Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-01-24
STATE HOUSE,: -.
Gen. Dill Talks Of Ma
tionaI Rifle Matches,
Annual Competition at Camp
Perry Begins Aug q.
Boston & Maine Railroad Wants
Branch Track.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting of Governor and Council
Tuesday, Jan. rs, at 10 A. M.

Adjutant General Elliott c. Dill and
and Colonel John J. Dooley, chief of
ordnance of the National Guard, have
returned from Washington where they
attended the meeting Of the National
Board for the Promotion OF Rifle
Practice. At this meeting it was de-
ciced that the national matches for
the current year will be shot at Camp
Perry, Ohio, beginning Monday, Aug.
-. The Friday and Saturday preced-
ing this date will be devoted to team
practice and Aug. II and Is have been
set apart for the matches of the Ma
tiCnal Rifle Association.
This years practice in the army
and in the National Guard will be
conducted in accordance with the new
small arms firing manual which is in
tended to make all practice more close
Is approximate service conditions.
In framing this years rules the Ma
tional Board followed quite closely
the new manual. To avoid the trou-
bic which arose last year and threw
ire naval academy team out of the
running a new rule was made which
prascrbeS that there shall be no al
teratiOn whatever in the service arm
as issued by the ordnance department
ard each team captain will be re-
uuircd TO certify that the rifles USED
bv his team have not been altered IN
any way. The rule further provides
that the ordnance department shall
prepare for issue to teams partclpat-
ing in the National match special
rifles carefully selected, star-guaged
and thoroughly tested.
The new firing manual provides that
on the appearance Of the target the
mqn firing shall drop on one knee ana
fire his five rounds during the 22nd
interval that the target remains In
sight. The members of the National
BOARD endorsed this change in RAPID
fire procedure in the national matches
hut the competitor will not have to
fire with the fixed bayonet aS lle
manual requires. In view or tne ldcl
following the new manual, thlS year
sl,irmish fire will be at disappearing
targets. All but one of the ola pen
alties are removed for the national
matches. This rule means that there
will he no penalty for firing be1ore
the target appears, none lor iiiiii5 a.
fer the target disappears ana none
for failure to fire the required hul'ipei
at anv halt, the only penalty i"ft pe-
inc. a deduction of five points from me
councillors; score for each shot lireu
in evcess of the number required. Inc
hoard were of the opinion that the
man firing after or before or faillhg u
G,a the required number was sulil-
GENTLY pcnaliZed by the neVltapie
failu,c to hit the target. The remain
ing penalty simply guards against d
competitors firing at Supsequeii'
holt a cartridge which he talied 10 IRE
earlier in the run. an
This years rules eliminate the o'o-
Yards stage in the national inalcheH'
rife practice having advanced so rap
Jaw that this stage has become 700
o,sv, for an event in which the pes'
,ioamen of the country compete.
,rhe new skirmish and RAPID hre
,oroot will be used in the natioila'
matches. A provision was also maze
for the appointment of one assistant
vocutive officer, from the Nationai
Guard. such officer to be Junior III
rank TO the executive officer OIL the
,,atohtS