The San Francisco call., 1898-04-04

Companies and G at the Ellis-street armory On many sides were expressions ton. It's the first time he's been here since the inspection a year ago. and Wonder what he's been doing all the time?
 THAT BATTALION DRILL
 The night drill last Monday by bat talion of the First Infantry, under com mand of Major Hugh T. Slime, was far more effective one, in the matter of prac- t1ce, than drills usually had on Van Ness avenue, where the pavement is smooth and the evolutions are few and simple. The four companies were marched to the Market-street cut, where Company B was detached to make an ascent over ReSer- voir Hill with view to secure position at the western end of the cut and pre- vent two of the other companies from passing through the cut. Owing to the roughness and unevenness of the ground. the men of two companies were forced to trail through the cut single file, Indian fashion, while the other company went around by the right of the hill to take up position on Webster street near Waller Company B was started over the hill in double time and were in position to stay the advance of the two companies marching through the cut. Had it been real engagement they held such an ad- vantageOuS position that 1t would have been almost impossible to reach them. and two companies would, in an endeaVOr to retreat, have been under heavy and deadly fire. Company B'S movement was we'll executed and shows that the com mander has good ideas in the matter of selecting an advantageous position. The four companies were then taken to large vacant lot west of Steiner street, and in their march went over and under fences and finally reached a spot where the ground was very uneven and in many places obStructed by loads of cobbles and asphalt dumped upon it. Upon this ground there was line of skirmishers, supports and reserves, and there was advance and retreat with firing at various distances and In the three positions. The majority of the movements were we'll executed, misunderstanding of orders. that in actual service would have been disas- trous to Company D. On the order to the rear that company was in the advance, and when called to halt was ordered to fire standing and at the time the reserve was ordered to halt and fire. Some one saw the error and gave the order Cease firing and in few seconds the correct orders were given. The men turned out in good numbers and did well except in one respect, from the standpoint of soldier. That was that in the execution of the several movements there was too much talking. Instead of acting on orders from the superior officers, many men in the ranks would endeavor to in struct their side comrades in loud tones how they understood the movements and how they should be executed. The result was that instead of there being one com mand there were dozens in each company.
 THE TARGET PRACTICE.
 It is stated that the long-expected meeting of regimental inspectors of rife practice will be held within a few days under the direction of Colonel Park Hen shaw, inspector-general of rife practice. At that meeting there will be an effort made to unravel the tangle into which the guard has got in the matter of tar get practice, and that rules will be pro- mulgated so as to enable the men to shoot at stated periods that the law says they shall shoot.
 Lieutenant Heller. inspector for the Fifth Regiment Infantry, being absent from the State on a sixty-day leave, Cap tain D. A. Smith, adjutant of the regf- ment, Is acting inspector and will attend the meeting.
 THE FIFTH REGIMENT
 According to regimental orders No. B., forty-one men were discharged from the service during the month preceding March "A. Twenty-Five on account of re- moval, ten at expiration of term of serv- ice, five for the good of the service and one by death. Of this number there were 2 from Company A. l from B, 16 from c, ? from E, from F, from G and 3 from H.
 Corporal Louis W: Kohler. Company E, has been appointed sergeant. Privates s. B. Claypool and E. E. Shields to be corporalS of the same company
 A furlough for ninety days has been granted to PrivateS J. Dawson and F. Treaton of Company D.
 Private Howard D. Rogers of Company B. recently discharged from Company E, has been returned without loss of time.
 THE NAVAL MILITIA.
 One of the matters that occupy the at-