The Savannah morning news., 1903-04-06
TO GO TO SEA GRIT
INTERPRETATION OF DICK BILL
MAKES THIS SURE, OFFICERS SAY.
PREPARATIONS BEING MADE
FOR INSPECTION PREPARATORY
TO EQUIPMENT WITH KRAGs.

of InspectiOn-AppOint to BE
Made by Gen. Chafee-COmpanies
Are Swelling Their Membership
So as to Make CreditabIe Show
ing and Get Large Equipment.
AvOndaIe Range Is Being Adapted
to Use of the Krag.
Within a fortnight the Georgia State
Troops will be inspected by am officer
of the regular army, appointed under
the provisions of the Dick militia bill.
The various commands of the local
militia have for some time past been
enrolling new members so that as a
result of the inspection the report of
the examining officer to the War De-
partnent will reflect credit upon the
Savannah military.
AS soon as the inspection is COM
pleted, and a report made to the War
Department, the necessary equipment
Will be furnished. The rifle now in
vogue will be supp1aced by the Krag,
this being one of the most radical
changes to be made in the near future
Some of the officers are rather diff
dent about the adoption of the Krag
They have become used to their Spring
fields, and are dubious about the Krag
being all that it is represented to be.
THE sooner this idea is got rid of
the better it will be for the military
and rifle interests" said a prominent
military man who is an officer in the
interstate Military Rifle Association, In
speaking of the matter yesterday. "It
is perfect folly to pout about it. 1t
is very important that the men famil-
lar1ze themselves with the use of the
Krag at the very earliest opportunity,
for the team sent to Sea Girt this
year from Savannah win be required
to use the Krags."
After the LaureIs.
There is, then, no doubt that Geor-
GA VIII be represented at Sea Girt tt is
year." the officer was asked.
Not the slightest The interpreta-
ton of the Dick bill, which was given
in the Morning News a few days ago,
leaves no doubt in our minds on that
point. The shoot will be under gov
eminent control Georgia will, of
course, be represented. And that is not
all. The team that goes will be a
cracker-jack. In view of the circum-
stances attending the re-entre of the
Savannah men into these contests, it
is up to them that they carry off the
laurels.
THE range is being put in condition
as rapidly as possible. Avondale
range is adapted to the use of the
Springfield, but the officers of the as
ISOLATION are now engaged in devising
plans for the change of the range so
as to suit it peculiarly to the Krag
BY the time the Krags arrive there will
be an 800 and 1,000-yard range added
to the grounds. The backstop on the
extreme left side of the range is being
thrown up higher now, and other
changes and additions will be made
within the next week or ten days.
''You can readily see how important
really imperative-it is for the rifle
men to become weened to the intro
duction of the new rifle. I know of
none of the states that have shown
greater readiness to comply with the
conditions imposed by the Dick bill
than Georgia, and 1 believe we will
not have to wait long for the rifles
Then if we get right down to work we
will be in a position to show the crack
rifle shots of the country a thing or
two when our team goes to Sea Girt
I next September.
The state Shoot.
"The practice which we will get in
fit. The Secretary of War has been
written to by local military men for
his Interpretation. of the portion of
the Dick bill which authorizes the
Governor of each state to order such
proportion of the militia as he shall
see fit into a camp of instruction, the
expenses, transportation, subsistence,
etc, being paid from the annual allot-
ment from the general government
1t seems clear to the officers here that
under the construction of this section
the expenses of the state shoot will be
borne by the general government We
take the term camp of instruction to
include a camp for instruction in rifle
practice.
Another matter which has been re-
ferred to the Secretary of War is
whether the expenses of the teams to
the interstate shoot to be held here
can not be paid by the general gov
eminent. The provisions of the sec
ton calling for national contests al
lows the payment of all expenses of
the teams sent to participate. This is
nothing more than an interstate con-
test. Why should not the same sec
ton be construed to be applicable to
all kinds of interstate contests with
the rifles?
TT is true that the national contest
is under government supervision, but
it would be an easy matter for the
government to supervise our inter
state shoot, since a deputized officer,
under the provisions of the Dick bill,
will always be on hand to instruct the
military of the state and to see that
the provisions of the bill are adhered
to by the state troops. 1t would be
in line with Capt. Spence's duties to
instruct the troops from the various
states who attend our interstate
match, or camp of instruction"
Company Rosters Swelled.
Upon the enlistments returned in the
report of the inspection soon to be held
the issuance of equipment by the War
Department will be based, so that in
order to obtain as great an advantage
as possible the officers have endeavor-
ed, with a great degree of success, to
swell the company rosters. All men
who contemplated entering the military
in the near future have been induced
to enlist before the time for the in
spection.
1t is not known yet who the officer
will be who will conduct the inspection,
but it is not at all improbable that one
of the officers at Fort Screven will be
delegated to the task. The appoint
ment rests with the commanding Of
| ficer of each of the departments of the
army, so that the nomination of the
officer who will inspect the local troops
will be made by Maj Gen. Adna r.
Chaffee, commander of the Depart
ment of the East. who recently visited
! Savannah and inspected the post at