Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-15
MARK sMANsIifP.

|
6carcely ever sees, much less owns, rine.
| shotgun. or pistol. People there have not
| me freedom they have here OF owning and
practicing with firearms. Through fear OF
uprisings against the government, tae
laws enacted against owning weapons OF
this character are very strict indeed.
The common Spanlard contents hlmseu
with long. -bladed knife. with when
he cuts and slashes his enemies to his
hearts content. SO, when youth nav
ing arrived at the age OF is Is drafted
into the army. he begins 20 handle IRE
arms for the first time. II Is all new 10
him. OF course, II taught, he could learn
20 shoot very well, indeed; but for many
years past the Spanish army has been I'M
able to indulge literally in rifie-practice'
The troops have splendid Mauser rihes
and excellent powder and ball, put 10
practice the men frequently IS costly
affair, and the Spanish Government has
preferred TO save it's money-or let some
ordnance officer steal it-and trust 10
luck. The most Of the practice the troops
about Santiago have had has been in
shooting at our men. That they improved
rapidly day by day is quite certain, for
some Of them have displayed fine marks
manship; but while theyy~ere improving
our fellows were improving. too.
The Spaniards Of the navy are much
worse marksmen than the soldiers. Iheir
splendid foreign-built ships were we'll
nigh useless in their hands, because OF
their Ignorance of mechanics and poor
gunnery.
We believe the Americans are the best
marksmen in the world. we make and
own more firearms than any other people.
We arc free 10 use arms in hunts, gun
clubs. etc. In this respect we enjoy
liberty that is not generally accorded the
people of Europe. Yet we doubt II
we are as good marksmen as our
forefathers were. From the time OF
the first landing Of the English
here our people became an arms-bearing
people. Men went to the plow with rifles
in their hands. They carried them, too
when they went 20 church, and so all
became experienced woodsmen. They had
10. They had ever to be upon the look
out for the approach Of a sneaking and re-
morseless foe; and that sort Of thing long
continued. Later, when 1t was no longer
necessary TO hunt Indians, men held 10
their arms TO hunt the big game In which
the country abounded. But first the In
dian disappeared from our sight, and then
the big game went Now only small game
Is left, and not too much of that. SO as
there has been less use for firearms, we
think there has como a decline in marks
manship. But Notwithstanding this,
America can to-day furnish larger per-
centage Of men pYactced in the use OF
firearms than any other country on the
globe. All of us know something about
guns and pistols; there IS nothing of that
dense ignorance on the subject that pre-
walls in Spain.
To that fact and 10 our willingness to
spend money for gun-pracuce we may at
tribute our easy victories over the enc
my's fleets at Manila and Santiago. But
it may be said on the other hand that we
did not have such a bloodess victory on
land. No. we did not. But If we had had
the opportunities that the Spaniards had,
We believe we would have killed two or
three of their men where they have killed
one Of ours. Consider the advantages OF
ground and ambush they had!
Reviewing all our operations upon water
and land, we conclude that marksman-
ships the thing. Let our determination
be TO train our men TO keep cool, to obey
orders and TO shoot to kill every time.
Would that our regiments that are still
in this country were INDUCED in rifle
practice day by day. so that whether they
have the Springfield rife or the new army
rife, the men they aim at Will be almost
surely killed II within range. Yes. marks
manships the thing.