Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-06


proper points The thousand-yard range
firing point is far back.
Immediately to the right and rear or
the main firing point is the handsomeiE
appointed clubhouse of the New Jersey
State Rifle Association, the privileges OF
which are extended to visiting rifiemen.
Its spacious porticos afford ladies among
the visitors an excellent and comfortable
point of vantage from which 10 witness
the competitions.
When a big match is on. a daily oc-
currence. the scene at the firing point is
animated. The result OF each shot Is
eagerly awaited by the throng of citizens
and soldiers looking on. and the COM
ments and remarks are varied. Two men
alternate in firing at each target.
Make Use of Telescopes.
Behind each couple a team member
peers through n telescope of large size to
perceive where the bullets strike, OBJ
waiting possibility of unfairness on the
part of the markers in the pits A scorer
is on duty to record on the blackboard the
result of each shot. Range officers are
always on hand to pass on disputed mat
| tiers.
To the right of the clubhouse and in
continuation of the Short-range firing line
is the Office of the range officials and the
magazine wherein is stored the ammunl-
ton.
The range and camp grounds have a
water system OF their own In each camp
street is a hydrant. The grounds and
clubhouse are Illuminated by electricity
and the range supplied with necessary
buildings. 1t is bounded on the south by
lagoon. on which sailing, that is void OF
danger, may be enjoyed. To the north
many costly cottages are in view. Inc
Beach House. directly at the waters
edge, is but few minutes walk from
the range. The village of Manasquan is
short distance away. and Asbury Park
but six miles up the coast. Railroad
trains pass the camp grounds every few
minutes.
Surprising and Shocking.
Again this year to the military specta-
tor. trained in the strict requirements of
discipline, the scenes and occurrences
that meet the eye on the Jersey range
are surprising and at first glance shock
ing. 1t is not an unusual occurrence to
see an officer of commanding presence
and bearing. with the uniform and two
silver stars of major general. strolllng
arm in arm with an enlisted man. lmag-
inc such an incident in the regular army.
On the porch of the Beach House last
evening a major of crack New York
regiment was comfortably resting on the
knees of one of his non-commiSsioned Of
hcers. the pair entertaining beVy OF
pretty and admring damsels. OF course.
that a colonel and a Corporal should sit
side by side is not considered out of the
way. party last evening that occupied
table in the hotel dining room con-
sisted of a brigadier general, lieutenant
commander of naval militia, a first lieu
tenant, a sergeant and three privateS.
They are from one of the large states
which boasts of its military efficiency
and discipline.
Riflemen CHARTERED Promiscuously.
The officers and enlisted men are quar-
tered promiscuouSly in the camp on the
range. which is laid out in the most
beautiful manner imaginable, as it always
has been. the line of Sibley tents being
as perfect as a straight edge. An Incl
dent observed yesterday was that of a
captain busily engaged rolling up the
walls of a tent. while within private
was comfortably ensconced in rocker,
perusing the pages of current maya
zine
Such a thing as saluting is entirely I'M
known at Sea Girt. Should an enlisted
man have been guilty of the incredible
act of extending the usual military cour-
tesy to the wearer of shoulder straps the
officer would promptly have demanded an
explanation.
This democratic procedure seems to be
the proper thing at Sea Girt. The men in
uniform are here to hit the bull S-eye as
regularly and often as possible, and when
they face the targets rank or position in
life Is eliminated. 1t is a case of sharp
shooter against sharpshooter. and in
many cases the man in the garb of the
private soldier proves to be a better shot
than he who disports the gold lace dec
orations.
Explanation of Technical Terms.
Civilian visitors to the range are puz-
zled at the terms used by the rifemen,
such as expert 'sharpshooter' and
''marksman.'
Are you a sharpshooter?" a maiden
Gueried of fine looking riheman on the
clubhouse porch the other afternoon. Il
thought sharpshooters stayed in the trees
and picked their foes through the leaves.
You simply stood on your feet and blazed
away at the targets a couple of hundred
feet away. Do you call that sharpshoot-
ing?'
You misinterpret the term" was the
reply. These expressions are used to
designate one proficient in firing the mill
tary weapons with accuracy and quick
ness An expert is one who has reached
the highest proficiency in the use of the
pistol. rifle and revolver. and not one,
like the followers of Aguinaldo, who pick
ed the Americans off in the far off islands
of the sea-"
And, too, there is more in rifle shoot
ing than merely plugging away at the
targets, which 10 you seems play. 1t
trains the eye to see accurately the mind
to judge correctly. and exercises the pow
ers of coordination. while the strict at
tention 1t requires takes the mind clear
of business cares and all other worries
and irritations of modern life. 1t is the
sport par excellence for the neurasthenic
for he is obliged to forget himself and in
trospection for the time being becomes
impossible when every faculty is concen-
trated on target 800 yards Or away.
Shooting at Long Distances.
The shooting at long distance also es-
pecially cultivates the powers of observa-
ton, mathematical reasoning and logical
deduction, while at the same time it is
free from envy, spite and the littleness of
many other forms of personal COMPETE
tion. Many physicians realize this and
very large proportion of expert shots of
the country are medical men, notably Dr.
w. G. Hudson of New York, whose work
In perfecting the high power bullet has
been boon to riflemen, and who is him
self an expert shot.
TO become a marksman," the rifieman
continued, "one must make IS out of a
possible $50 at 200. 800 and 500 Yards
The sharpshooter must get 100 out of 300
800. 800 and 60 yards, besides doing we'll
enough in the skirmish run TO bring his
total TO 225, or two-thirds of the possible
score. An expert must do all this and
also score 40 out of 30 at 500 yards and
80 out of 80 at 1000 yards. The latter
distance is more than half a mile and the
Sulls-eye looks nightly small"
c. F. C.
WRECKED IN THE FOG.