The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-05
RIFLE RANGE
FOR VIRGINIA.
Move to Have One Established,
So State Soldiers May
Practice.
WHY THEY FAILED IN OHIO
Had but Little Training. and Fell
to Last Place-The
Score.
WHY THEY FAILED IN OHIO

The Virginia Rifle Team, lately re-
turned from the national match at
Camp Perry, Ohio. is coming In for
some hard knocks these days, as then,
lis considerable interest and unfavor-
able comment among the general pub
lie. who think a better showing should
have been made. 1t Is but fair to say,
however. that the team are not alto
gether to blame for the poor showing
made.
representative of The Times Dis-
patch called upon a member of the
team yesterday and asked him for some
was last of all the forty eight teams
who competed.
THE fault Is hardly to be laid at
the door of the team" said the member,
who Is a well-known officer of the Vir-
gfnia Volunteers. "It is the State of
Virginia that is to blame. 1t is folly
to send raw men to contend with vet
Grams, and expect them to make any
thing but failure, The modern rifle
Ia a totally different weapon from that
OF the old days. high-pressure ammu-
milton and long range shooting are not
to be learned in a day. There is, as
the army people express 1t. "a heap of
sabe' in long-range shooting. Teams
that are up In the running are those
that have been studying and practicing
the game for years. They have ranges,
they hold shooting matches and COM
petitions, and finally select their best
material. Put the main charge of an
experienced man, even II they have to
pay big price for him. He coaches
the team, drills them week after week.
sometimes for months, before the
match. There was some good material
on the Virginia team, but they We're
green, unlnstructed, and, of course,
could do nothing.
Here is an example. One man in
preliminary practice managed to get
on the target, and after that made
bulls eye after bulls eye.
"In the match two days later he
made succession of misses. mem-
ber of the Pennsylvania team sitting
near remarked that 1t was not the
mans fault. He simply did not know
how to find the target. This man had
good eyesight and steady nerves. With
a little instruction and practice he
would perhaps make fine shot.
Hnk No Practice Range.
''How is 1t that Virginia was beat
out by North Carolina. who was never
in national match before?"
well. the story may be told In a
word. North Carolina has range. 1t
ing or skirmish fire in shooting gal
lery. Georgia has had a good team
for years. simply because she has had
q range"
'.Why has not Virginia n range? Is
lit not true that the Federal govern
ment has appropriated money for the
purpose?"
"There is available at Washington
about $4,000 to build ranges and sup
ply ammunition and other equipment.
The general government approprintes
for this purpose annually to the State
about $4,000. and this amount cannot
be used for any other purpose than
that for which 1t Is appropriated,
namely rifle ranges, ammunition and
expenses of shooting; so there Is no
lack of funds to start with. The State
should. and no doubt will. as soon as
proper attention is called to tho mat
ter. make an appropriation say, OF
S25,000 to put the range In proper con-
dttion for camp purposes. such as
water. mess and sewerage facilities. 1t
Is understood that nm available site Is
to be had and that the owners will be
very glad to lease 1T to the govern
ment at a nominal rent. This matter
should be taken up at once. and better
results will be obtained by the State
OF Virginia and. the showing will be
so marked in Improvement that the