Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-07
Local Officers Must Procure
Olive-Drab Overcoats
FORPARADE ON MARCH 4
ENLISTED MEN WILL WEAR THE
BLUE GARMENTS.
Three Officers Tender Their Resigna-
tions-Expert Explanation of Correct
Position for Shooting.

All officers of the National Guard OF the
District of Columbia who participate In the
inaugural parade, March next. must wear
the new olive-drab uniform. Such is the
ruling of the commanding general, 1t is
learned at District militia headquarters,
and instructions on the subject will very
likely be issued just as soon as official
information can be obtained relative to
the requirements of the uniform order
about TO be issued by the War Depart
ment.
Although the local officers will be clad
in the new overcoat, the enlisted men
will have to wear the blue top-coat. for
the reason that 1t is impossible at present
to secure an issue of the latest regulation
garment
The several organizations have been
somewhat handicapped in their prepara-
ton for the inaugural procession by the
fact that workmen have been engaged lay-
ing new floor in the drill nall OF the
Center Market armory. 1t Is expected tnat
this work will be completed, and that the
hall will be again available for use, by
next Monday evening.
Anxious for Pay Rolls.
Pay rolls for the past six months are
being received at headquarters daily. Or
ders require that they shall all reach the
Rdjutant general not later than the 10Th
instant Captain Andrew Parker acting
paymaster is anious to disburse the FUNDS
to those entitled to the same as early as
possible this month. He says that the
barrier the pay rolls reach heauQuaI ters
the earlier the guardsmen will be paid
Several officers have rendered their res
tgnations during the past few days 1hose
who have decided to give up their mill
tary duties are Captain William E. Dix,
Company d, 1st Regiment; First Lieuten-
ant Benjamin F. Odell, adjutant, list Bat
TALON. and Second Lieutenant Jean F. T.
DIES Garennes, Company H. I'd regiment
Sergeant Thomas S. Halloran has been
elected second lieutenant of Company L.
Cd Regiment.
The enlisted men of Company X. I'd
Regiment have been ordered to assemble
Wednesday the 18th instant for the pur-
pose of electing a first lieutenant Major
William z. Harvey, 9th Battalion, Will pre-
Side at the election.
The officers of the Cd Regiment met at
regimental headquarters last evening and
discussed matters pertaining to the gen.
eral betterment of the command
Position in Rifle Shooting.
As rife practice in the National Guard
OF the District of Columbia has just been
Resumed, after year during which by
reason of the absence of range facilities
1t was impossible to pay any attention TO
that important work. and as there are
large number OF recruits in the brigade
without experience in craftsmanship, an
explanation Of position In rifle shooting,
by Captain Walter G., Hudson of the Ma
tional Guard OF the state of New York is
Of unusual interest at this time
Rife shooting is generally practiced in
certain prescribed positions. depending on
the distance says Captain Hudson, who is
4 recognized expert. 1t is important at the
outset TO acquire good positions for each
range, for faulty ones are easier 10 learn
than to unlearn.
At 200 yards the offhand or standing
position is generally required. both in mil
Itary and match rife shooting. 1t Is the
most difficult one in which to hold steady.
Pnd requires the most practice to become
expert in, so far as good holding alone is
concerned.
BY the offhand position is meant stand
Ing, with neither the gun nor the body rest
Ing upon or against any artificial support.
But 1t Is not required that the shooter shall
bdopt the shotgun position. with the left
hand fully or partly extended. The ply
Sique Of some men makes this the easiest
position for them but others can do bet
ter work with the left arm close TO or
against the body, and 1t is permissible and
entirely within the rules for them to shoot
In that way If they prefer 1t.
A little observation when large number
Of expert rifemen are competing in some
Important match will show numerous mod
Hcations of the offhand position What
II easy and natural for one might be
etrained and difficult for another. who in
tfs own position Is equally expert. It will
also be noticed that some of these posi-
lions are more graceful than others. Good
i, Scores, however, are not made by dainty
posing. but by steady holding Therefore,
having by careful trial of all positions
found that in which you can hold the rifle
steadiest, even though 1t Is little less
graceful than some other don't let anyone
induce you to change 1t.
Skill in Offhand Work.
Practice with the target or Schuetzen
Fife is particularly valuable in acquiring
skill in the offhand position. One who has
become even a fair shot with the latter
weapon can generally do surprisingly good
work with the military rife at 200 yards.
Yhe reason Is that the Schuetzen rifieman
has trained himself TO hold for the center
Or the bullseye, while the military shooter
ooes not care whether il Is the center or
fhe margin, so long as he hits the bull
LEefe mas been a tendency of late years
10 oe!lttle the Importance of the offhand po
fition, chiefly because IT is not well adapt
60 10 long-range work. and perhaps in
some cases because of the amount of prac-
tlce II necessitates. 1t has certain promi-
nent advantages, however, which from
military standpoint demand that Il receive
que attention and practice. 1t is the quick
est position to assume, and, perhaps used
more than any other In the battles of for
ner times. 1t can be used with comfort
upon occasions where the only other al
Tentative would be to sit, kneel or lie down
IN dirty water or mud; and there are occa-
sions' such as firing from long grass or a
very uneven field, where It Is the only po-
siuon from which an enemy could be seen
70 shoot at. While IL is only practiced at
100 yards, 1t is capable of better work than
Is generally supposed al much longer dis
tances: for instance. l have seen three
pun s-eyes made in five shots at 100 ya1s
ana score OF As out of 80 at 500 yards
shooting in this position at the regulation
targets.
Shooting at 800 yards may be regarded as
distinctly military, for this distance Is not
used In any other branch of the sport The
nearest approach to it is the 300 meter dis
lance In vogue among a few of the Ger
man and Swiss shooting societies In E,u-
rope. but so far as l can learn it is not a
popular range, and is gradually giving way
90 those in more general use. But the 80
yards range is important to the military
fifeman. for 1t is here that part of his
Qualification as marksman Is earned.
Sitting and Kneeling.
AT 300 yards the sitting and kneeIing po-
stions are prescribed In the National Rife
Association rules, although some states
permit the use OF the prone position at this
distance in class practice The sitting po-
sition - the stout rifemap generally has
difhculty when he attempts it's much