Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-03-26
ceremonies shall be not only thoroughly
joyable, but appropriately impressive.
Interest Lacking in Rifle Work.

Last Monday and Tuesday evenings were
devoted to the company team match at 300
yards, with Lieut. G. G. Dennison and Lieut..
w. NJ. Farrow, respectively, in command
as range officers. The scores follow: Com
pany 1, 1st Regiment, 226; Company K, I'd
Regiment, 224: Company /, I'd Regiment,
217; Company E, I'd Regiment, 215; Com
Tany A. I'd Regiment, 207; Company c, LIST
Regiment, 206; Company C, I'd Regiment,
2O3; Company d, I'd Regiment, 200; Com
pany E, list Regiment, 1913; Company F, list
Regiment, 1871; Company G, LIST Regiment,
1913; Company 3, list Regiment, 1913; LIST
Division, Naval Battalion, 1872; Company A,
1st Regiment, 1872; Company d, LIST Regi-
ment 1872; Company H, I'd Regiment, 191
Company K, list Regiment, 17S; Company B,
I'd Regiment, 1863; Company II, 1st Regi-
ment 16o; Company G, I'd Regiment, 135.
The names and scores of the members of
the team making the highest total follow
Lieut.. +. II. Heidenreich 46; Sergt. Jackson
Morris, 40; Private ID. E Langley, A. Pri-
Vate f. j. Fink, 40; Private Eugene A.
Byrnes, 40; total, 226. Capt George l.. TAFT
feels proud of this score, which is the rec
Crd at 300 yards.
Company X, I'd Regiment, is three points
in the lead on the totals over the 200 and
800 yard gallery distances. The highest in
diVidual score, As out of 80 made by
Corp. Francis d. Lakeland of Company K,
I'd Regiment Companies F, l. and NJ of
the I'd Regiment and the I'd and Sd Divi-
Battalion
teams.
Notwithstanding the fact that the scores
as recorded show a much higher average
than ever before, the officers of the depart
ment of rife practice are complaining of the
lack OF interest shown by many of the COM
pany officers in the matter of instructing
the new men in the aiming, sighting and
position drills Paragraph / of General
Orders No 20, 1904, requires that No re-
cruit be permitted to fire a score in the
gallery until after he has been taught the
sighting, aiming and position drills, and
that the officers regularly practice their
companies in these drills, in their armories,
at least fifteen minutes on each company
drill night during the months of January,
February, March and April of 1905" Yet
the battalion inspectors of rife practice
state that men are sent to the gallery to
fire their scores who are totally ignorant of
the first principles of rifle practice due to
! the disregard of the company officers re-
ferred to for the order above quoted. The
inspectors do not have the time to devote
TO these men, II is explained, and the re-
cruits lose interest in this the chief fea-
ture of a soldiers training. Another result
OF the lack of interest on the part of GER
tain company officers is the slim attendance
of the men at the ordered practice. 1t is
pointed out that this will have the effect OF
reducing the number entitled to go into
camp on the range for the purpose OF
qualifying. 1t is said to be a fair presump-
ton that only those who are entitled to and
| do actually fire the required scores on the
range will be permitted this year to go into
camp with the brigade. Mai. Bell says a
soldier, whether he be officer or private, to
| seek to occupy position for which he
lacks the most essential qualifications to
| I'LL is proposition which requires a very
large question mark. The efficiency of q
soldier is now measured by his ability to
| shoot straight An officers efficiency should
therefore be measured by his ability to
teach the soldier to do the shooting.
Maj. f. L. Averill has in preparation the
plans for placing the range In condition for
the target work. AS soon as they are ap-
proved by the commanding general work
will begin and it is likely the first of May
will mark the beginning of the shooting
season. AS soon as the date can de def
nitely announced the order directing the
regular range practice will be issued
The battalion and regimental matches
which are to take place Wednesday, the
10Th inst, close the 30O-yard gallery stage
| for the present season.
The following totals have been attained in
the company team rifle match over the 2OC
yards and 300 yards ranges:
Company x, I'd Regiment AS; Company
| /, LIST Regiment. Az; Company E, I'd Regi-
| ment, 424; Company I, I'd Regiment AIT
Company c, ID Regiment, 40o; Company +,