The San Francisco call., 1898-01-03
THE REGULAR
 ARMY NOTES
Citizens No Longer Barred From Crossing the PresidiO
 to Fort Winfield Scott.
Reports Which Show What the Pre- sidiO Light Batteries Did With
 Shot and Shrapnel.

According to orders Monday, the Sd inst, was the last of the holiday sea- son at the military posts in the De- partment of California, and after that date it was work again with the rou- tine of drills, guard mount and all that there is in the school of the sol dier.
 While the soldiers were resting the civilians who work for the military branch of the Government did not en- joy the ten days exemption from labor that was accorded to the soldiers, but they were engaged in the delivering at the Fort Point Notifications of cast ings and other materials to be used in the mounting of the heavy guns there, and even New Years day was not a holiday for them, for on that day some of the heavy castings drawn by sixteen-horse teams were being deliv- cred.
 The order that several months ago was issued to the effect that those who were not connected with the military service or in the employ of the mili- tary authorities would not be permit ted to approach within a mile of any of the Notifications has been modified. Under that rule no one, unless flor military reasons" could cross the Pre- Sidio and walk to or around Fort Winfield Scott at Fort Point but now that has been so modified that citi- zens may approach that old model of defense, and the guards that were posted within a mile of the fortifica- tions have been withdrawn and are 'now placed within 800 yards of the big guns
 The result of the elementary battery service and competitive target prac- tice held at Redwood City during the past season by the light batteries, c and F, of the Third Artillery, with S2- breech-loading field rifles, has been announced. The charges used were 3.5-pound sphere GU. F.) powder and the projectiles were percussion shell and shrapnel of 13.5 pounds weight.
 At elementary practice each battery fired forty-three rounds, twenty seven with shell and sixteen with shrapnel and 2131 and PIP range. c Battery had ten and F six defective shrapnel. The target was a vertical canvas ten by twenty yards. c is credited with 325 hits and F with 620.
 At battery service practice each fired sixty-four rounds, the former with forty-one shell and the latter with forty. The ranges were 2156 and ZOof. V ildQ SSNcHlccil dIlu II SleNen defective shrapnel. c made 22S hits and F 414.
 At competitive practice c fired forty-five rounds and F forty-two, the former using seven shells and the lat ter nine. The mean range was. 22166: total of targets IA; hits, c, 452: F, 133 dummies disabled; c, S6, and F, 55. c had twenty-six defective shrap- nel and F fifty-five. The competitive practice equals for Battery c 698 per cent of possible or first-class practice, and. for Battery F 53.6
 Rev. J. H. Macomber, chaplain, on duty at Angel Island. will on the 18th of February, 1900. be retired for age. He entered the volunteer army Aug ust F, 1862, passed through the grades and was mustered out in August, 1865. with the rank of captain. He was wounded at Cold Harbor and also at Petersburg. During thirty years of absent on sick leave.
 There will be a vacancy in the Third Artillery on the 10th of next month by the retirement of Captain James Chester.
 The military information division of the War Department has published an interesting document on the sub ject of Subsistence and Messing in the European Armies" which are sep- arate papers compiled by officers of the army. and give information in re- lation to the armies of Austria. Bel gium, England, France, Germany. Holland, Italy and Switzerland.