The San Francisco call., 1898-04-11
NATIONAL
 CUARDSNEN An Important Change That Will Affect Line
 Officers. The States Guard Can Be Fully Equipped at Very Short
 Notice.
Regulations for Target Practice to Be Revised-The Signal Corps
 Celebration.

One of the most important orders issued of late Is the one establishing new board of examiners for the Second Brig ade The old one was composed entirely of officers drawn from the retired list, and with possibly the exception of one they did not have the same interest In the affairs of the guard that have officers who are constantly in touch with the rank and file, and as a matter Of course they could not view the guard In the same light and understand it's conditions as well as those who are constantly with 1t. That was the view taken when the change was made. and it Is in line with the policy of the major-general, whose desire 1t Is to place the guard on the best footing, war or no war. The new board will adopt more stringent rules in the ex- animation of officers sent before 1t. It IS probable that the examinations will not be, as in the past, confined to the the oretical, but will be extended to the prac- tical. That is, 1t is likely captain or a lieutenant will be called on to proceed to the regimental armory, where he will be given a strange company, and will be re- Quired to drill it in such movements as the board may direct. without giving pre- vious notice of what movements he shall be called upon to have executed.
 In view of the fact that next July new tactics will probably go into effect, the new board will have considerable to do seeing that the officers are familiar with the new movements. Colonel Smith, First Infantry, president of the board, is a very active member of the guard, and he has able assistants in the persons of Major J. F. Hayes of the Fifth Infantry and Captain George Fillmer of Company B, First Infantry. It is more than likely there will be marked improvement in the officers of the Second Brigade so far as knowledge of duties is concerned, In the future.
 READY FOR ACTION.
 When asked what was the condition of the Second Brigade of the National Guard at this time, Brigadier-General R. Il. Warfeld, commanding that brigade, re- 1 sponded All present or accounted for and ready to move on short notice"
 It is true that the guard Is ready to move on short notice. All the property of the First Infantry has been overhauled and arms that were not in condition put | in the best possible condition, and there is not rifle that Is not at this time in a
 serviceable condition. It is true that
 many of them are not of the very best l for target practice, but all are in service
 able condition, and the only things the guardsmen are short of are, as has been
 previously stated in this department. 1 tents, overcoatS and blankets.
 1 As to these articles, there will be no
 difficulty in supplying them should the
 entire guard Of the State be called into active Service, for there is under the con- trol of the eommissary branch of the de partment of California, U. s. A., enough to equip 10000 men, and there are more of the modern Springfield rifles at the Be- nicia arsenal than the 40OO and odd men of the National Guard of this State would
 need. It is stated that dispatch was received by the higher authorities of the 1 guard of this State from Senator Stephen
 M. White, announcing that the War De
 partment Is ready at any time to make | an exchange of arms so that the guard | of California may be armed with better
 rifles than 1t now has.
 The general opinion of the officers of | the guard is that in case of war being
 declared the regulars will be sent to the l front and the National Guardsmen of the
 several States will be mustered in as vol
 unteerS and sent to guard the SeacoaSt
 on the Atlantic and Pacific; that subse-
 quently the first contingent sent to Cuba.
 as a reserve, will be composed of colored
 men who are better adapted for the eli
 mate of that country than are white men.
 Whatever may happen the guardsmen of California are ready to go wherever
 ordered and wherever they can be of the
 greatest service, but they prefer being 1 sent to the front to being placd on guard
 duty at some post on the seacoast.