Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-07
NEWS OF THE LOCAL
NATIONAL GUARDSMEN

ton of Sergt ". F. Collins was accepted
with regret, he having been a member OF
the organization for nine years.
Arrangements for the issue Of new uni
forms and camp equipment were dis
cussed. and all members were ordered to
leave their measurements with the quar-
termaster sergeant. Five Corcoran Cadet
souvenir pins were presented to members
for securing new members.
Sergt. Clark and PrivateS Reinhart and
Smith have received their prizes for rife
practice on the range Sergt. Clark de-
parted last Friday for Spokane. Wash,
where he will remain two months.
The eleventh anniversary Of the brigade
band was celebrated last Sunday evening.
The guests invited included Col s. E.
Cook. Capt. H. Coope. First Lieut.. W. a.
Duvall, Mr.. Frank Sigourney and Mr.
Robert Stearns.
The roster Of the band follows: Donald
B. Mcleod, chief musician: Sergt. r. r.
Strattan, SerEr. c. H. Henney Corp w.
H. Mohler. Drum Major ]. Giacchetti. +.
S. Brown, F. 3. Burke. C. " Burrows, j.
B. Caldwell, S. F. Compton. G. c. Craft.
w. NJ. Horton. w. A. Hoyberger. j. w.
Kolar. ]. w. Meyer. ]. E. Minnick. H E.
Nails. ]. Naecker, w. A. Saunders, H. B.
Schmidt, w. c. Seitz. T. ]. Taylor, c. NJ.
Wallace. w. r. Whittlesey and C. S.
Woodin.
y
American military riflemen. 1t is stated.
will have new pleasure added to the
list should the new board on revision of
the firing regulations for small arms
adopt the skirmish system. which has
been successfully tested at the school of
Col ha
Philippines. or the Australian skirmish
system. An idea of the proficiency in
shooting gained by officers and men in
the Philippines is given by the following:
Imagine man dressed in khaki. whose
color melts into the background of dirt
or burned grass. SO that at 60 yards he is
almost invisible. This man pokes his
head and shoulders over a dirt embank-
ment long enough to sight rifle and fire
a shot He represents the enemy"
Coming toward him is boy in blue
only he. too. is dressed in khaki. Begin
ming; at 600 yards distance. he stops and
waits for the enemy to appear. In ten
seconds the latter puts up his head and
seconds. Another wait of ten seconds and
again the head and shoulders of the
enemy appear for three seconds. This
happens four times. and the American
makes a run forward. loading as ne runs.
He falls to the ground. and in ten seconds
the enemy rises over the bank to fire.
Bang, bang goes the new Springfield.
This advancing and firing is repeated
until FIVE halts have been made. the figure
having been exposed four times for three
seconds each at each halt. and the soldier
having advanced until he is within 200
wards of the entrenchment. The enemy
is then examined. and it is found that he
has been struck twenty-five times. the
soldier having used something like thirty
or more rounds of ammunition. That is
field firing under approximate war con-
ditions, and that Is what is being done in
the Philippines and may be done to d
greater or less extent in the United
States.
Cant r. H. Allen 9th Infantry. who is
stationed in the Philippines. Is one of the
officers ordered to America to compete
for a place on the army teams to shoot
in the national matches at Camp Perry,
Ohio. next August. Last year the navy
carried off the national trophy, SO this
year the War Department called on the
PhilippineS to send their most expert
marksmen to the United states 20 tIy TOT
places on the infantry and cavalry teams.
and two officers and three enlisted men
were sent from the cavalry and six Of
ficers and one enlisted man from the an
fantry. The trip will take from INK TO
eight months. and all to compete for
places on teams which will meet the
teams from the navy and marine corps
and forty states and territories In the
greatest rife match America has yet seen.
Capt. Allen holds the records for shoot
ing under the Australian skirmish system.
Beginning at 800 yards, he fired forty shots
at the silhouette target described, stopping
At 900 Yards. Out of these forty shots he
made thirty hits The total exposure Of
the Silhouette was sixty seconds. but al
lowance must be made for the time 1t
takes bullet to cover the distance. This
allowance Is eight-tenths Of q second at