The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-06-03
COULD USE THE RANGE.
nNE OF THE ADVANTAGES FOR AN
ARMY CAMP AT SAVANNAH.

Uhen Gen. Miles Was Here About
Two Years Ago He Was Greatly
Pleased with the AvondaIe Range
and Appreciated Its Value to the
state s0IdierS-VoIunteers Camped
Here Gould Utilize 1t and Become
Proficient in MarlSmanship--A Reg
tment Could Practice There in a
Day.
savannah has in its military rifle range
a n9werfuI leverage to use in its work of
securing The location of a camp here. This
i, an advantage that no other place can
offer. Taken in conjunction with the
urge areas of level and well-drained lands
ayatlab.e the abundant supply of pure wa
fqr and the facilities for transporting
rr5ops that Savannah can present as rea-
-gns for lis selection for an encampment,
ii would seem that success must come to
tne efforts now being eXerted.
But little attention has Yet been given
II, The rifle range feature, yet 1T is one
OF the best factors in Savannah'S favor.
TWO years ago when Gen. Miles was in
savannah. Capt. w. w. Williamson took
him out to the range and showed him over
ID. The general manifested considerable
interest in the several ranges and spoke
very highly of the good results that would
flow from the possession of such a range
Tor the use of the volunteer troops. Gen.
Miles recognized the paramount Import
auce of having the state military forces
EXPERT in the use of their weapons:
The reasons that then made Gen Miles
so Interested in the AvonGale range have
acquired greater force by recent events.
If it were advisable at that time that the
volunteer soldiery Of the country should
be well trained in the practical use of their
rifles and should be made expert marks
men, it is even more important now that
war is actually on that the volunteers
should be given ample opportunity to prac-
tice in the use OF their arms. The range
al Savannah affords a magnificent oppOr-
tuuity for thousands of soldiers to prac-
tice under the most favorable conditions.
Capt c. e. Gillette was asked yester-
day whether it would not be a decided
advantage for a camp to be located near
where the men could have chance to
use a wei equipped rifle range.
ut does not take an expert to answer
that question: said he. "Of course it
would. Soldiers are intended to use their
guns, they are not play things. If they
don't know how to handle them to the
best advantage why of course, it is that
much against their usefulness as soldiers.
Anybody can see that rifle practice is of
The greatest importance"
Capt. Williamson is president of the
Savannah Military Rifle Range Associa-
ton 10 which the AVondala range belongs
The range is under the direction of a
board composed of the commanding Off
GERS Of the various local companies. Capt.
Williamson was asked If the range would
be available for the use of the volunteers
ia the event that Savannah was selected
as an enc9mpment ground.
Eyes" said he. Il think 1t would be.
Tn
ments could be made whereby soldiers
camped here could have the use of the
range. 1t would give them a magnificent
opportunity to become proficient in the
use of their rifles Good workmanship
viii tell in a battle and the time spent
in making fair shots of our soldiers will
be time well spent. The range affords
ample facilities. A company could be put
through q skirmish drill at a time, and a
rogiment could be given ample chance for
rifle practice in the course OF a day. There
is q large plateau adjacent to the range,
above the railroad, which could be utiliz-
ell for the encampment of a couple of reg
iments l should think. The roads leading
out 70 the range are the finest that could
BE- asked for marching the men out If
they are camped in near the city as is
proposed, and their march could be ex-
tented ON for several miles if that sort
OF exercise was desired for them. The
M9l on Jhe range would do as much to
NJ the volunteers for the actual warfare
aAead OF them as the work in camp
AS every Savannahian knows, the Avon
dale range is. well equipped for such work
as it may next be put to. For pistol prac-
Tee there are two ranges, thirty and fifty
yards respectively. For rifle practice
there are tie 200, 300, 500, 600 and one ,O90-
yard ranges. The skirmish. range is eco
yards long, but could be readily extended
to #0 yards There are six targets at 21O
four az 300, six at 500, five at 800, and one
at ltl0 yards There is telephone COM
mdmeation with all the butts, which are
arranged in echelon. There are ten
groups of silhouettes for skirmishers.
There are shelters for those shooting. 1t
Would cost but little to throw up a rough
shelter in the adjacent fields for those
VINO We're not actually engaged at practice
on the range.