The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-01-26
RIFLE PRACTICE.
Plans of National Board for the Pro
motion Of Rife Practice.

4 Atu'VNoh w f'hS AteNtNS' WIN 'HN
National Rifle Association, meet
with the approval of Congress, great
impetus will be given to schoolboy
rifle practice in the United States. A
tournament recentaly held in New
York City met with such conspicuous
success that when the Board OF Di-
rectors OF the National Rifle Associa-
ton assembled in Washington it was
unanimously agreed that Congress
should be asked for n appropriation
to further the work among the school
children The marvellous shooting OF
the Annapolis cadets and the Navy
team, which was composed almost ex-
clusively OF young men, at Annapolis,
coupled with that of the school boys
at Creedmoor and Sea Grit and on the
miniature range at the recent Sports
mans show, has demonstrated that
lads from sixteen years old upward
can be taught to handle the military
rifles with precision. AT that age
boys are enthusiastic about guns and
outdoor sports and it is proposed to
turn their attention toward the use OF
the military rifle with the idea that
as they grow older their fondness for
this sport will increase and that on
leaving the schools, colleges or uni
versities they will jon the National
Guard or civilian rifle clubs and thus
continue the work. As Gen, James A.
Drain, President OF the National Rifle
Association. aptly put 1t: "The high
school boys of today will be the soldi-
ers of tomorrow, and from them we
should get our best militiamen and Of
hcers and our best marksmen." The
English government spends large
sums Of money annually in encourag
ing school-boys rifle practice and
other countries are turning their at
tention in this direction. The Natl
onal Board has recommended to the
Secretary of War that an item be
inserted in the Army appropriation
bill setting aside 100000 for the pro-
motion OF rifle practice in public
schools, colleges, universities, and
civilian rifle practice, including the
cost of arms, ammunition, prizes, and
the necessary material and appliances
therefor and for the expenses OF in
door and outdoor competition among
the students, and members attending
or belonging to the same and the
travelling expenses and pay of per-
sons designated by the Secretary OF
War to superintend such instructions
and competition. These are to be
conducted in accordance with regula-
tions to be prescribed by the Secret
ary OF War. General Robert Shaw
Oliver, Assistant Secretary OF War,
and President OF the National Board,
General James A Drain, and General
George w. Wingate, of New York,
"the father OF rifle practice" have
been named as committee to present
the matter to Congress.
The National Board for the Pro-
motion of Rifle Practice has made
some important changes in regard to
the National Matches which will be
held at Camp Perry, Ohio, beginning
Monday Augest "a, 1908. Monday
was fixed as the opening day instead
of Wednesday as last year in order
that the teams and range officials
might have Sunday to rest and pre-
pare for the strenuous days to follow.
The preceding Friday and Saturday,
Augest II, and n, will be set aside
for preliminary practice, the use OF
the range being free to the teams. To
avoid controversies the Nation militia
has been included so that its members
will be clearly eligible for places on
the team. In the AIRY Matches mem-
bers of the medical corps are forbid
den to compete as under the Red
Cross regulations they are not sup
posed to bear arms or to be comba-
tants, but for the purpose of the Ma
tional Match the team organized
militia will be held to include the
several arms, corps, and departments
which constitute it.
1t will be Of great interest to rifle
men to know that Model 1908 rifles,
otherwise known as the New Spring
field" will be used, as this means the
new rifles will be issued in time for
spring practice. The ammunition will
be confined to the service cartridge
as manufactured and issued by the
4 A -