Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-21
THE NATIONAL GUARD
No Hope Of Securing the New
Uniforms Very Soon.
ATHLETIC RIFLEMEN
TARGET SHOOTING CONTINUES TO
OCCUPY ATTENTION.
Regulars at ordway Range-Field
Work Of Troops-Views Of
Prominent Officer.
ATHLETIC RIFLEMEN

The indications are that the troops of
the District of Columbia National Guard
will have to wait several years for the
new uniforms adopted by the War Depart
ment for the use of the army. The regu-
lars will, don the latest regulation attire
soon after the LIST Of July next. That is,
under existing orders. the officers must
secure the rather elaborate and expensive
outfit by that time. Just how soon the
enlisted men will have the up-to-date
clothing and equipments issued to them
Is matter of marked uncertainty.
What the local brigade stands most in
need Of in the way of clothing, 1t is stated.
is service uniform. The regulation blue
goods now possessed by the guard are far
from ideal for use in the field during mid
summer Just as soon as possible Gen.
Harries will secure for his command an
issue Of the new wooden olive-drab service
uniform but that may not occur for four
or five years to come. 1t will be several
months, perhaps a year or more, before
the enlisted men of the army are supplied
with the olive-drab clothing, according to
indications, and therefore the guard will
be compelled to wait.
Discarded Khaki Only is Procurable.
The only thing in the way of a service
uniform that could be secured from the
War Department for the local brigade at
the present time is the khaki discarded by
the army. OF course, a thoroughly pro-
gressive organization, such as is the Dis
trict National Guard, would not even give
serious thought to accepting the discarded
khaki in question. Therefore, 1t seems
that the familiar blue garments will be
worn by the citizen soldery Of the nation
al capital for an indefinite period
In vic Of he 70 OF hot
must elapse before the enlisted men are
clothed anew, the commissioned officers OF
the brigade will not be required to equip
themselves in accordance with the pro-
visions of the latest uniform order Of the
army In the near future Headquarters
will suggest that hereafter, until further
notice, new officers, as well as those now
holding commissions. who may deem 1t ad-
visable to replenish their wardrobes, should
procure the new dress uniform-which is
practically Identical with the present I'M
dress uniform-with the exception that for
officers of infantry organizations the white
facings be retained. The new regulation
dress cap should also be procured, the ex-
PLANTATION being made by headquarters,
however, that the cap badge may later be
changed from the device worn by officers
of the army to one that will be distinctive
of the District Of Columbia
Physical Training for Brigade Team.
At the meeting last evening Of those in
terested in the formation of a brigade rifle
team to represent the District Of Columbia
in the annual rifle competitions to be held
at Sea Girt next August and September, it
was announced that athletic work will con-
stitute very material part of the training
Of the brigade team members hereafter.
Major Bell, inspector general of rifle prac-
tice, is strongly of the opinion that if every
member of the team should have the benefit
OF athletic training, In addition to being
an expert marksman, the team would be
practically invincible.
At all events the District National Guard
intends to carry off the principal honors at
the coming meet at Sea Girt, and with that
end in view the preiminaries to the selec-
ton Of team are to receive careful atten-
ton at once The prospective team men,
bers will be required to devote considerable
time to gymnasium work, and the early
start, 1t is believed, will result in the fortu-
nate ones being in fine fettle when the time
arrives for them to proceed to the Jersey
range.
Rifle and Revolver Shooting.
The local revolver association has accept
ed a challenge issued by the policemen for
another competition for the Carmody
trophy. to be shot Saturday. the 2sth in
slant. The policemen are not inclined to
consider a suggested change in the condi-
tons that have governed the preceding COM
petitions. These conditions, the revolver
association members contend, are too IA
vorable to the policemen.
A return match with the Montreal re-
yolyer club will be shot early during April
The regimental and battalion team
matches for March will occur in the rifle
gallery of the Center Market armory Mon
day evening, the Both instant.
The officers of the general staff and the
members Of the general non-commissioned
staff, District of Columbia militia, will fire
their official scores Of 300 yards next We'd
nesday evening.
Captain Horace NJ Bell inspector Of rifle
practice of the I'd Regiment, New Jersey
National Guard, is paying visit In this
city. Since he was commissioned Captain
Bell has succeeded in greatly increasing in
terest in rifle practice throughout his regi-
ment.
The company team match for March, at
500 yards, shot last Monday and Tuesday
evenings in the rifle gallery. was won by
Company A 9th Battalion with a total of
225. The other team totals were:
Company B, list Battalion, 222; Company
c, 9th Battalion, 221; Company A. Sd Bat
talon, go; Company B, I'd Battalion, 214:
Company A. 9Th Battalion, pa; Company c.
LIST Battalion, 210 Company D. I'd Bat
talon, 300; Company c, 4th Battalion, 2OS;
Company A, I'd Battalion, 1919; Company B,
list Separate Battalion, 1877: Company D. 1st
Battalion, 1877; Company c, 9th Battalion
1876; Company A, 1st Separate Battalion,
1875; Company A. 4th Battalion, 1893; Com
pany D, 4th Battalion, 1888: Company D,s
9th Battalion. 1S4. Company &, 1St Separate
Battalion, III; Company D. 1st Separate
Battalion. ia, and Company A, LIST Bat
talon, 10.
Regulars at Ordway Range.
The 4th Battery of Field Artillery, u. S.
A, stationed at Fort Myer, Va, has just
completed a series of exercises at the Ord
way range The principal work accom-
plished was sub-caliber practice in connec-
ton with the examination of the non-com-
missioned officers of the battery.
The troops of the I'd Cavalry, United
States army, also stationed at Fort Myer.
will spend a month at the Ordway range in
the near future. The cavalrymen will go
into camp on the range, and during their
stay will complete their official small-arms
practice for the current season.
To Appoint Company Officers.
In connection with the proposition. now
under consideration, that company officers
of the District of Columbia National Guard
be appointed instead of elected, as at pres
ent the following extract from a prize es-
say by Col. Edward E. Britton, chairman
of the executive committee of the Inter-
state National Guard Association, is of in
tereSt: