Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-25
NEWS OF THE LOCAL
NATIONAL GUARDSMEN

Daniel Appleton. has the best record, with
an aggregate in all grades of marksmen of
9t5. The 18th Regiment of Brooklyn, Col.
David E. Austen. stands second, with an
aggregate of 1877 marksmen.
X
From Rhode Island comes the report that
more men qualified this year than in any
previous year. For smc-l a state the
record is regarded as remarkable. With
the rifle 60 qualified as experts, 1874 as
sharpshoOters, 526 as marksmen GA as first
class, 80 second class and 419 as third
class. In revolver shooting 104 qualified
as sharpshooters and 1903 as marksnen
They give prizes in Rhode Island to the
companies turning out the largest number
of marksmen. The governors prize for
the greatest number of qualifications with
rifle was won by Troop B, LIST Battalion
of Cavalry, with five experts, twenty-five
sharpshooters and 80 marksnen, three
first class men and two third class men,
Troop also won the lieutenant governors
trophy for qualifying the largest number Of
men with the revolver-15 sharpshooters
and SO marksmen. In 1892 Rhode Island
experts, 164 sharpshooters, 526 marks4nen,
GA first class. 50 second class and 419 third
class, q total of ,202. v-A.
Tests shortly to be made at the
the ordnance department Of As caliber re-
volvers and automatic pistols. Foreign as
well as American arms will be presented
for trial. and 1t Is expected that the
weapons ultimately adopted will represent
a marked advance over the present serv-
ice arms. The .3S cartridge Is lacking in
stopping power and 1t is believed that a .45
caltber cartridge will be much more ef-
fective.
The experiments will be made with bull
let's of various shapes, including those with
round. fiat and hollow points. 1t Is possible
full metal-jacketed bullet will be adopted
as more desirable for service. owing to the
| absence Of lubricant. although the wear on
the bore will be somewhat greater than
with the present lead and tin fabricated
bullet. sf1f
In getting ready for the national matches
of 1907 National Guard officials are natural
| ~ greatly interested in whether the Krag
or the new Springfield Is to be used. 'If
we are to use the new Springfield 1t is high
time we were getting them, that team
members may learn the arm" one officer
| suggested.
In reply Assistant Secretary Oliver, pres
| ident of the national board for the pro-
| motion of rifle practice, said: LAS thesiaw
| now stands. there is no authority to Issue
| the new magazine rifles to the militia
| Consequently the state teams can only be
| so armed through the states purchasing
! arms under section II of the militia law
or charging the value of the same to their
| allotment. 1t Is the intention of the de-
| partment to present to Congress at its COM
| ing session the question of issuing the new
| magazine rifle to the militia without cost
| to the states following the precedent es-
| tablished in 1903 in the gratuitous issue OF
| Krags"
This leaves the question of which of the
! two arms will be used in the national
matches next year undecided.
| As regards the comparative value Of the
| saber and pistol as q cavalry arm, Capt
| M. c. Butler. u. 8. A., points out that the
| damage to horses with the As caliber
would be considerable and 1t IL doubtful II