The bee., 1914-09-04
SOUTHERN SHOOTING
TOURNAMENT
OF 1913 win Be Held Il the Florida State
Rifle Range Near Jackson.
Vile,
ocroseR 8 TO ~.

Consistent with the policy OF the
United States OF depending upon
its citizens for national defense and
Of training them In time of peace to
meet that responsibility In time Of
war, there are held each year 8 se-
ries OF national rifle and pistol com.
petitions, which are known as the
National Matches. These matches
are held under the supervision and
direction of the National Board for
the Promotion OF Rifle Practice,
which Is a board created by act OIL
Congress for this purpose and OF
which the Assistant Secretary. OF
War. Hon. Henry l.. Breckenridge,
is the President.
These matches are participated in
annually by teams ofeighteen men
representing each branch of the
Regular Army, and by teams from
the Navy,>the Marine Corps, the u II
S. Military and Naval Academies
and from the National Guard of
each state and territory, and by
hundreds of individual competitors
30 we'll Heretofore the matches
have usually been held on the rife
range at Camp Perry, Ohio, which
is the, largest in the country but
this year there is to be departure
and instead Of holding the matches
all at one place, divisional matches
are to be held. The match to be
participated in by all of the compel
ing elements within the States OF
Tenaessee, Kentucky, North Caro-
lima, Georgia. Alabama, Mississippi
and Florida viii be known rs Ma
tional Divisional Composition AsB, =
and Will be held on the Florida
State Rifle Range, near Jackson
vile, Florida, in October.
The purpose in having divisional
matches this year instead of gen.
eral match, is 20 create wider in
terest in rifle shooting by bringing
the matches to the immediate at
tention Of larger number of peo-l
pile; also, to reduce the cost of and
increase to participation. A further
measure to the latter end 10 an
amendm of the rules which will
admit teams and individual Compel
itors from all universities, colleges
and military schools and colleges
within the states named. 1t is ex-
pected that many of the schools
and colleges, and particularly those
which maintain a cadet corps, will
participate. In Florida great prep
aratioDs are being made for the
holding Of thess matches. They
are to be held in conjunction with
the annual matches Of the Florida
State Rifle Association, the South
ern Interstate Rifle Association
and the National Rifle Association,
making four distinct compositions
which will collectively be styled
the Southern of 1914.
A handsome illustrated booklet
has just been issued by the Florida
military authorities giving full in
formation as to this tournament,
which will cover the period from
October to %, inclusive, and will
be the largest shooting event ever
held In the South. A copy of THIS
program and full information as to
the tournament can be obtained upr
on application to the Secretary,
Southern Shooting Tournament, p.
o. Drawer ~, st. Augustine, Flnri-
da. These matches will mark the
formal opening OF the new Florida
rifle range. which is the largest in
the country next t. Camp Perry.
All OF the Iifiemen IN the south are
anxious to see this new range, as
are those from other sections Of the
country, and IL Is expected that the
attendance will be very large. All
southern railroads have announced
specially low rates for the occasion.
The Executive Officer OF the
matches making up the Southern
Shooting Tournament IS General j.
Clifford n. Foster OF the Florida
National Guard, and the admlnis-
tratlff stan 10 composed OF officers
OF the Regular Army and OF the Ma
tional Guard OF all the States with
Ia the district.