Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-09-08
MARINES WIN PRIZE
First in Regimental Skirmish
Match at Sea Girt.
NOW OWN THE TROPHY
DISTRICT REGIMENTS FINISH
TWELFTH AND THIRTEENTH.
Presidents Match to Conclude Tomor-
row-Many Marksmen Leave
for Home.
NOW OWN THE TROPHY
Special From STAFF Correspondent.

Special From STAFF Correspondent
SEA GRIT, N. J.. September s-Capt
Cookson. First Sergt Groome and Priva te
Pile are representing the National Guard
of the District of Columbia today in the
Presidents match. There are ninety five
others competing. SO that the standing Of
the District rtlemen at the finish is prom
lematical. The weather conditions are all
that could be desired.
Several members of the District detach-
ment have already started for home and
the others will leave here tomorrow night
or Sunday morning. There is another sad
story TO be briefly told. Because of the
prevalence of ill-luck. or for some other
reason, the I'd District Regiment finished
twelfth and the LIST Regiment thirteenth, in
the regimental skirn!sh match. concluded
late yesterday.
The match was won again by the Marine
Corps. which now owns the $3.50 trophy.
having captured it twice.
Concluding Event.
The concluding event of the tournament.
in which several of the rifiemen from the
District of Columbia are participating,
opened this morning and will be in prog
ress until umorrow evening. 1t is the
Presidents match for the military cham
ptonship of the United States of America.
The winner last year, Private Howard
Gensch. 1st Regiment, National Guard of
New Jersey, received the following auto
graph commenda tory letter from the Presi-
dent of the United States:
Il have just been Informed that you have
won the Presidents match for the military
of the United States of
America. l wish to congratulate you in
person. and through you not only the LIST
Regiment of the National Guard of New
Jersey, hut the entire National Guard of
New Jersey AS a nation we must depend
upon our volunteer soldiers in time of trial
and. therefore. the members of the Ma
tiunal Guard fill a high function of useful
ness. OF course, soldier who cannot
shoot is a soldier who counts for very little
in battle, and all credit Is due to those who
Keep up the standard of craftsmanship !
you, both on your skill and
upon your possession of the qualities of
practice, by which alone this skill could
have been brought to its high point of de-
Change in Program.
The conditions of the Presidents match
last year required the firing by each COM
petitor of seven shots at 30, 800. 500 600,
$40 and 1000 yards. A material change
was made, however, so that this year the
800, Geo, 500 and ! 900 yards slow fire; firing
ten shots at 200 yards. rapid fire, and
making one skirmish run of twenty shots.
The match is divided into two stages. The
first stage, being shot today, consists of
the 300, 800 and 600 yards slow fire. and
the 200 yards, rapid fire, work The sec
ond stage, assigned for tomorrow, includes
the 800 and 1000 yards work and the Skin
mish run. Only the fifty competitors hay
ing the highest aggregate scores in the
first stage will shoot in the second stage.
The prizes are as follows:
To the competitor making the highest
aggregate score at all ranges the military
of America for one year. the
championship medal an autograph COM
mandatory letter from the President of the
United States and $50; second prize, S25.
third prize So fourth prize S11; fifth prize,
so, and sixth. seventh, eighth, ninth and
tenth prizes. IS each. AS extra prizes, the
competitor making the highest aggregate
score of the first stage who does not qualify
for the second stage Will receive SO. and
the competitor making the highest SklF-
Lieut. Ralph Alderman finished in ff-
tenth place in the Presidents match last
year.
Competition for Columbia Trophy.
Five teams of six men each. representing
the regiments, troops batteries and sepa-
rate organizations Of the National Guard
of New Jersey. competed yesterday for the
handsome Columbia trophy. The latter
was presented by the National Guard of
the District of Columbia to the National
Guard Of New Jersey for annual competi-
ton on the part of the Jerseymen only.
The organization that wins the trophy IL
entitled to hold II for the period of one
year. when 1t again becomes subject to
and is returned to the control
np he ,Je
State Rife Association.
OF interest to the Washington High
School Cadets is the statement that one or
the three cardinal principles for which the
National Rifle Association of America is
striving IS the adoption of a course In rife
practice in military and other schools. In
considering the matter of the encourage
ment of rife practice the importance of
the early training of the individual is en-
phaSiZed. II is said that the government
is beginning 20 realize this and that it is
now only a question of time when instruc-
ton in craftsmanship will be considered of
as much Importance in .the training Of
schoolboys, at least, as is football and Kim
dred sports.
The success OF school rife practice, II is
explained, depends largely upon the in
struCtion available as well as upon the
range accommodations and also the COM
peting influence Of other schools. The real
Importance Of instruction to the youths lies
IN the after effects. and, it is declared. many
q man VIII owe to the early training of his
college days a fonduesS for the rife and an
interest in shooting which will be instru-
mental in taking him into the National
Guard and shooting clubs.
At present the cadet rife as issued to
various colleges. including the high schools
of the national capital is of the old Spring
field design, calling for black powder. 1t Is
believed that the krag-Jorgensen Carbines
VIII soon be discarded by the cavalry arm
of the regular establishment. and these
pieces. OF which there are a considerable
number, according to those interested,
would supply a suitable weapon for Use IN
schools
School Practice Recommended
1t has been recommended by the national
board for the promotion of rife pra ctice
that a course of school practice be pre-
scribed which would qualify the student as
a "sharpshoUtcr.' Junior sharpshooter, "
'marksman' and Junior marksman,' jul