Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-13
THE PROMOTION OF
u. S. RIFLE PRACTICE

Z p branch Of the service is doing more
M for rifle practice than the United
. States Marine Corps Maj. Gen. G.. F.
Elliott. commanding the Marine Corps, has
taken an active interest in the scheme of
training the marines to shoot. and the
progress made by the corps in the past
few years Is due to sympathy and intelll-
gent direction.
Whenever a money prize is captured IL
goes into a fund to further rifle shooting.
Thus about a year ago the Marine corps
was able to announce that from this fund.
supplemented by personal contributions OF
the officers it was able to present to the
National Rifle Association for perpetual
competition a massive solid silver trophy
costing over $3.50. Since then more
money has accumulated. and when the
new Marine Corps range near Indian
Head, Md. is ready for competitlons
there will be sufficient funds TO provide
for several trophies worth winning. The
men take great interest in the work, ana
some have requested permission to pass
around the hat among the enlisted men
for the purpose of providing Marine
Corps trophy for enlisted men, and If per-
mission is given the prospect is good that
q prize even handsomer than the Marine
Corps trophy will be secured.
That the Marine Corps has gone into
ed last season by their careful prepare
TONS Early in the summer more than
one hundred enlisted men were selected
from the most apt of the rif1emen of the
corps in all parts of the world and or
Ranized into a camp on the Sea grit. n. j.,
range, where the New Jersey authorities
gave them all facilities. 4 number of
officers were assigned to the camp and
the men were given q course of lnstruc-
| ton for three months with the view of
making them not only tirst-class rif1emen,
but also instructors and range assistants
Rigid discipline enforced and the
men were taught that their duties In TINS
work were regarded as of the hlgneSt I'M
portance. At the end of the season these
men were distributed to posts throughout
the country and elsewhere. including Ha-
wall, Panama, Guam and the Philippines
While the school was going marines
from New York. Philadelphia and Wash
ingtor, both from barracks and ships sta
toned at these ports, were taken to Sea-
girt for short terms Of instruction and
practice, and of the 153 men firing 1O1
qualified as expert rif1emen and Sc as
sharpshooters. The entire student class
Of officers. numbering Sc. was brought
from Port Royal, S. c., to Seagirt and
spent a month receiving instruction in the
theory and practice of rifle shooting.
The qualifications of the marines from
the ships and barracks were carried on
by the student officers and the class OF
enlisted men, who were in this manner
coaches and instructors
From Seagtrt large number of Off
GERS and men were taken to Camp Perry.
Ohio, for the national matches. Here the
Marine Corps camp was regarded as a
model. One hundred enlisted men were
assigned to duty as scorers. under Capt.
Lyman. and their natty appearance, SUI
perb discipline and accurate scoring were
the subject of favorable comment on all
sides The Marine Corps was equipped
with everything in the shooting line. Elk
haustive study had been made of all the
latest wrinkles and devices. and the in
formation thus obtained was passed on
to all who inquired. including their
closest competitors. The members of the
team acted on the principle that the serv
ice teams should help the state teams in
every way to spread a general knowledge
Of shooting and the men were directed to
give their best efforts and most accurate
information wherever possible. The clean
ing shed, workshop and materials were
open to all and the camp was always full
of visitors. Coaches were furnished to
several teams. notably Hawaii Virginia,
South Carolina and West Virginia, and
one team-later close competltor-Was
completely equipped with rifles from the
Marine Corps stock.
In these and subsequent matches it was
noticeable that the Marine Corps intro
duced novelties, the use of which had
heretofore been confined TO practice. 1t
entered teams equipped with Maxim 81
loncerS, ana QenlOUSlTdtcu' TIE elIlcl6Hcy
of the invention in match shooting. 1t
also equipped a team with telescope
sights, simple, practicable and suitable
for field use and designed and fitted by
the experts of the corps. Sergt. Czegka
won the famous Wimbledon cup with
such sight, designed and fitted by him
self. In the matches at Camp Perry the
Marine Corps acquitted itself with dis
tinction.
The Wimbledon cup was won by Seret.
Ia nrs,,
by Capt. d. c. McDougal. and the
Catrow cup by Sergt John W. Hingle.
In the Catrow cup match Sergt. Hingle
established the worlds record for the
ranges with perfect score at 500. 900
and 1000 yards. He also won the all
corners Iong-range aggregate match In
the all-c0mers' ofShand match Private