The Washington times., 1904-11-27
SHOWING IS POOR
IN MARKSMANSHiP
National Guard Show 5
Want Of r fl Range.
QUALIFICATIONS ARE FEW
No Prospect of ImprOvement-This
Years Record the Worst
Ever.
QUALIFICATIONS ARE FEW

ENtIs
From the annual report submitted 10
General Harries recently by Mai. James
Il. Bell, Inspector General OF Rine Prac-
tice OF the District Militia, it is to be
seen that the local citizen soidiery has
made no gigantic strides in the rife
world within the past year Rs
In every paragraph and in every set Of
figures It IS shown that there has been
a deplorable falling OF in the marks
manship III the Guard. There appears to
De no remedy and it is not improbable
that conditions will be worse within six
months II something Is not done toward
bettering the present state OF AFFAIRS. .
Lack of an outdoor range. since the
Maryland Legislature prohibited rifle
practice on the range at Ordway. Nd, Is
the cause or the TetFOgrade movement
and the slump in National Guard marks
men stock.
Worst Record Ever. "a
The record this year established by lhe
Guard is not only the poorest In the an
nails or the local militia. but possibly in
The United States. The men were unable
10 get any practice that would benefit
them, and only a favored few qualified
throughout the season.
This time last year the officials OF the
Guard were busy compiling a list or
more than thousand names on Il. The
names were those OF the men who by
their rife shooting on the indoor and
outdoor ranges demonstrated ability 10
hit the bulls eye at q distance OF lo0.
SO. or COO yards. as well as those who
could xiii a man at 200. 800. 500 yards
and other distances.
Twenty-four men are All who did any
work on the range during the past year,
or since the Ordway range was abol-
ished With a possible exception or two.
all Of these men were members OF the
teams which represented the District at
the Fort Riley. Kan. or Sea Girt, \. J.,
matches. Those who qualified under
other circumstances did so. at personal
expense. going 10 Baltimore TO use the
Maryland National Guard Range
Quaiifcatie, Are Few.
In Major Bells last report he stated
that there were thrty-siX men. in the
GuaTi who had qualined as experts.
Nineteen was the total number this year.
All OF these are Sea Glrt men OF past
years as well as this season. The latest
report. however, shows falling OF OF
seventeen experts" @
Far less encouraging is the showing
made IN the ''sharpshOOters' p telass.
Two qualified as sharpshooters this year.
while the total number last year was
sixteen men, all OF whom won decoTa-
lions for their abilities. Eighty men
wan medals in the 'marksman, class
Iast year. Only two men viii receive
such decorations this year
One man graduated into class ] this
year as against siNty-four last year. In
Glass > there are no men who quail
ned this year. as against the ninety-iive
Sho We're awarded bars for shooting
last year None qualified this year in
the third ana fourth classes. while there
mere 229 and rs. respectively, in those
classes last year.
Company l. al The First Regiment
and Company I. or the Second Regi
.nent. made the best showing through
ouI the season Just closed.
Those Who Qualified.
The slim list Of qualihers follows:
experts Major James r. Bell an'
Capt. Alfred =. Robbins. general stan
Major Glcndic T. Young. Third Bat
talon: Major William r. Harvey. Lieut.
N4lllam ". C0okson. and Lieut. +. W
Holt. sixth Battalion: Lieut.. Ralph Al
defmar. First battalion: Capt. Georg
1.yTalt. Lieut. T.. II. Heidenreich, Cor
porid Jackson Morris. and PTivates T.
j Fink ; b. Wetberald, r. A. ByFnes
aad j.. j.. iraleS. Company i. Firs
Regiment, Capt. Alexander Summers
S+rgt Charles p. GrOOme, ana Private
Maurice Anpleby,i ana X, J.. Pile. Com
pany B., Second Regiment: Capt Franz
T.. Skinner, Company Is, Second Regi
meHJ
SharpshootrrS Major L. H. Reicrcl
6erfcr. Sec0nd, Battalion. and Lieut.. "
= Sullivan. Company ], First Regiment
Marksmcp- Sergt s. Peacock. an,
Private J.. Day, Company l. First Regi
menL
Flrst class-PrlvaIe T.. C. Wilson
Company = First Regiment
The Qua rdsmefl. officers and men. ar
row wrestling with the new revised drill
regulations adopted Tor the army ar,
National Guard organizations. There ar
a number or changes IN tile reuglation
which have somewhat suumped the mill
tiameH.
2 tr2ining- for officers ha
therefore been devised. Capt Charle
"a, Muir special section OF the Genera
stan. Will teach the officers the deli
cate points involved in The regula
Tons Captain Muir assisted IN fofmin
the regulations.
The officers win be assembled At Cen
tsr Market one night each week. br
ginning this week. for practice. unit
tacy afe proficient.
CARE AND IMPROVEMENT