Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-11

yards and even farther away he was
generally put out OF business. Our men
charged over open ground to the Spanish
rifle pits with comparatively few casual
:, ties because the Spansards had never
been taught to shoot This fine shooting
by our army was mainly due to the COM
petitions which the officers and men at
tended here at Sea Girt as we'll as other
ranges throughout the country.
Reason for Efficiency.
II am convinced that the things learned
by officers and men in these shooting
tournaments have done far more than
anything else in bringing our army and
National Guard to the high degree OF
proficiency which they have attained.
These competitions are of the greatest
assistance to all in making efficient sol
diers for the firing line. and when we
!. consider the numerical disadvantage OF
our small military force in comparison
with the armies of other nations the ao-
soIute necessity of a military force tram
ed 10 assume the most important duties
of the line of battle is apparent. Since
the advent of long-range accurate rifles
I believe the military unit is the man be
hind the rifle. and when that element is
first class the efficiency Of the company,
the regiment and the army is assured.
The information gained at these tourna-
ments is worth to the states many times
the amount Of money it costs to be rep
resented by team"
"Father of Rifle Practice" Speaks.
Gen George w. Wingate of New York.
known as 1.-THE father of rifle practice
is here to attend a dinner to be given by
Gen. Spencer this evening. Gen Win
gate Is president of the Public Schools
Athletic League.
When first became interested in rifle
shooting the general remarked. stand
ing along the sub-target rifle machine
on the clubhouse veranda. 1t was con-
sidered in this country that the only way
In which a man could learn to shoot a
rifle was TO take aim and shoot at
mark, and to do this unaided. If he hit
the mark. it was good. and If he did not
hit 1t. 1t was a dispensation of Provi-
dence which nobody could remove except
the man himself by constant practice.
This theory has been entirely done
away with, and it is now recognized that
man can be taught to shoot just as he
can be taught to write. There have been
many inventions designed to accomplish
this object.
High School Boys Have Machine.
II myself invented one a number of
years ago of which l was very proud.
But the sub-target rifle machine. with
which the Washington High School
Cadets have been furnished. is considered
Dy all 1dnlllar WIN tne IndtteT u pe idi
In advance of anything of the kind which
has ever been devised
THE foundation of all rifle shooting
rests upon the proposition that man
who is able to align the sight of his rifle
accurately upon the object which he de-
sires to hit, and can pull its trigger with
out causing this alignment to deviate
from the mark. would hit that mark II
he had a cartridge In his gun. This can
only be acquired by steady. systematic
practice. and can be learned as well. and
many times better. by aiming and pulling
the trigger of an empty gun than that of
one which is loaded When this art has
once been acquired the shooting of a
cartridge at a mark can be learned with
out any substantial difficulty.
Like Face of a Watch.
I'm target practice the target is spoken
a watch IL o'clock being the top. 8
o'clock the bottom. 3 O'Clock the right
hand side. and o'clock the left. Thus,
when a rifleman speaks of getting shot
In the bull s-eye a 3 o'clock he means
that he hit 1t in the rght-hand upper
side or edge. The aim should never be
taken directly at the bull's-eye on the
target. II this is done. the point of the
front sight Ia merged in the black of the
bulls-eye. and you are not sure of the
exact point at which you are aiming.
The aim should, therefore, be taken
SO that the point of the sight just touches
the lower edge of the bulls-eye. Most
people aim a little to the left of its center,
as most men shoot to the right, and there
is tendency of An ordinary man to pull
the gun slightly in that direction. In
other words. they aim at what would be
4 m ofct