Evening star., 1909-02-07
NEWS OF THE LOCAL
NATIONAL GUARDSMEN

the only one using high power rifles as
means of defense and offense wk;eh does
not possess what might be termed in the
true sense Of the word national rifle
range. The army has several more or
less adequate. but none of them can
touch in extent or equipment the great
navy range at Guantanamo. Several of
the states have ranges worthy of the
name. that of New Jersey at Sea Girt
and that of Ohio at Camp Perry. But
when the United States government holds
It's annual matches for the army. navy,
Marine Corps and National Guard, the
only sporting contest under the auspices
of the government and the greatest inter
state sporting event of the year, IT Is
compelled to borrow the use of a rife
range from one Of the states. Col Evans
recommends that national range be ac-
quired Immediately and suggests the pur-
chase of the Camp Perry range, for the
reason that it is believed not 10 be in
keeping with the dignity of the United
States TO be under obligations TO a state
for the loan of range for great
tional event under the management OF
the general government"
Col. Evans points out that the maxi
mum number OF teams which can par
ticipate in the National match. being one
from each state or territory and one from
the Infantry. cavalry. navy, Marine Corps
and the Military and Naval academies.
is fifty-siX. Last year fifty teams par
ticipated, which were accommodated on
the Camp Perry range. But he urges
that the national range should be large
enough to accommodate all teams having
the privilege of competing. and suggests
sixty targets in a bank at short. mid and
long ranges. with sufficient Intervals be
tween to admit of simultaneous firing on
f.xFn ninip 10 d.
eventually A range sufficiently large To
permit of field firing under service con-
ditions, being at least five miles square.
Such a tract would comprise twenty-five
square miles, or 5000 acres, and Col.
Evans mentions the fact that Germany.
with less than that of Texas.
maintains twenty such ranges, designed
to fulfill the conditions of having each
dimension greater than the range of the
rifle.
THE time is now ripe Col Evans
says, when the government should
quire such ranges and institute matches
under service conditions for the purpose
of practically demonstrating the differ
ence between range firing at known dis
tances and under artificial conditions, all
favorable, and firing at unknown dis
tances under service conditions
Continuing, Col. Evans points out that
at the last match there were present for
duty in manning the range no less than
10 officers and so enlisted men. and
the anomalous situation is presented "n
which the state of Ohio owns fine range
but has not the necessary officers and
men to man it. and on the other hand
the general government has the officers
and men, but does not own a creditable
rifle range on the entire Atlantic slope,
and finds it more difficult from year to
year to acquire suitable sites for them
* K
Among otbar recommendations iS npe
that the service teams shoot in a separate
special class and that the match be shot
militia match, service teams equalng
or exceeding the score of militia prize
winners to receive an equal amount OF
prize money and the three trophies to go
to the highest teams, irrespective OF
whether service militia. This would be
a similar arrangement to that pursued
with officers and enlisted men In the
small arms competitions. Because OF the
injury to the time honored trophies. the
National Hilton and Soldier of Marathon
from shipping and reshipping each year.
Col. Evans recommends they be deposited
in the Capitol National Museum. or
some other fitting place, and bronze
medallion commemorative of the victory
be given to the winner, and duplicate be
deposited with the trophy.
Col. Evans calls attention to the splen-
did showing made by the cadets from
Annapolis. who finished seventh in field
of fifty. and says: The absence of the
team from the United States Military
Academy was again the subject of ad-
verse comment This academy furnishes
a large number of the officers who are to
teach the subject Of shooting to our army.
and they cannot begin too early to learn
the subject which will most occupy their
time after they become officers
He also recommends that if the govern
ment furnishes the officers and men to
man the range for the matches of the
National Rifle Association, they should he
under the management of the executive
officer of the national match.