The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-17
RIFLE CONTESTS ARRANGED.
REGIMENTAL AND COMPANY TEAMS
AT AVONDALE on SEPT. 3 AND {.

Plans for state Rifle Contests Form
uIated at Meeting of the savannah
Military Rifle Range Association.
Contests VIII BE Under Direction
of Col. George T. Cam. State In
spector General of Rifle Practice.
DeRenne Trophy for ReEimentnl
and De soto Cup for Company
Tenms-Many VIII BE Entered.
Teams VIII BE of Five and Ten
Men Each.
The state rife contest. for regimental
and company teams. to be held on the
Avondale range in September. is now as
sured The plans for the contest were
formulated and the details arranged at a
meeting of the Savannah Military Rife
Range Association, held yesterday after
noon.
The meeting was held at the Offices Of
Messrs. Lawton & Cunningham. Col. A.
r. Lawton, the president Of the associa-
ton. presided. and the meeting was at
tended by the commanding officers of che
various military organizations with head
quarters in Savannah and by the inspec-
tor general and inspectors Of rife prac-
tice.
By a unanimous vote it was determined
that the two trophies that are within the
disposal of the association should be Of
fered as prizes at a state shoot to be held
OF Sept 8 and 4, under the auspices and
direction Of Col George T. Cam, the
state inspector general of rife practice.
The DeRenne trophy, valued at 81 200,
is to be contested for by regimental teams
of ten men each. and the De Soto cup,
valued at between 500 and $500. by com
pany teams of five men each. The shoot
ing is to be al 200 300, 500 and 600 yards,
and at the skirmish.
.tfter the meeting Col. Cam stated that
the outlook for a successful shoot was
most encouraging. He had assurances
that twelve or four ,een company teams
would enter the contest, and that three
Or four regimental teams would compete.
He will begin a once corresp ondence with
the commands which have signified their
desire and intention Of sending teams 10
represent them, apprising them of the
time the contests will be held the rules
that will govern them and the trophies
that will be offered. II is possible tina;
a larger number of teams than is now
counted on may be induced to take part
before the entries are closed.
Sept. 3, the first day of the contest will
be Labor Day and a holiday. 1t falls on
Monday and the teams can travel. there
fore. on Sunday. They will be able to
leave savannah on Tuesday night to re-
turn to their homes. so that Tuesday
will be the only day the members of tho
teams will be obliged to lose from their
business.
This opportunity to take part in the
rifle contests without the loss of a great
deal of time has its strong advantages.
Until the annual contests in Savannah
nave become known and their usefulnes>
to the military of the state appreciated
as it should he, it may perhaps be diff
cult to get the full representation of all
the commands that is desired and ulti-
mately expected. That companies and
regiments can send teams at slight disad-
vantage to their members will do much
towards the success of this first contest
A telegram was received from Capt.
Hope of the Governors Horse Guard. say-
ing that he end his command were in
hearty sympathy with the Savannah plan
and that they would enter team in the
company match. The Governors Horse
Guard is the organization that now con-
templates sending a team to Sea Grit
From other commanders of companies and
troops throughout the state the express
sions of opinion. and intention that have
been received by Col Cam and other
leaders in the enterprise are not less
encouraging.
There will be no individual matches at
the contests of this year. unless the plans
as at present formulated undergo a ma
terlal change. Two days is time enough
it is believed, to devote to the matches and
ii is not thought that the regimeutaf and
company matches can be concluded with
the large number Of entries expected. in
less. To provide for individual matches,
therefore, would necessitate prolinging the
contests beyond the period that is now
thought reasonable and advisable
In after years, when the contests have
assumed their proper Importance in the
military life of the state, they will be
ampified and individual matches intro
duced. 1t is possible that some friend or
friends of the military will be generous
enough TO donate additional trophies, to be
contested for a s4Tious ranges.
One of the disadvantages under which
the association now labors is a scarcity
of funds, the state making no appropria-
ton for the encouragement of rifle prac-
tice by contests of this character With
an adequate supply of the sinews of war
the rife matches might be arranged on
a scale that would attract a much larger
attendance than is now to be expected
-s<e-s
MIR. FINNEY,S nan IUCyEx