The San Francisco call., 1904-03-13
INSPECTIONS
ARE STILL ON
National Guardsmen Declare
That More Money Is Neces-
Sary for Target Practice
MEN WITHOUT BELTS
Inquiry Being Made as to
Suitable Sites Where Citi-
zen Soldiers Can Shoot

During the last week Major Wilhelm.
United States army inspector, and
Colonel Roster, State inspector of the
National Guard. were engaged in in
specting the following named compa-
nies of the Fifth Infantry: A in oak
land, b in san Jose, c in Petaluma. ID
in San Rafael and E in Santa Rosa.
These inspectors were to have been
with Troop y. cavalry. in this city last
Thursday, but were stormbound In San
Ia Rosa and could not get away, there
fore that organization was inspected by
Major Schmitt of the division staff.
Tomorrow Company F of Oakland,
Tuesday Company G of Alameda
Wednesday Company H Of Napa and
Saturday Company 1 of Livermore, all
Of the Fifth Infantry. will be inspected
The inspection last week was in the
main satisfactory, but Ahe best show
ing in every particular was by Compa-
nies A and 3. AS in the previous in
spectiOns by these officers, the work
was remarkable for its minuteness of
detail and for the many questions asked
of the non commissioned officers. From
the many notes made by the inspecting
officers il is TO be surmised that the re-
ports to be presented will contain much
that viii be instructive reading for the
boys who wear the State blue.
TARGET RANGE ORDER.
The men of the several commands
were drilled in close and extended or
ders and examined as TO their knowl-
edge Of the duties of the soldier. par
ticularly as to sentry and guard mount.
/ In addition to the ordinary line of
inquiry Major Wilhelm, who is an in
/ spector Of rifle practice on the staff of
the commander in chief, has wherever
: he has been on this tour made inquiry
from each organization about target
practice and localities for target
ranges. San Francisco has no place
suitable for a range, a fact which has
I been discovered also by the inspector
Of small arms practice for the United
/ States army, as appears from the fact
/ that the major general of the Depart
ment of California has ordered Major
( Van vIiet, Tenth Infantry. and Cap
+ tain Frank L. Winn. Twelfth Infantry.
+ TO proceed to San Jose, Coyote, Sar-
gents and other points to locate a suit
able place for a range. Difficulty is
! experienced in many parts Of the State
because of the rapid settlement of the
country and the absence of desirable
sites for ranges withi9 reasonable dis
tance. Major Wilhelm has made a re-
! quest for information as to available
sites.
AMMUNITION EXPENSIVE.
The guard of this State finds itself
hampered in the matter Of target
practice. When it was provided with
the Springfield rifles a certain amount
was appropriated for ammunition for
annual target practice, and it is claimed
Z this amount was insufficient 10 supply
/ the necessary rounds for each man.
| Now the men have been provided with
/ Krag-Jorgensens. and it has been as
certained that the ammunition specially
prepared for target practice costs s33
per 1000 rounds-nearly double the
( amount that it cost for a like amount
I for the Springfelds. 1t is probable that
the wise heads Of the guard will meet
TO devise ways and means to meet the
raise.
The guard has had the .Krag- -Jorgen-
/ sens for several months, but as yet not
an organization has had practice with
the new arm, therefore they have only
a theoretical knowledge of what it is
capable of accomplishing. In view OF
this Captains Petty and Grattan of the
First Artillery and Captains Hunt and
Vanderbilt of the Fifth Infantry are
considering a proposition Of selecting
five crack shots from each of a num-
Der of companies, providing them with
1000 rounds of ammunition and having
them practice at the range Of Com
pany D, near San Rafael, for the pur-
pose of ascertaining what can be done
with the new arm.
In connection with the new rifles It is
somewhat singular that the men have
not yet been provided with cartridge
belts. and as the old ones have been
surrendered they have no place in
which to carry ammunition except It be
the pockets of their clothes
During the current week 1900 of the
uniforms and caps ordered some time
since will be ready for delivery.
LOAF OF BREAD PLAYS
PART IN DIVORCE SUIT