WHY TARGETS SHOULD BE DARK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume X, Issue 2910, 27 May 1873, Page 3

WHY TARGETS SHOULD BE DARK.

To the Editor of the IIaUAIB. Sib, —When a system backed by reasons never answered, and declared by one of the highest military authorities in the colony to bo unanswerable, proves itself to be right, the proposer of it may be forgiven for being persistent to the end that his fellow colonists may not be deprived of the benefits contained iu the system which is now partially, and in time, is sure wholly to be adopted. You are doubtlosß, sir, aware that my propositions with respect to a means of knowing distance, color, and kind of targets, and also of rifle sights bett adapted as a means of instruction for possible actual service, have all been admitted by the best practical shots, and proved by repeated trials to be right. To show this I have only to refer to the soveral testa ordered by the Government, and made under the supervision of Major Gordon, Commanding Auckland District. Also to the trials and favourable resolutions passed at meetings of representatives for the General Government prize firing at Nelson, requesting the Government to adopt the principles in future Colonial prize firings. This, sir, you will perceive, brings the question to a definite iasue, viz.: If my propositions are right the present system must be erroneous, the two being direct opposites. The present system says the targets should be white because they can be the belter seen. Mine says they should bo dark or of a noutral color, in accordance with the logic of facts in the field itself, and that, moreover, the rifleman's eye should be educated in unison with those facts. The present system misleads the men, by learning them to aim on a white ground with blackened sights fa white ground in the Jield not being met with). Mine learns the men to aim on a dark ground with whito sights. A dark ground in the field being the only one to be met with, either in the object or its surroundings. There are a number of additional cogent reasons to be advanced in favour of dark targets in the place of the presont white ones; but, doubtless, sir, you will agree with me in thinking the above ought to be sufficient for any reasonable person. As the end and aim of all target practice is the attainment of the greatest practical efficiency in case of service in the field ever being required, it follows that the first Btep in the attainment of that object would be taken by the Government adopting at once the dark target for all Government prize firings, &c., —the result of this measure being tbat all rifle practice would follow in the same direction, Government prize firings being the main inducement for suck praotice. When it ia considered that I the question involves the practical efficiency in , the field, the personal confidence, and the ' quick and ready action of the rifleman, be he s a member of the constabulary, a militiaman, a 1 volunteer, or settler, it must be admitted tc - be one of vital importance to all who may ° £ 3 called upon to use a rifle. Knowing it_to bt 3 io «mboldens me in respectfully advocating lti 1 adoption by the' Government, being justified in such a course from the foregoing tacts, j c am, &C., I'HACTICAL.