The Washington times., 1901-09-14
NATIONAL GUARD AFFAIRS.
Rifle Shooting Stimulated by Dis
triot Marksmen's Victories.
Planning for Fall MISUNDERSTANDING
for the Ordered Prnctice-Hesu"p-
t;on of Company Driils-To ne
,up,e yuypI Battalion Smokers.

| Conrratulation has been in the air for
The past week wherever local Guards-
men have met Major James E Ben IN
! spector general of rifle practice, ana cap
| tain of the brigade team of the Dlstrlc'
| militia. has had his hand nearly wrulis
| from his arm since he returned to wash
| ington the early part of the week lhs
| rifIemen themselves have returned qul'e
| unostentatiously by twos ana 'hrees' '"t
povortheIess have been sought out and
| made targets Of laudatory comment Ioi
| their wholesale garnering of Sea Girt
| honors.
There has been expressed disappoint-
ment that the usual trilmphal reception
accorded victorious rifle teams was TINS
| time postponed on account of the condi-
| tion of President Mckinley. The regret
| was. however, more on account OF the
| sorrowful cause The Guardsmen have
| been unanimous in their objections to any
! festivities of the nature while the Presl-
| dents condition continued precarious
1t is doubtful if anything could have
| proved such a stimulus TO rifle shooting
| in the District militia the sweep made
| by the Washingtonians last week rms
| branch of the service has always been
| most efficient but the high pedestal OF
adalation upon which the crack local
marksmen have been placed is an Induce
ment for the rank and file to get busy at
| the Ordway range.
Major Bell is not taking much of rest
after the Sea Girt campaign. Already ne
| announces that some time in OCTOBER VIII
| be held the annual fall matches, TO oe
more elaborate than ever before. FROM
| New Jersey will come Governor voorhees,
1 So t1.a laDCf Oh
can be gathered from all corners of the
| Mosquito State, to enter in a big three
cornered match, the other sides of which
will be made up of team from the crack
| Fifth Maryland Regiment of Baltimore.
and a half dozen of the cream of the Dis
| trict rinemen. "Of course" says the
major in speaking of the matter. we
| don't intend to let the Jerseymen carry
back our trophies
Among the marksmen there is great in
| terest in these matches The Jerseymen
! are in a way. the hosts at the annual
| Sea Girt competitions. Admirably nave
| they conducted themselves as such. Nheh
| they captured the interstate trophy, the
| bronze Soldier of Marathon, which mas
| occupied a prominent place at National
| Guard Headquarters, there was the feeilng
| that if the District rifiemen had to lose
| they would rather lose to New Jersey
than anyone else.
The regular ordered practice for the
| Guard will begin late this October, ana at
its conclusion the fall matches will be
| held The exact date will be decided
later The matches are held under the
| auspices of the National Rife Associa-
| ton of the District of Columbia Fol
| lowing IL the schedule for ordered prac-
TALON. Wednesday, September %. Second
and Third Battalions; Friday. September
| q Fourth Battalion: Saturday. Septem-
| her 2s. general staff and non-commission-
| ed staff, and inspectors of rife practice;
Monday. September 80, Fifth Battalion
Wednesday, October 2, Sixth Battalion,
and Friday, October I, First Separate
| Rat.al
| Each man will fire ten shots at each
stage. 200, 300. 500, and GOO yards. In ad-
dition to this each battalion will fire three
volleys at silhouette targets. Those VINO
! for the first time IN their service make
! record of so per cent will receive sharp
shooters badges. Those, who qualihed
| last year as sharpshooters will, If they
make a record of S5 per cent this year, be
| given a sharpshooters bar. This qualiii-
| catior differs somewhat from that IN for-
mer years Last year the second year
qualification was a certain record in the
| skiruish run fre. -ua-
| 1t is proposed this year to add rev
event TO the list at the fall match. A sub
| scription will be made up by contriDu-
| tions from local business men for the
! Merchants Match. 1t is expected that a
/ handsome trophy will be procured to be
contosted for each year. The Gerstenberg
! match open to Guardsmen using any
] style rifle. and the Evening star Match
/ are the other noteworthy events
Ilf,lh o.
turned to washington. Major c, II.
Ourand. ins\ ctor general of the mihtia,
/ is detailed as acting adjutant genera pIl IN
bins returns he will resume his duties in
that position. which he has acceptably
! filled since the retirement of Col Theo-
| dore Moshcr.
| COMPANY commanders are making prep
| arations for the resumption of the usual
| schedule of drills at the armories. Inere
has been cloak of lethargy about Ma
| tionaI Guard affairs not connected with
| the rifle teams ever since the return from
| Camp Ordway.
! The Corcoran Cadets made a most en-
yiable record at Buffalo on District Day,
and had royal visit at the Exposition
| during the four days they were en-
| camped on the grounds.
Fifty men under command of Capt. e.
C. Edwards left Washington on Sunday
| morning, September l. and arrived in
Buffalo that night, Immediately encamp-
ing in the tents vacated by the crack
Day they gave a splendid exhibition drill
before crowd of thousands OF people
The following day, District Day, they
formed the escort to the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia from the
gates of the Exposition grounds to the
Temple of Music. where the exercises
were held They left their pleasant camp
on Wednesday and arrived in Washing
ton day later. The regular weekly as
semblies of the Corcoran Cadet Corps
will begin Monday evening next at S:15
o'clock.
+ Lieut.. A p. Lang of the Naval Bat
talon, one of the best officers of that
division of the District Militia, has ten-
dered his resignation. 1t has not yet
been acted upon. There is general regret
at his inclination to Withdraw from the
service and ii is hoped by a number that
he will withdraw his resignation. The
Naval Battalion has not been very active
since the return from the cruise the lat
ter part Of July. The Fern. is as usual,
! anchored in the Potomac, but has only
occasional visitors from the Naval Bat
TALON. usually at night. 1t is the inten-
! tion of the members of the Naval Bat
talon to continue during the fall and
winter the fortnightly smokers which
were prominent social feature last
year.
The anniversary. this time it was the
siXty-ffth, of the organization of the
Washington Light Infantry Corps was
! celebrated at the Rock Spring Club last
night with the customary success. There
was an unusually large percentage of
the veterans Of the organization present.
The Corps by the way, is the oldest ac-
tive military organization in the District
of Columbia Lieut.. Col. Burton X. Ross,
who is the senior member of the District
Militia and "A former commander of the
| Corps, was not present. In the distribu-
! ton Of service medals he was given one
for thirty years. Capt J. S. Miller re-
| ceived one for twenty-seven years ser
! vice. His membership In the Corps is at
| present veteran. Colonel Ross service
! has been continuously active.