The Washington times., 1903-08-23
About Twice as Many Teams
Will Participate This Year
as Have Ever Been Rep
resented at Former Shoots
NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE
States Are No Longer at the
Mercy of Legislative Ap-
propriations-The United
States Gives Needed Aid.

as big as ever will be the annual tour
nament. which opens here September 2
and ends September u, of the National
Rife Association. the New Jersey Rife
Association, and the United States Re-
volver Association. Whereas. only nine
teams competed in the interstate
matches last year. when the tournament
broke all records for size, fourteen
teams are already entered for this year.
and several Western States are still
expected to be represented
To the action of the National Govern
ment in taking hold OF the contest is
due. in large measure, the sudden
Increase in interest. States wishing TO
send teams TO the Sea GIrt shoot no
longer are at the mercy of the State
governments for funds. The National
Government now furnishes transporta-
tioD and subsistence, and pays the men
Furthermore, the new national match
arranged by the officials of the War De-
partment and of the National Rife As
sociation is arousing positive enthu-
siasm- This contest, open to teams of
twelve from the army. the navy, the
u
is for the 81. 1000 National Trophy. and
$500 in cash. The match Will extend
through two days-September s and g.
when the range viii BE turned over to the
Government. the executive officer for
those days being Major J. F. GilsoyIe. of
the Twelfth Infantry. Assistant Sec
retary of War Sanger. Major General
Chaffee and staff, and other prominent
officials have sent word they will at
tend.
AS second and third prizes, respec-
lively, in this match will be awarded the
Hilton Trophy, presented by the late
Henry Hilton, OF New York, and the
Soldier of Marathon" presented by the
con.mander-in-c of the State of New
York. Heretofore these trophies have
been contested for in separate matches
Entries Now Enrolled.
For the National Trophy the entries
already received are New York. District
of Columbia. Pennsylvania, New Jersey.
Connecticut. Maryland. Rhode Island,
Massachusetts. Vermont, Ohio, Georgia,
the United States Army. United States
Navy. and the United States Marine
Corps. Michigan IS also getting to-
eether a team, and North Dakota will
try 20 be here. That the match will be
the most closely contested seen here for
years is the prediction OF rifemen.
New York. which is sending by far the
largest delegation she has ever had
here. and which captured the Hilton
Trophy year ago. is expected to give
the field the hardest kind of race Her
team Will include four of the eight vic
tors who won the Palma Trophy at Bis
ley last month-Casey, Doyle, Wells. and
Short. The Jerseymen have been prac-
tieing here two days week all sum
meT; the PennsylvaEians. sixty strong
came on Thursday for several days OF
special practice with Sea Girt condi-
tioI,s; the navy team has been here
steadily at work since Nay; and the
United States Marine Corps, which has
been going over every range daily since
the middle Of June, has cone TO be re-
garGed as a probable dark horse.
IL is in command of Lieutenant Hol-
comDe. OF Washington, a member OF the
Palma team this year, and high man on
the Palma team which went to Canada
last September DR.. w. J. Scott. OF
Washington, for years a member OF the
District Of Columbia team, is also help
ing tune uo the Marines.
District of Columbia Team.
The District Of Columbia team, which
will arrive next Wednesday IA command
Of Major James z. Bell. and which lost
all the matches a year ago. after its
brilliant double victory Of 1901, can be
counted on. II reports received here re-
gsrding the practice at the Ordway
range are 10 be credited. for winning
work.
Besides the national match there is
an unusually large number OF other new
contests this year. OF these the most
Important, so far as the value OF the
prize goes. Is that for the 81 .OGO trophy
presented BY Senator John T. Dryden
Of New Jersey. The conditions are ten
shots at 20O soc. and 1000 Yards fo-
teams OF eight Under the auspices of
the National Rife Association Is fbe
Seabury Long Range Military Rid,.
match for the 500 prize presented By
George J. Seabury, Of New York. former
secretary Of the association In the
New Jersey Rife Associations list
whlch now includes thirty contests are
the Kuser trophy match for the trophy
presented by Col. Anthony r. Ruser. OF
Trenton; the National aarksmen's
match. open 10 all male citizens OF the
United States between eighteen and
forty-ave years OF age, and designed to
build I'D a national reserve Of marks
men; and the Revolver Team Match for
the trophy given by Robert s. Hale.
OF Boston.
The newest of the new matches, how
ever, will be that with the hyposcope.
the invention Of William Fouiton, OF
England. by which the firer can by
mirror aim while remaining completely
protected below the embankment. This
match is at 500 yards, for which sand
bag embankment will be built. 1t is