Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-04

Branch, Belmar, Spring Lake and half a
dozen other popular seaside resorts are
within easy distance by railroad or trolley.
New York, Newark and Philadelphia are
but two hours away. Consequently several
hundred officers and men were accompan-
led here by their wives, who are stopping
at the various resorts and visiting the
camp each day. In addition there have
been thousands of visitors from the several
resorts. A full military band, giving after
noon and evening concerts. has also proved
a great attraction. and one of the most in
teresting sights is that of the lowering of
the colors at the close of the day, while the
band plays The Star SpangIed Banner"
and every one on the grounds stands at
attention"
Adverse Conditions
Some discomfort has been expressed at
the slowness with which the national
matches have proceeded. Notwithstanding
the snap and vim which characterized the
management of the matches by the regu-
lar army officers in charge, they have drag
ged. The officers in charge include Brig.
Gen. William P. Hall, executive officer Of
the matches, and a member of the national
board; Capt. Charles D. Rhodes of the gen.
eral staff, adtutant; Capt. Burlington, sta
tistical officer, and others.
The slow progress is, however, almost
wholly attributable to adverse weather
conditions and the unusual number of teams
fore been called upon to handle matches
of such magnitude, and, anticipating a
much smaller attendance, had formulated
conditions for the matches somewhat out
of proportion to the facilities afforded even
by the Sea Girt range, the largest in the
United States For instance, two skirmish
runs were provided in the national team
match. Running these off two teams at q
time, each consisting of twelve men, neces-
STATED. even without the loss of single
minute, the consumption of nine hours and
fifteen minutes. allowing only fifteen min
utes for each two teams to make the run
and return to the firing line. Speaking of
diminishing, it may be said that not only
Is this one of the most interesting features
of the matches to outsiders, but 1t Is re-
garded by officers of the national board as
OF prime Importance to the markSmen, as
the conditions more nearly approximate
those Of actual warfare than do any others.
The shots are fired at silhouette targets
representing an enemy kneeling with rife
pointed In the direction of the skirmisher,
and another alongside, representing a man
prone and shooting toward the skirmisher,
the two being the positions most likely to
be assumed at the various distances Shots
on the prone figure, where little more than
the head and shoulders are exposed count
five; on the kneeling figure. which presents
larger target. they count four.
Slow Firing at 800 Yards.
Beginning at 900 yards, shots are fired
slowly. until, as the skirmisher approaches
nearer the target. he empties his magazine.
although shooting at distances which he is
required to estimate. Twenty seconds are
allowed for five shots, which includes elect
ing the empty shells. taking aim and firing.
In all, twenty shots are fired so that the
highest possible score on skirmish run is
100. That Americans can shoot Is amply
proven by the case of Private Durward of
the Massachusetts Volunteer Militia, who
won the national individual match, which
he carried off against 656 competitors In
one of his skfrmish runs Durward attained
total of Oh, which means that had he been
confronted with two men, one kneeling and
the other prone. he would have struck the
kneeling figure four times, the prone figure
fifteen times. and have made only one miss
In other words, nineteen of his twenty bull
let's would have gone home. Hereafter,
all the states will pay more attention to
the skrmshing, as in the matches where
skirmish runs are included the scores made
on these runs are usually the determining
factor In fixing the positions of the COM
petitors.
Altogether, as has been said, the country
has every reason to be proud of its marks
men. and Brig, Gen. Hall, under whose i'm
mediate supervision the national matches
were shot, has received many congratulate
tons from the visiting officers and his fell
low members of the national board on the
admirable manner In which he and his as
sociates conducted the competitions and the
success attending their efforts.