The San Francisco call., 1906-04-09

book has been out for some time. but up
to date except in a very few cases, the
contents of the book have been only
within the knowledge Of the officer in
whose possession it is.
1t is asserted that the inspections be-
ing over much attention Will be devoted
to target practice in order that the men
in the guard shall become soldiers in
fact as well as in name. A United States
army officer a short time since said:
You may drill men day after day until
they move with marvellous precision; you
may dress them up in faultless uniforms
and you may arm them with the best
up-tc-date arms, but they are not sol
diers until they know how to use the
arms placed in their keeping. Men who
90 not know how 10 shoot, he said, are
about as valueless as mob OF young
sters who have never had any training.
The day Of shoot, hit or miss is over ana
the Government that in the future is go
ing to depend on the National Guard Of
each State as its first reserve wants
every man in the guard as well as IN the
army to know how TO use a gun, carolne
or revolver"
NEW REGULATIONS.
The firing regulations" prepared by
board convened by the War Office and
J
States Cavalry; Major William a. Mann,
Fourteenth Infantry; Major John r.
Guilfoyle. Twelfth Cavalry; Major Fred
erick w Sibley. Eleventh Cavalry, and
Captain Harry c. Hale. Twentieth Infan-
try, has in the scope Of instruction with
the rifle. nomenclature of the rife; care
and preservation Of the rife; general prIh-
ciples governing the motion OF proJectlles'
tripod sighting drills; position and aiming
frN1C y
tance drills; individual range and skirm-
ish firing, instruction practice; individual
range and skirmish firing. record practice;
company volley firing, record practce;
company fire at will, record practice. The
course of pistol firing includes nomen-
clature of the pistoE care and preserva-
tion; general facts and principles; position
and aiming drills; rapid fire drills. dis
mounted and mounted; practice with blank
! cartridges, mounted. on the track at tar
gets; individual firing, instruction prac-
! tice: individual firing, record practice.
The regulations say:
Progress in rife. carbine and revolver
firing, depending not only upon the meth
/ cd OF instruction, but to a great degree
| upon the capabilities Of the instructor, II
| IS essential that the company officers
should themselves become proficient, not
only in theoretical but in the practical
details of the subject.
TO MEET GOVERNOR SMITH.
AS soon as it can be ascertained when
Governor James F. Smith Of the Philip
pines will arrive in this city, Brigadier
General Roster will issue an order that
the First Infantry, First Coast Artillery
and other organizations in this city, the
companies of the Fifth in Oakland, Ala
media and San Rafael parade in honor OF
the former colonel Of the First Infantry
/ of this State and former colonel OF the
! First California Volunteers.
P. ]. H. Farrell, who was surgeon OF
the First California Volunteers when the
regiment left for the Philippines, but now
! a resident Of Chicago and surgeon on the
staff Of the commander in chief of the
National Guard of Illinois, in letter to a
/ friend in this city, received last week,
speaks very encouragingly Of the pros
poets Of success OF the bill introduced by
Congressman Bonynge of Colorado pro-
viding for a special medal and travel pay
/ to the men who served in the Philippines.
Many of the men in and out of the guard
in this State are Interested IN this
measure.
Walter N Kelly, colonel-elect Of the
First Infantry Regiment, will return 10
! this city April y, and will at once assume
| command of the regiment. The new COL
| onel will introduce ideas for the improve
/
/ and carried out in the fullest, will make
a marked change for the better One of
the matters he will devote his attention to
| will be the proposed big armory in which
4 ali the organizations of this city can be
| housed and where there will be ample
drill room His expressed opinion is that
] IL a company, a battalion or a regiment
| is to be instructed in the art of war, the
men must have room in which to carry
/ will for
That there is room for Improvement in
the First Infantry. such Improvement as
| will result in the men taking more inter-
est in their companies than they do, is
| made apparent. Not long ago an election
was ordered in one of the companies.
] Twice the election had 10 be postponed
because neither time was there a quorum
of members. Last week there was to
! have peen an election in Company to
/ dll a vacancy for first lieutenant, vice
/ Carcass. who failed to pass the examin-
! ing hoard but there was no quorum, and
/ Maiot j. F. Eggert, who was detailed to
/ preside. had to announce that another
!. date will be set for the election IL is
probable that at the same time an cleo
4 ton win be ordered for captain, vice Bal
i linger, resigned.
SERGEANT PROMOTED.
+! Major H. G. Mathewson presided at an
election last week in Company r, Captain
Stindt commanding, for second lieutenant.
/ Vernon Richard Branch first sergeant OF
/ the company, was elected, and If he
makes as good a commissioned officer as
he has a non commissioned one. the com
pany will be the gamer. This company
went out in the hills beyond Glen Park
| Yesterday for the purpose of working out
problems in minor tactics. Until the big