Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-16
NATIONAL GUARDSMtN
General Interest in Stimu-
lating Rifle Practice.
PRIZES ARE OFFERED
BRIGADE REPRESENTED IN ANA
TEUR ATHLETIC UNION
Club to Make Citizens Available for
Efficient Service in Time
of War.

The subject of rifle practice seems 20 hold
almost absolute sway at present through
out the National Guard of the District of
Columbia. Bids have been opened for COM
pleting the new range beyond Congress
Heights A rifle and revolver club has been
organized and one battalion comma nder
has offered attractive prizes in order to
stimulate target work in his command.
Firing in the company team match will be
In order tomorrow evening and Tuesday
evening, with First Lieut. NJ. 2. Britain in
charge Monday and First Lieut.. w. w.
Cookson directing the competition Tuesday.
The 1st Separate Battalion has finished
its work at 200 yards and 300 yards,
spectively, in the company team match,
with the following results:
Company A, 200 yards, 172; 300 yards.
los. Company B, 200 yards $50; 300 yards.
156. Company c, POO yards 1866; 800 yards,
1871. Company d, 200 yards, 1871; 300 yards,
I6G
1t is the intention of Major Anton Stephan
| in order to stimulate rife practice and to
Increase the strength of the 4tti Battalion,
to offer cash prizes, aggregating SIS, as fol-
lows:
To the individual enlisted man making
the highest aggregate score the range
during the current rifle practice season,
cash prize of 50 in gold.
To the company qualifying the greatest
number of men on the range during the
current rifle practice season, a cash prize
of 50 in gold.
To the company securing the greatest
number of desrab bic recruits for he year
ending March 81, 1906, a cash prize of 50 in
gold.
Military Athletics.
The final championship game of the Ma
tionai Guard Basket Ball League was play
ed last evening between the Corcorans, who
are first in the race, and the Ordways, who
are second Both clubs put out their best
teams and fine exhibition was the result.
There was dancing after the game Mr..
Orlando Ross served as referee.
The Corcorans will close their season by
playing two games Easter week with the
champion Defenders of Baltimore, Nd.
Capt Edwards has just received notiica-
ton of his election as one Of The Managers
OF the South Atlantic Association of the
Amateur Athletic Union. This gives the
District National Guard Athletic Associa-
ton a representative in the controlling
body of the South Atlantic Association
Capt Edwards has also been appointed a
member of the athletic committee for the
championship games of the South Atlantic
Association, to be held May 20, In Balti-
more, Md
Efficient Service in War.
The National Capital Rifle and Revolver
Club begins it's career with the following
officers: President, ]. c. Bum; vice pres
ident, Lieut.. Col. E. ]. Dimmick; secretary,
Lieut.. w. Milton Farrow; treasurer, Will
liam E. Benton; trustees, Maj R. Sylvester,
DR.. J. A. Watson, Capt. Alexander Ferree
and Maj ]. E. Bell
The organizers of the club have in mind
the bill introduced In the House of Repre-
sentatives December 6 last to encourage
rifle practice and excellence in marksman-
Chi niti
as to render them quickly available for eff
cient service In time of war.
The recommendation that accompanied
the bill included the following:
when the whole world seems to be
keenly alive to the Importance of civilian
rifle practice, 1t seems strange indeed that
the United States, the most progressive of
the large nations, should have done almost
nothing in this direction, although a grea tor
proportion Of its soldiery must be drawn
from civil life in case of war.
Congress has appropriated 50 500 a small
portion OF which was available for encour-
aging rifle practice among civilians Great
Britain, now that she has many rifle ranges
established throughout the country, appro-
PIRATES 9lO,0OO year for encouragement
OF rifle practice in England. This is aug
mented by many private donations, the
King giving 10000 and W. W. Aston for
merly citizen of the United States, re-
Gently donated 100000 for this purpose In
1902 England distributed $4,000 in prizes
on the great Bisley rifle range. Canada.
with population of about 1000 600 do.
mates $1,000 year Tor support of tha 10
mnion Rifle Association, and this amount
Is augmented by private donations about
the same. The Swiss government a mere
handful of people compared with the limited
states, encourages and requires eyery man
TO become a good rifle shot If practica ble
ana gives a certain amount of money to
those making Qualifying scores In 1888
we find that Switzerland had g. 44G shootin,
clubs, containing 21UUOO members. and nf
these 163,OOO made qualifying scores on the
ranges: In France there are more than
SoV rlhe associations encouraged and sup
ported by the government
Lack of Armory Accommodations
Speaking of armories. the Secretary Of
war remarks that the duty imposed nnon
the governors of the states and territor;a,
by section 1861, Revised Statutes y.
amended, and by the militia act of Ian
uaiy ~ 1913, OF accounting for public |
property Issued under authority thereof |
presented Immediately the question of |
providing adequate facilities for the stor-
age and protection of such propertv |
Diligent inquiry has developed thn e.o.
that, Whlle IN the larger cities of tha
more populOus states there are buiIdinas
eXcellently adapted to the purposes for |
when they are designed ami used there
IS in general a lamentable lack of nrnnar
armory accommodations in the smaller
cities and villages.
rms Is an evil which can be remedied |
only by liberal appropriations hv thu
states and territories. or by private con-
tributions. The War Department is en-
couraged to hope that the state and local
authorities are awakening to the import
ance of this subject; and 1t is known that |
In many instances where armory facilities
have been found palpably deficient. tenn. |
porary accommodations have already been
provided, with the ultimate object of sun
planting these makeshifts by substantial
structures owned by the state or by the
bodies corporate of the organizations
themselves mi of l