The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-09-04
OFF FOR SEA GIRT
GEORGIA RIFLEMEN LEAVE on
CITY OF MEMPHIS TODAY.
HOPEFUL, NOT ExFEcTANT,
DELEGATION GOES AS DID THE
TEAM OF "a.

Trophy Mntch--GO to Learn some
thing of Long Distance Shooting.
Will Return TO Go Again with
Higher Hopes-VisitOrs VIII Hear
Something of AvOndaIe Range.
Those Who Sail To-day.
Hopeful of making creditable show
ing, but rot expecting to win, the
members of the Georgia. team Of rifle
men. like those who composed the 1894
team, leave this afternoon on the City
of Memphis for Sea Grit, where they
go to compete in the national rife
match. which Will be shot on that
range on Tuesday and Wednesday Of
next week.
The team is composed Of the cream
of Georgia's marksmen, and bait for
the fact that they go without proper
preparation. as result of the late hour
at which the order authorizing their
attendance was issued. there is little
doubt but that they would return with
trophies of the meet Like the men
of "a, they go with the determinatio
TO learn. and to return another year
and show to the marksmen of the world
the result of their observation and
practice.
While it is true that the team is com
posed largely of men who have par
ticipated in competitions at Sea Girt
in the past. and have proven them
selves to be the best shots in the coun-
try they have not INDUCED in much
practice in the past year or two, since
the unpleasanness with the New Jer-
sey State Riiemen's Association, and
are handicapped in shooting with a gun
which has but recently been issued to
them, at distances which have but re-
Gently been made a part of the compe-
titions.
Those Who Go by Sea.
The members of the team who will
make the trip by sea are Col. George
T. Cam, inspector general of rife
practice, G. S. T., Capt. Fred w. Gard
ner, Capt. H. c. Konemann Capt II.
p; Wilson. Capt: J. G; Postell Capt.
w. G. Austin, Capt. w. b. Stephens,
Lieut.. r. ]. Travis, Priv. f. c. Will
son, Priv. r. G. Fetzer, Sergt. J. X.
Hazelhurst Sergt. +. w. Tyler of
Waynesboro, Corpl A. d. Kent, and
Priv. Stephen N. Harris.
The team of twelve which will repre-
sent Georgia has not yet been chosen,
night, the eve of the match. 1t is
probable that it will be composed of
the first ten named above, together
with Capt. w. T. B. Wilson and Lieut..
L. J. Daniel of Atlanta, who will leave
tomorrow by rail for the scene of
the competition. Others who will 20
as a part of the detail are Lieut.. c. c.
Smith of Atlanta and Capt r G.
Hazelhurst and Capt w. P. WHEELER
of Macon, who also make the trip by
rail.
Maj. ]. Van Holt Nash, assistant in
.spector of rife practice, will arrive
this morning and will accompany the
team. Col. A. J. Scott, assistant ad-
Jutant general, will accompany the At
lanta and Macon members of the team
Others who will go with the team to-
day are Mr.. Fl. b. Lemcke Mr.. r.
M. Martin and Mr.. Neyle Colquitt.
Col. ]. H. EstiI. honorary vice presi-
dent of the Interstate Military Rife
Association, will attend the shoot dur
ing its progress.
Will Practice Monday.
There are a large number of Savan-
nahians going North. on the City of
Memphis to-day, and the members of
the team expect to have an enjoyable
trip. The ship win arrive in New York
Monday morning, and the men will
take the next train for the Sea Girt
competition shortly before noon. All
of the detail are ordered to report to
Col Cam at noon. It is expected that
they Will have opportunity to practice
in the afternoon.
This practice is very essential. Some
of the members of the team who have
never before been to Sea Girt will find
1t little difficult to adapt themselves
TO the conditions which generally pre-
vail there. Notably is this true in re-
spect to the winds, which come from
the sea and often blow across the range
IN almost gale. Then, too, the men
Will have to get their pieces sighted,
for some of them have not had an OPP
portunity to sight up at any of the
shorter ranges, the practice having
been confined almost entirely to the
1,OO0-yard range, where they are most
in need of it,
The last practice was held yesterday
The day. like the one previous, was in
euspiciously ushered in and the over
hanging clouds seemed to indicate that
there would be no opportunity for prac-
tice, but, contrarily, the skies cleared
and the men participated in
very beneficial practice. The scores
made indicated general improvement.
The Weather at Sea Grit.
1t cannot be gaipsaid that the men,
DCiS VI lAG team nave TGdQ WITH any
thing but displeasure of the continued
unfavorable conditions for practice
which have prevailed at the Sea Girt
range. They themselves have been Sc
werely handicapped by lack of prac-
tice, and the element seemed to have
been disposed to aPportion things fair
~.
The team will only compete in the
national trophy match. which is held
this year for the first time It
will be under government supervision.
this fact alone making it possible for
the Georgians, under existing condi-
tons, to compete in it, as they believe
with honor The match in which the
Georgians are entered lasts but two
days, whereas the meet extends over
period of ten days, the other competi-
tions being held under the auspices
of the National Rifle Association of
America and the New Jersey State
Ritiemen's Association.
The national trophy match will be
shot at the 200, 500. 600, 500, 900 and
,0O0-yard ranges, it being what might
be termed a long distance match.
There are MANY prizes offered in this
match. including the national trophy
the famous Hilton trophy and the
~Soldier Of Marathon" as we'll as
numerous money prizes and medals
To the members of the seven teams
first in the list will be given individ-
ual medals
The Onls Southern State.