The Washington times., 1902-10-12
Merchants Match, Open to
All Who Have Never Shot
on Brigade Team, to In
augurate the Meet on
October %.
Affairs of Interest in Guard
Circles and the Naval Bat
talion-Signal Corps Re-
sumes Drills Encamp-
ment Aftermath.

Now that the Grand Army encamp-
ment is over the National Guardsmen
are looking forward to the coming meet
ing of the National Rife Association to
be held at the ordway Rife Range, the
four days commencing Wednesday, 0c-
tober o. From present indications the
meet will be the most interesting the
organization has ever held. The num-
ber of entries will far exceed those of
any previous year.
Major James E. Bell, the inspector
general of rifle practice of the Dis
trict militia, as executive officer of the
meet, will appoint as range officers the
regimental and battalion inspectors and
other officers who assisted him before.
1t is probable that New Jersey will send
a team, accompanied by Governor Muir
ply and Gen. Bird w. Spencer, the in
spector of rifle practice of the State, who
is executive officer of the rifle meets
held each fall at Sea Girt, n. ].
The Engineer Corps has entered a
team and will also have individual COM
petitors, while the troopers of the Sec
ond Cavalry, who just returned from
practice at Brunswick, Nd, and mem
sbers of the Marine Corps team will also
try for prizes.
The Merchants Match.
The opening day will be ushered in
with the shooting of the Merchants
match, which will bring out probably
more shots than any other match on the
program. 1t is open to all those who
have never performed service with the
brigade rifle team. The match will be
at 200 yards. Last year thirty or more
prizes were contributed by local mer-
chants and the competitor making the
highest score was given the first choice
Of the prizes and the others in order of
their scores.
1t is expected that the list Of prizes
will be much larger than ever before
as the merchants are showing more
interest in rife shooting. Those pre-
senting prizes will be invited to witness
the sport. The company match, bat
TALON match, regimental match, begin
ners' match, and the skirmish match. all
open to teams of five OF six men, will be
shot on the opening day.
Senatorial Trophy.
The most important individual match
Of the meet will be for the Senatorial
trophy, which will be shot on the third
day of the meet The winner of this
will be entitled to a gold badge and IS
in cash. The trophy is silver cup,
presented by twenty-one United States
Senators.
The long,range shots will be given
an opportunity to test their skill in the
marksman match, the Gerstenberg tro-
ply, and the Harries long-range match.
The revolver shots will also be accom-
1nodated In eighteen contests.
Some of the competitors have in the
past delayed shooting in the matches
unless conditions were favorable. until
such time as they might be given an
advantage over other entries, and this
has caused the Introduction Of squadded
competition. This provides that instead
of two men shooting at one target, as
In the past, that six or eight may be
placed on the same target. and shoot in
order. so that they may not be handi-
capped by a change in the weather con-
ditions
Competitors will draw for targets each
morning. and after the order of firing
is announced. must keep themselves in
formed of the progress of the matches.
If competitor fails to report when his
name is called, he will forfeit his entry,
unless, however, he is engaged in an
other competition. Squadded competi-
ton was tried in the matches at Sea
Girt last month, and proved euccess.
An Excellent Turnout.
The parade Of the brigade on Tuesday
last with the Naval Veterans and other
visiting military organizations was one
of the best turnouts of the organiza-
tion In recent years. Gen. George II.
Harries rode at the head with his staff
manded by Col. NJ. Emmett Urell and
Lieut.. Col. Burton R. Ross.
II was the first appearance of the
National Guardsmen since their return
from the annual encampment last July,
and they made creditable appearance,
considering that drills had just been re-
sumed. From the time the parade start
ed from the Capitol there was no stop
until after the troops had been reviewed
by Gen. Charles Haywood and General
Harries at Eighteenth and / Streets
northwest. where the organizations were
turned over TO the command of the regi-
mental or battalion officers.
Members of the Naval Battalion are
anxious to learn what action is to be
taken by the commanding general of the
District militia on the reports OF the in
specting officers who went on the two
practice cruises Of the Naval Battalion |
during the summer. 1t is known that |
both Major Charles H. Ourand, the in
epector general, and Capt. Edward F. |
~