Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-14

Is taxing up the time allowed
for conversation in the Nation
al Guard of the District of
Columbia just at present With
the target range in full blast, there is
a tremendous amount of interest being
displayed in the results shown by the
men who are able to get there. AS for
the camp, all that can leak out at bril-
gade headquarters is the time for the
encampment. which will be from August
IS to August ~.
There are a few little surprises which
may be announced any moment now in
regard to the camp. Talks with Col.
Smiley indicate that if one of the recon-
mendations goes through with the War
Department o. K. the guard will see a
distinct innovation this summer in the
way of a camp.
Just where the camp is going to be is
also dark secret. Hush! But at any
rate it's not going to be very far away.
The work of the rifle team at Annapolis
last Saturday is being analysed Just at
present. The report that came to head
quarters along with the detailed scores
| indicates that the rapid firing competi-
| ton was won by the mindless because
| they had devoted many hours of hard
work to the mechanical parts of the
rifles. the manipulation of the pieces, etc.
An old rifle sharp said recently that hard
| work at this feature of the rapid fire
| work would cut down from third to
quarter of the time taken for that part
| Of the twenty seconds. therefore allowing
| just so much more time for sighting and
| careful trigger pulling.
However. there will be more matches
| and Maj. Thomas S. King is very anxious
| to have q match with the boys very soon
| at the District range.
| Splendid results are being reported
| by Maj. Thomas S. King from the rifle
range. The average Of the men quail,
| flying as marksmen or better is so good
this year that 1t is a matter Of COM
mendation at headquarters. Last week
Company E, I'd Infantry, had thirty
seven men firing. Out of this large
number thirty-three qualified as marks
men or better. thirteen of the men
we're new and unqualified when they
started shooting, and nine of them
qualified as markSmen.
X X x X
Company F, I'd Infantry. reported
twenty-three men firing and all but
| one qualified as marksmen or better.
An even dozen men inexperienced with
| the rife shot with the company last
| week, and eleven of them qualified.
Company G, I'd Infantry. had twenty
men out of twentythree to qualify.
| One new man who had not qualified
came through the various ranges and
| qualified as marksman.
X x X *
| The Signal Corps Company had eight
| cen men on the range. Sixteen quail
| fed as marksmen or better. Ten new
and unqualified men were ranked as
marksmen after the practice, out of
| twelve reporting during the week.
* x x x
! One of the tents at the range caught
! fire and was destroyed last week A
| special investigation into the cause and
regarding property loss is being made.
| Persons who have tried to get the
| range on the telephone within the last
| day or two may be interested to know
that a Signal Corps man has been or
dered to find out just what the trouble
with that line is, anyhow
x X X x
The totals for the week at the range
| show that 1O1 men fired and that 81
| qualified as marksmen or better. It is
believed that if the men could have
stayed longer at the range the showing
| would have been even better. Some of
| the men found it impossible to spend the
allotted time at the targets away from
| their work. However the instructor SER
geants from the army made the best of
short space and gave instruction where
| 1T was most needed.
! 4 X
They are telling a story at the range
just now about ''southpaw" marksman
who has Just found out that he can
shoot left-handed. 1t seems that for
years he has been shooting from his
right shoulder, but sighting with his left
eye made an awkward craning Of the
neck. He was toiling away at that style
OF aiming one day last week. when an
instructor sergeant asked him about 1t.
| Il can see so much better with my left
eye" replied the National Guardsman
Well. why don't you shoot from your
| left shoulder
Il never thought OF it,
| The instructor sergeant thereupon es-
corted the left-eyed man to the coaching
lines and with a few we'll directed lee
| lures on the art of aiming from the
| southpaw'' put him back at the range.
| The southpaw Is one Of those who quail
| fled as marksman.
! And he had been shooting that cross
eyed way for years!
| 1t was an even break at Annapolis.
/ The Middies put it over the National
Guardsmen in the rapid-flring and at
| thousand yards but Maj Thomas Kings
| Dragons cut down the targets at 900
and 600 yards. The scores showed that
| the District National Guard team had b23
TO the MlddleS 5O7 at 200 yards and SIS to
the Middies So at 600 yards The sailor
| boys came in strong, with 538 to the Dis
trfct's 507 at 1000 yards, and with 5;7 to
the Districts jO5 in the rapfd-firing.
| Totals were 1000 for the guard and 2,134
for the Naval Academy.
Capt Oehman. 1st Infantry; Lieut.. Col.
! l.. III. Reichelderfer, chief surgeon and
Col. William f. Harvey, I'd Infantry have
| reported at headquarters following their
return from the army maneuvers at San
| Antonio.
! AS usual. portion of the National
| Guard of the District of Columbia will
| take part in the remembrance Of Memo
rial day, May 80.
The I'd Battalion. ID Infantry, Mai
| Alexander Summers commanding, and the
] 1st Infantry Band will parade as escort
Memorial day, and will form at the Gen.
| ter Market Armory in ample time to re-
port to Assist Adit. Gen. O.. H Old
! royd at the Grand Army Hail. 1412 Penn
sylvania avenue northwest, at $50 o'clock
| am
| ID Infantry: the adjutant list Infantry
and Chief Musician Joseph B. Caldwell
| LIST Infantry Band. will confer with
Asst Adjt. Gen. Oldroyd In ample time
| to arrange formation, route Of march and
other necessary details.
The chief musician. LIST Infantry Band
| Battalion, I'd Infantry. for duty during
| this ceremony
/ Tv,cf ,nti