Evening star., 1901-02-09

t1Cnal rifle competition, and as heretofore
stated in The Star arrangements are now
being made with that object in view. In
vitations have been sent to all foreign
countries where rifle shooting is carried on
to send representative team to this coun-
try to compete for the centennial Palma"
trophy at the next annual meeting of the
National Rifle Association of America,
which will be held at the Sea Girt range
hopes to be represented on the team that
will endeavor to win the trophy for the
United States
AS regards rifle shooting, it is pointed
out by the association that notwithstand-
ing the value of the sport from a military
point of view, it is almost entirely neglect
ed by the general public. In continental
Europe rifle shooting is one of the most
popular pastimes Of the people, and re-
ceives direct support and encourag cement
from the different governments. Switzer-
land, for instance, has 3,f46 rifle clubs,
with membership of 21O, 49l (out OF a
total population of 3,O0O,O00), to whom the
government supplied last year 16.152,5OO
cartridges.
The United States is far behind all other
great countries in fostering and encourag-
ing rifle practice. and not one penny is
spent by the government in its support,
outside of the regular army. Many OF the
states neglect it altogether. and others only
take hold of it in half-hearted way. AT
the present time there are thirteen states
which have no organized system of rifle
instruction, twenty-nine which have no
rifle ranges and thirty-one which do not
hold competitions in military rifle shooting
Scores in Company Match.
The scores in the company match for Feb
ruary, shot Thursday and Friday evenings
of this week, were follows: Company b,
4th Battalion, 217; Company c, 4th Battal-
ion, 200. Company A, I'd Battalion. 2oS;
Company D, I'd Battalion, 207; Company D,
1st Battalion, 1S6: Company A, Sd Battal-
lon, 200; Company A, I'd Battalion, 2oS;
Company D, h Battalion, 207; Company A,
4th Battalion, 175; Company c, 9th Bat
TALON, 21; Company A, 9th Battalon, zlo'
Company c, 9Th Battalion, PIG; Company d,
9th Battalion, 213; Company A, 9Th Battal-
ion, POS; Company D. 9Th Battalion, 2O4;
Company B. 1st Separate Battalion, IT'S;
Company A, 1st Battalion, 15S, and Com
pany c, 1st Battalion. 134.
Death of Sergeant Clemons.
The Engineer Corps lately suffered the
loss of it's ranking sergeant Clement r.
Clemons. The deceased was employed In
the sewer department of the District gov
ernment, where he held the esteem of all
with whom he came in contact. He served
in Company B, Sd Battalion, U. S. Volun-
teer Engineers, in Cuba, during the Spanish
war, and soon after muster-out enlisted In
The Engineer Corps, d. G. NJ e. Lieut..
Hayes soon recognized his ability and he
was promoted until he reached the highest
position in the corps open to enlisted men.
He had the fullest confidence of his corps
commander and was respected by those un-
der him only thorough soldier and a
whole-hearted man can be.
The funeral was conducted with military
honors a sergeant's escort of fourteen
men, rank and file, from the Engineer
Corps, commanded by Sergeant Smith, ac-
companying the remains from the residence
92S North Carolina avenue, to the chapel
at Glenwood. Owing to sickness in the
family religious services were omitted at
the house.
The Episcopal service was conducted at
the chapel by the Rev DR.. Williams of
Trinity Church The pallbearers were
squad of six of his late comrades. At the
completion of the service at the grave,
while the escort. with bowed heads, stood
at parade rest. the bugle, SO familiar to
the soldier, sounded TAPS over the grave
Of the deceased.
The floral tributes included large wreath
of galax, inside of which was worked the
chevron of sergeant Of engineers, sent
by the Engineer Corps. An elaborate piece
of white roses was remembrance from
the employees in the engineers office at the
District building.
The employees Of the sewer department at
tended the funeral in a body. An appro-
priate resolution was adopted by the corps,
the copy being forwarded to the family of
the deceased. Sergeant Clemons left a
widow and a child two weeks old.