The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-04
ALL THE WORLD
is SHOOTING
UNCLE SANS MARKSMEN
WILL HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR
THEIR LAURELs.

Congress to BE Asked for 81 ,OOo,OOO
Year to Carry on Training
schools for Rifle Practice-HOw Ii
Is Proposed to Expend the Appro-
priatiOn-LittIe More Than One
Half the Regular Army Trained
Marksmen-What other Countries
Are Doing to Make Soldiers.
Washington. Dec. Alt will be in
teresting to Col. W. E. Coney and his
rifle shooting assistants in Georgia to
know that the Committee on Legisla-
ton of the National Board for the Pro-
motion of Rifle Practice has complet-
ed a draft of bill which will be pre-
scented to Congress at the coming ses-
sion, presumably through the Secretary
of War, for the carrying into effect
of the plan drawn by the board in
compliance with the act of March 2,
1903. More than a year was consum-
ed in the consideration of the general
subject by the national board, and a
most comprehensive plan was at
length drafted and has been approved
by the Secretary of War
A Bill in Congress.
The bill will be entitled, "a bill to
encourage rifle practice and excellence
in craftsmanship amongst citizens of
the United States. so as to render
them quickly available for efficient
service in time of war"
The title clearly indicates the pur-
pose of the bill, which is to encourage
craftsmanship among citizens, giving
them instruction and affording facili-
ties for practice without it being nee
essary for them to belong to military
organizations, although suitable pro-
vision will be made for rifle practice
by the National Guard, the army, navy
and the marine corps.
The board will ask for an annual ap-
preparation of $1,000, 900, to be expend-
ed under the direction of the Secre-
tary OF War, for training in rifle prac-
tlce those who desire to be efficient
marksmen; for the construction and
equipment of shooting galleries; for
the acquisition, equipment and main
tenance of national target ranges; and
Tor the issue of arms and ammunition
to schools and clubs, etc.
Clubs to BE Organized.
To enable civilians to practice in the
shooting galleries and on the national
ranges and to obtain the benefit of the
provisions for the issuing of rifles and
ammunition. clubs are to be formed of
not less than ten members each and
the shooting galleries and ranges will
hp 70 II.
the army, navy, marine corps and Ma
tional Guard. To reach the schools.
both public and private, the age limit
of membership to the clubs has been
placed at Is years.
Not exceeding one rifle may be issued
to club for each ten members there
of, together with 500 rounds of ammu-
milton per piece. After the first year,
not exceeding fifty rounds of ammu-
milton for each qualification as marks
man may be issued free. All qualified
marksmen will receive official badges
and their names and addresses are to
be filed in the office of the military
secretary of the army. so that a COM
plete roster will be on hand of all the
men in the United States, who are
familiar with the handling of the ma
tional arm, and who are able to use it
effectively. Such information would
be extremely valuable in case of war.
All Countries Practicing.
Reports from nearly all civilized
countries as to the work which is be-
ing done in those countries in the di-
rection of rifle practice have been Sc
cured containing valuable information
which will be presented to Congress in
support of the bill. 1t will be pointed
out that in estimating the military ef-
ficiency of a soldier in Battle, if ten
points are considered as a standard of
perfection, at least eight and one-half
of these points are skill in rifle and
revolver shooting.
In the Santiago campaign the troops
of the regular army engaged in that
campaign was perhaps the finest body
of expert riflemen in the world, while
the Spanish troops had received little
or no instruction in target practice and
were very poor shots. While the Span
iards were protected with rifle pits.
with the ground in front of them clear
in some instances for three-fourths
of mile, the American troops march
ed over these open places, captured
their rifle pits and sustained COM
paratively few casualties. In comments