in the Ma
ttonal Guard; and that the medical de-
partment be organized into a sanitary
corps with a Surgeon General with the
rank of Colonel and such number of
commissioned officers and privates as
may be required.
Colonel Currier also approved all the
amendments proposed, and stated that
the one requiring individuals to have
served four years in the National
Guard of the State to be eligible for the
position of Major General or Brigadier-
General was no doubt introduced to
prevent the appointment of men from
civil life and to give the men in the
guard a preference in the matter of
filing high offices.
None of these amendments were on
the recommendation of the Board of
Officers.
TARGET PRACTICE.
The firing regulations for small arms
recently adopted have just been issued
from the office Of the Adjutant- General
They will go into operation on the Goth
of next June. They provide that:
Target practice in the National Guard
shall be held in January, May, Sep
tember and October of each year, at
200, 800 and 500 yard ranges and skir-
mish firing
Each officer and enlisted man shall be
allowed f1fty-five rounds Of amnuni-
ton annually and the same to be fired
as follows: One score of five shots az
each of the 200, 300 and 500 yards each
in January, September and October;
provided that each officer and enlisted
man must make a score of at least 10
at the 200-yard target before he shall
be allowed to fire at the 300-yard tar
get, and he must make a like score at
the 300-yard target before being per-
mitted TO fire at the 500yard target:
also one score of ten shots at skirrnish
firing in May
The classification in marksmen: A
total annual score of at least 80 points
out of a possible IS at the 200-yard
range and 45 points at the 300-yard
range. Rifleman-A total annual score
of at least 81 points out of possible 70
at 200 yards, 45 points out of a possible
- at 500 yards. Distinguished marks
MANA total annual score at the three
ranges of at least 1872 out Of a possible
225. Only distinguished nlarksmen will
be permitted to participate in the con-
test for what has heretofore been
known as the State sharpshooters'
medals.
Skirmish firing will be at silhouettes
at unknown distances between 800 and
200 yards; individual skirmishes at the
group Of D, T and F targets; company
skirmish firing will be target G, as pro-
vided in paragraph 800, Blunt's small
arms regulations.
The regulations number f1fty-five and
detail at length the duties of inspectors
of rifle practice, officers and men; the
government Of men and ranges use Of
sights, aiming, run, windage drift
ranges, position. points and counts, and
the following on revolver practice:
Target practice with the revolver will
be at the A target, distance 30 yards
Ten shots will be fired at each Of the
pl actices held in January, May. Sep
tenber and October. The classification
will be 80 per cent. first class, so per
cent. second class, 20 per cent. third
class and 60 per cent. fourth class
Those averaging less than 60 per cent
will not be announced in order. and
only first class men Will be permitted
TO compete for the State medal for re-
volver practice.