The Savannah morning news., 1900-08-31
RECORD SEASON EXTENDED.
sHARPsHOOTERs AND MARKSMEN
MAY QUALIFY UP TO SEPT. 10.

Col. George II. Cam, Inspector Gen.
eraI of Rite Practice, Has Recon-
mcnded the Extension of the Sea-
son From Aug. 81 to the Date
Named Above Extension Will
Probably BE Made in General Or
Assured Even NOw-Chnnge Means
Much to officers and Men of State
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS and Company
Firing Reports Must BE Made
Promptly.
The record season for rifle practice by
the various commands of the Georgia State
Troops, which, under orders now in
force. would have expired tomorrow, will
be extended until Sept. 10. Col George
T. Cam, inspector general of rifle prac-
tice has so recommended and the formal
order from the office of the adjutant
general will doubtless be issued within
the next few days.
In his letter to Adjt. Gen. Byrd. making
the recommendation for the extension of
the record season, which, by the way, was
in response 10 a request on the subject
from Col. Byrd, Col. Cam makes other
and additional recommendations for the
conduct of his department. 1t is practi-
caly assured that these recommendations
will become part of the formal order that
will be issued.
These recommendations embody the fol-
lowing provisions: Company firing re-
ports must be in the hands of the regi-
mental inspectors of rifle practice on or
before Sept. "a. Regimental firing re-
ports must be in the office of the in
spector general of rife practice, at Sa-
vannah, on or before Sept. %. Firing re-
ports not filed in accordance with the
above will not be accepted nor published
in the report of the inspector general of
rifle practice nor insignia be issued 20 off
GERS or men on such defaulting reports
No officer will delay his own report by
waiting for the report of subordinate.
II is expected that the order of Col
Byrd, issued in accordance with the rec
concentrations of the inspector general of
rifle practice, will be published on Mon
day or Tuesday, but at the best and
earliest it will come too late to relieve
the minds of those officers and men of
the state forces as TO the expiration of
the period when il will be possible for
them to qualify. They will be glad to
learn, therefore, that the issuance of the
order is an assured fact and that they
will have almost three weeks additional
on the range.
The extension of time will hermit MANY
of the companies to make firing records
very much better than would have been
possible had the season closed tomorrow.
Every man who fails to go on the range
at all during the year is marked fourth
class in the reports of rifle practice, and
his bad record counts against his COM
pany.
Almost every man, too, improves in
craftsmanship as he continues his efforts,
and it is the best score he makes that
is counted. 1t is to the advantage of
the company commanders, therefore, TO
get every officer and enlisted man under
their command on the range as often as
possible, so that the company record may
be high. The more time they are allow
ed, the greater success in this direction
is it possible for them 10 achieve.
The suggestion made by Col. Cam for
Col. Byrd's considera ton, that the gen.
eraf order on the subject of an extension
Of time for the record season. should en-
body a provision that no officer in charge
of rifle practice shall delay filing his re-
port on account of the delay of a subordi-
nate will, If accepted, be of great value.
In the past this practice on the part of
officers has resulted in officers and men
entitled TO receive insignia as marksmen
or sharpshooters failing to receive their
badges or buttons, as the consolidated re-
port of the superior officer would be held
back because of a juniors delay and the
reports that had been filed in time with
him reach their final destination. the Of
fee of the inspector general of rife prac-
tice, too late TO be received.
The blame for all of this has fallen, in
the estima ton Of the men who failed to
receive their insignia, upon the inspector
general of riae practice, and he doesn't
care for il. If the regimental inspectors
will forward their returns promptly, con-
solidating the company reports they have
received and rejecting those they fail to
receive time, the blame for the failure
of men entitled to receive insignia in re-
ceiving badges or buttons, will fall where
it belongs, on the shoulders of their COM
pany commander.