The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-11-21

WASHINGTON, d. C.. Nov 90
"Shall the National Rife Matches Of
1908 be shot with the Krag or the
new Springfeldf" Is one Of the most
important matters which will come be.
fore the National Board for the Promo
ton OF Rifle Practice, at It's annual meet.
Ing In Washington next January. There
Is some question as 10 whether the ord.
nance department will be able 10 supply
the new Springfield, Of "Model 1909. as
II Is officially designated, to the National
Guard In time for the outdoor practice
Of 1908. Obviously II would be unfair
10 require the teams TO use In the
matches rifles TO which they had been
unable TO accustom themselves In spring
and summer practice. At the same time
all authorities agree that the militia
should be armed with the same weapon
as the regular army and as the latter
win soon be completely equipped with
the model 1908. the equipment Of the
militia should speedily follow.
The new Springfield would long since
have been In the hands Of the National
Guard had ii not been for changes In
the ammunition, which, while greatly
increasing the range and efficiency Of
the weapons. neeessitated re.chambering
and thus delayed 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 a sufficient supply Of this powder.
General Crozier. chief Of ordnance. ex.
poets TO be able 10 state definitely by
January l. whether the War Depart.
ment win be In a position to honor re.
QUESTIONS for the 1908 model for equip.
ping the militia in time for spring prac.
tice. As many Of the Krags now In the
hands Of the militia have sadly worn
barrels, II Is hoped the new rifles can
BE- issued in the spring to avoid the ex.
pense of drawing new Krag barrels only
To be shortly discarded for the new
Springaelds.
The National BoaM win also deter
mine the place Of holding the national
matches Of 1908. It Is generally under
stood they viii again be held at Camp
Perry. Ohio. which range viii be exten.
sively improved by next August. The
National Rifle Association has already
endorsed Camp Perry. Among other mat
ters to be considered at the January
meeting win be the increasing work OF
the National Board. In 1908 Congress
created the Board and provided foI
three national matches, rifle team, an
individual rifle and an individual pisto
match. A small appropriation was made
for the national matches, magnificent
trophy was provided for the team match
From a handful OF teams the competi-
tion has giewn until next year every
state and territory win probably be rep
resented. In addition to the money the
army and navy expend in rifle practice
$5O0,000 is now annually given to the
states and territories for this purpose
To handle the National matches tni:
year required the services of consider
ably more than one hundred regula,
army officers and two battalions of in
iantry, The Importance Of the Nationa
board has grown with the tremendous
increase of interest in the sport and ir
many Quarters il is felt that some steps
should he taken toward the organization
Of at least a skeleton corps to handle the
matches from year to year. While tht
National Matches have not increased ii
number the National Rifle Association i:
adding to its prize list each year and the
| two series being shot on the same range
and one after the other, an attractive
program is presented covering twt
weeks, 1t has been suggested that th'
| prize list of the National Matches b,
! increased, not so much in amounts as il
| the number of prizes, especially in th'
| National Individual Match, which thi
|year had over 700 entries.
In connection with the revived inter
est in rifle practice the War Department
IL highly gratiied at the program being
made in the organization of Rifle Club
throughout the country, including mill
tary and civilian clubs, practicing will
tary and civilian clubs, practicing will
Association, under the energetic direc
tion of General James A. Drain, it'
president, is especially active in orga
nizing such clubs, and Lieutenant Albert
is. Jones is now devoting his entire time
to the work OF the N. R, A., Of which hi
has been secretary for q number O
years. Afliliation with this association
lobtains for the clubs many favors II