Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1908-02-05
Small Arms
Practise
AMERICAN ARMY AND NAVY
MEN SHOWING GREAT
IMPROVEMENT

interesting report on small arms prac
tice in the Navy has been made pub
lie by that department. II is shown
that during the season OF 1907 re-
markable progress was made. The
average points per man was practi-
cally double that OF last year and
the percentage attaining high CLASH
fication has advanced enormously
The interest taken In the firing by
officers and men was potent inlu-
ence and was noticeable in short
range firing and at the longer ranges,
particularly in team competitions.
The total number OF officers and
men firing diminished from 1858,
the preceding year, to 1905, but the
average points per man was increas-
ed from Is plus to 80 plus. The per-
centage qualified as sbarpshooters or
marksmen increased from .35 to $50.
The percentage qualified as first class
or better increased from 3.S to 2O.2;
second class or better, "a to 39.7;
third class or better, 31.2 to 5g.5,
ana fourth class or better from S2.6
to SS.4. The percentage unqualified
diminished from 1913 to lis. Con-
siderable money was distributed
among the crews Of the various ves-
GELS, the Maryland, Missouri, Colo
RADIO, Kearsarge, Iowa, West Vir-
ginia and Cincinnati receiving the
largest amounts. Two silver cups
have been offered by the department
as trophies for excellence in small
arm Workmanship, one for the At
lantic feet, the other for the Pacific
fleet. Definite rules will shortly be
issued governing the award OF these
trophies. On the recommendation OF
the Commander-in-C Chief OF the At
lantic fleet the Atlantic fleet trophy
was awarded to the Missouri.
At the national competition this
year the Navy carried of the high
est honors, the Navy team winning
the national trophy In the team
match, and the national individual
and national pistol matches, togeth-
err with the military championship.
going to members of the Naval Acad-
envy team. In his report. Lieutenant
Harris Laning, captain OF the Navy
team, gives a dramatic description of
the final stage Of the great team
match, In which were entered forty
eight teams of twelve men each, rep
resenting the regular services and
the National Guard OF nearly every
State and Territory. At the compile
ton OF the firing at the SD0-yard
stage. Massachusetts was leading
with 1890 points, against 1886 for
the Navy. Captain Laning here
takes UP tao rtc"~. ION Friday
morning the final st..s2, 1909 yards,
was started promptly at 8. The
Navy team had drawn target No. a.,
while Massachusetts, with whom we
were fighting for first place, drew
No. As. The final tussle lay on these
adjoining targets, and for three
hours the strain was intense, as It
was shot for shot on these two. A
large crowd stood behind the line
and watched the struggle, which has
seldom, II ever. been equaied In big
match. The conditions were by far
the most trying In all the match and
were well calculated to test not only
the skill OF the contestants, but the
nerve and cool judgment under a
heavy strain. Massachusetts, started
In with a lead OF Ave points over the
Navy, which lead their first two pairs
increased to twenty-nine points.
Things looked rather blue for the
Navy team at that time, for with
only four more pairs on each team to
fire a lead of twenty-nine points is
hard to wipe out. The Nays third
pair, however, were equal to the
occasion. Lieutenant Hilary Will
liams and Midshipman Stephen Do
herty went to the line and making
respectively. As and AZ or 81. out OF
the possible 100, gained nineteen
points on the corresponding pail
from Massachusetts, who were only
able to make 6S between them. Kinl
and Eigenman and Woodward ant
Lewis followed in succession ant
still further cut Massachusetts, leaC
to only four points, when the las
pair of each team came on the line
1t fell to the lot of Ensign |. F
Dortch and Midshipman G. T. OsburI
TO make the final stand that won tn
match. These two young oficer
came to the line with the utmos
confidence, and under the awful
strain, with the eyes OF nearly al
the contestants on them, made, un
der the most trying conditions @
TIE day, Al and 81, respectively,
total of rs, while the last pair of tn
Massachusetts team could only nj
II, leaving the Navy team the vii
ner in the match by three points"
Captain Laning ascribes the wi
ming by the Navy team to "the stead
consistent shooting OF every man