Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-04
obtain the practice necessary to make them
skilled markSmen.
Interest in Rifle Shooting.

interest In d1ue Sh0Ot1ng.
The growth of popular interest in mill
tary rife shooting within the past year
has been little short of phenomenal. This
has been largely due to the hearty CO.
operation of the press, which recognized the
fact that the members of the national
board comprising as they do, representa-
ttves from the army, navy, Marine Corps,
National Guard and National Rife Asoscfa-
lions, together with asnumber Of men dis
tinguished In civil life, had no other thought
In the undertaking than to serve the best
Interests of their country. In consequence
of the editorial approval of the press. the
widespread publication of articles tending
to incite public interest in the proposition
and the work done by enthusiasts in the
National Rifle Association and the National
Guard military rife shooting in America
is today a more popular sport and pas
time than ever before.
At Fort Riley. Kan. last year much diff
f1culty was experienced in obtaining thirty
six entries. the minimum number, in the
national individual match. At Sea Grt this
year there were 657 entries in the same
contest. There were last year nineteen
teams entered for the national team match,
this year there were thirty-seven such en-
tries. Next year, 1t is hoped that every
state and territory, including Porto Rico
and possibly the Philippines, will be repre-
scented. That this Is not idle speculation
is evidenced by the fact that Hawaii. which
has a National Guard consisting Of one
regiment. thought SO well Of rifle practice
that it sent team $500 miles to repre-
sent the gallant little territory in the great
scented by teams from California. Oregon
and Washington. The national board has
set as its standard a national reserve OF
"a million marksmen." There Is still i'm
mense work to be accomplished, but the
work SO far indicates an ultimate success
Sea Girt at It's Best.
At this time of year Sea Grit is at Its
best. Imagine. If you please. a parallelo-
gram a mile long and half a mile wide,
with closely cropped green sward. almost
as level as a floor and flanked on two sides
by hard sandy roads. on third by min
iature lake and with the fourth opening on
the Atlantic ocean. Here and there are
groups OF tents assigned as quarters to the
range officers and others: at the 200-yard
firing line Is the club house Of the New
Jersey State Rifle Associations; behind the
1000 yard firing line are the multitudinous
tents assigned to the teams. On to the
kept in prime condition by the diligent use
Of the roller and the mower. Is the cottage
assigned to the exclusive use Of the gov
ernor Of New Jersey and his stan, who
spend a portion OF each summer at Sea
Girt during the encampment OF the state
troops. Alongside Of the cottage. which ID
known as the Little White House. work.
men are industriously engaged erecting the
New Jersey state building which was To-
Gated at the Louisiana purchase exposi-
ton and which has been removed intact to
these grounds. The extensive grounds. to-
gether with the buildings. the splendid wa
ter works, targets, butts, etc., represent
an expenditure conservatively estimated at
not less than 500. 600. Each year the state
of New Jersey sends Its five regiments to
the range by. companies, one at time
for rifle practice, and here each regiment
goes through It's regular assignment of
camp duty every second year This costs
the state Of New Jersey thousands Of dol
lars in addition to its share of the annual
congressional appropriation for the Nation
al Guard. Thesexample thus set, 1t is de-
clared might well be emulated by other
states, and parenthetically, It may be re-
marked, that the United States government
does not possess in any of Its forty-fve
states and half dozen territories and CO.
lonial possessions range even approach
ing that of the state of New Jersey in ex-
ten, condition or equipment. 1t Is the
purpose Of the national board, as soon as
suitable appropriations can be obtained
from Congress, to locate at least one OF
these ranges In every state and territory.
What this will mean to the country can be
left to the imagination.
Camp Of the Rifemen.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the
range, next to the actual work on the firing
lines is that section given over to the camp
of the rihemep. 1t is in the form OF
square. with broad avenue in the center
crossed by about twenty streets. Passing
down the avenue. these streets are name4
according to the states whose teams occupy
the tents fronting on the same. beginning
with the order of the admission OF the states
to the Union. Each street fs plainly mark
ed by signs, and above the tent OF the team
captain floats its Official standard Here
and there the national banner is raised nd
scattered ell over the range are red danger
fiazs. marking the limits OF the fire zones.
There IL almost always q stiff breeze, and
the camp, with Its snowy canvas and nut
tering pennants, presents beautiful ana
inspiring sight.
The social side OF military rifle practice
u seen 1T its best here. Asbury Park, Long