Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-11-18


"shall the national rifle matches of
I19OS be shot with the Krag or the
new Springfeld?" is one OF the most
important matters which will come
before the national board for the
promotion OF rife practice, at its an
nual meeting in Washington next
January.
There is some question as to
whether the ordnance department
will be able to supply the new
Springfield, of Model 1903," as 1t
Is officially designated, to the Ma
tlonal guard in time for the outdoor
practice of 1908. Obviously It would
be unfair to require the teams to use
lin the matches rifles to which they
had been unable to accustom them
selves in spring and summer prac-
tice. At the same time all authori-
ties agree that the militia should ba
armed with the same weapon as the
regular army and as the latter VIII
soon be completely equipped with
the model 1908" the equipment
of the militia should speedily fol-
low
The new Springfield would long
since have been in the hands OF tho
National Guard had Il not been for
changes in the ammunition, which,
while greatly increasing the ranges
and efficiency OF the weapons. neces'
Stated re-chambering and thus de-
layed their issue. A new powder
has also been adopted calculated to
reduce the erosion attendant on high
velocity, and II may take some, time
to secure sufficient supply of this
powder. General Crozier, chief OF
ordnance, expects to be able to state
definitely by January 1, whether the
war department will be in a position
to honor requlsitlons for the 1908
model for equipplng the militia In
time for spring practice. AS many
OF the Krags now in the hands or
the militia have sadly worn barrels,
Il is hoped the new rifles can be Is
sued in the spring TO avoid the ex-
pense OF drawing new Krag barrels
only TO be shortly discarded for the
new Springhelds.
The national board will also de-
termine the place OF holding the ma
tIonal matches of 1908. II is gem
orally understood they will again
be held at Camp Perry. Ohio, which
range will be extensively improved
by next August. The National Rife
association has already endorsed
Camp Perry Among other matters
10 be considered at the January
meeting Will be the increasing work
OF the national board. In 1908
congress created the board and pro-
vided for three national matches: a
rifle team, an individual rife and an
individual pistol match. A small
appropriation was made for the ma
tional matches and a magnificent
trophy was provided for the team
match. From a handful of teams
the competition has grown until next
year every state and territory will
probably be represented, In addl-
tion to the money the army and navy
Iexpend in rifle practice, 100000 is
now annually given to the states and
Territories for this purpose. To
handle the national matches this
year required the services OF con-
siderably more than one hundred
Irregular army officers and two bat
talions of infantry. The Importance
of the national board has grown
with the tremendous increase of in
terest In the sport and in many quar-.
ters 1t is felt that some steps should
be taken toward the organization OF
at least a skeleton corps to handle
the matches from year TO year.
While the national matches have not
increased in number the National,