Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1905-08-24
NATIONAL RIFLE TOURNEY
Under The Auspices Of The Ma
tional Board For Promotion
of Practice.
AT TIE SEA GIRT NATIONAL
RIFLE RANGE.
Third Tournament of Its Kind In
This Country Under Laws
of Congress.

Sea Girt. n. r.. Aug. 24-The great
National shooting tournament under
the auspices of the National Board for
the Pomotion of Rifle Practice, open
ed at the Sea Girt National Rife
Range this morning. It is the third
tournament of its kind ever held in
this country under the law of Con-
gress authorizing these competitions
in merksmanship and providing for
the requisite funds for holding them.
How much the interest in these an
nual tournaments has Increased is ap-
parent from the fact that only fifteen
teams competed in the tournament in
the fall of 1908, four of them being
from the Army and Navy. Ohio and
Michigan were the only states which
sent complete teams. At the tourna-
ment in 1904, which was held in Fort
Riley Xas., nineteen teams took part,
while this year forty three teams,
representing nearly every state in the
Union, Hawaii and the District of
Columbia have been entered, besides
teams from the U. s. Infantry and
Cavalry, the Navy. the Marine service
and the academy at West Point.
The present meeting is held under
the supervision of Gen. w p. Hall,
u. S. A., one of the members of the
National Board for the Promotion of
Rife Practice, representing the gov
ernment Captain Rhodes, of the
General Staff, is post adjutant and
Lieutenant Albert S. Jones. secretary
of the National Rifle Association and
two army officers will act as statisti-
cal officers. Captain Alvin III. Graft,
First Regiment, New Jersey National
Guard, is post quartermaster and Cap
tain of ordnance officer. Congress
has appropriated 81, 600 to defray the
expenses of the tournament and the
State of New Jersey and the National
Rife Association have also contributed
literally to insure the success of the
event.
The rifiemen Of the various teams
and individual crack shots began to
arrive here last week and found every
thing ready for their reception. A
city of tents had been erected back of
the range which will give ample ac-
commodation to all the sharp. shooters
already here and those who will arrive
here daring today and tomorrow.
Governor Stokes has opened headquar-
ters here and will entertain q large
number Of prominent visitors during
the tournament Several governors,
United States Senators and members
of Congress. besides other prominent
government officials and officers of
the Army are expected to attend the
shooting as the guests of the governor.
This morning the individual contests
for the national individual champion
ships began. Among the contestants
are many members of the competing
teams and individual crack shots from
the various clubs affiliated with the
National Rife Association. The
shooting this morning was slow firing
at the 200, 800, 500 and 600 yards
ranges. 1t will be followed imme-
diately by rapid fire contest at 200
and 800 yards. That will end today's
program. The program for tomorrow
morning includes skirimsh runs in the
national individual match. In the
afternoon the pistol match for indi-
vidual contestants will take place in
three divisions-slow, timid and rapid
fire.
The team shooting contest will not
begin until Saturday. 1t will open
at a. m. with slow firing at 200 and
500 yards and will be followed imme-
diately by the 200 and 500 yards rapid
firing contest. There will be no shoot
ing on Sunday. On Monday the ma
tional team shooting match will be
continued and on Tuesday it will be
concluded with skirmish runs. On
Wednesday the various trophy matches
will begin, which will end on Satur-
day, September Q.
Among the prizes to be competed
for in the team shooting are the gov
ernment trophy, authorized by Con-
gress, the famous Hilton trophy, pre-
sented by the late Judge Hilton, and
the bronze "Soldier of Marathon, ("
presented by the commander-in-c
on behalf Of the State of New York.
Each trophy carries with it a money
prize and individual medals to the
members of the victorious teams. The
prizes competed for sin the. National
Rife Association contests include the
Wibmeldon Cup, the Leech Cup, the
Hale silver target. silver medals and
cash prizss aggregating over 81, 600.
The last event on the program is the
Presidents matCh for q championship
emblem, $50 in cash and cOmmenda
tory autograph letter from the Presi-
dent.