Telegram-herald., 1889-05-26
MILITARY MATTERS
How ca S.tS are Taught the Art OF
Swimming.
SE1I THURSDAYS MILITARY PARADE
Ths Part which the Militia T4.es ia
Memorial Day CereIn oniss-soGns-
thing About tke ERoanaPEafs
-otheT NStSs ~ IntsTesI.

Among AL tie other things taugh. -
West Pointers, swimming Il one ~ the
most important, aud branch that
affords vast amount OF amusement
! tor those who are swimmers before
/ they 20 there. A. soon a. new class
gets settled ia camp lie, United
states officer Is detailed 10 instruct
them ia the delightful art.
A raft : constructed and anenored
the Hudson, about one hundred feet
from the shore. The pupils are taken
u boats 70 the raft, and whether they
can swim or not, after being gwen
some necessary instructions, are ordered
10 try 10 reach the shore. The boats
are kept ia readiness, 50 that II case
any one should sink they can be res
cued.
Occasionally subject is found who
has almost a mortal terror of water,
and they viii plead IN a most pltable
manner 10 be spared from attempting
but the officer is infiexible, or me aides
are, and the poor fellow Is sometimes
forced from the raft. After a few
such ducklngs hlS fear of water gradu-
ally subsidies, and he soon begins 10
learn TO sustain ms weight IA the water
for a few moments, and III lew days
Is able 10 reach the shore.
There are exceptional cases, however,
when the pupil never learns 10 SWIM
and Will sink 10 the bottom as quickly
as a stone. A case of tins KIND Oc-
CURED with Il man from lthlca, Mlchl-
gan. He had no fear of water, IN fact
| do not think he had fear of anything.
He told the instructor that he could
not swim and that he would sink like
stone, but he was ordered in.
He quietly stepped 10 the edge of
the raft and jumped into the water
and sank 50 quickly that no one could
get hold OF hnm. The result was that
diver was sent down two or three times
before he succeeded IN finding him and
when he was brought 10 the surface
and placed on the raft he smiled Just
as placidly as he did before he took his
ducking. He was never forced from
the raft again and had 10 be given up
as far as teaching him 10 swim was con
cerned.
In regard to the encampment Of reg
ular United States troops with the
militia, Washington special says:
"Adlutant-General Anger, Of Michi-
gan, has applied by letter TO General
Schofield for an order 10y which the
companies of the Twenty-third Infantry
may encamp with the Michigan troops
at GOguac Lake, from the Sth To the
18th of August, inclusive. General
SchOfield is out of the city, but ii i
thought at the War Department that
there viii be no doubt about
the issuance of the order; as
it has been the policy of the
department TO favor these JOINT en-
campments by regulars and national
militiamen. The order has to bc issued
by General Schoheld and approved by
the Secretary of War, because of the
expenditure involved. 1t Is not prOba-
bic that companies c and u, which are
at Fort Porter on the Niagara river,
will be ordered INTO camp in Michigan,
but companies 4 and b, at Fort Brady,
+ and X, at Fort Mackinac, and those
at Fort Wayne VIII be sent TO Goguac
Lake"
One of the objects of having an or
ganized militia Is for safety to citizens
and property in case of a riot or dis
turbance greater than can be quelled
by the civil officers. suppose a rot
should break out in tins city. How
long would II take 10 get the troops
into line? Itcould not be done easily.
There should be some alarm which the
militiamen would understand was
signal for them to assemble at the
armores.
All military organizations are asked
to take part IN the parade next Thurs
| day. The state troops of the city have
been assigned to their places IN the
parade and the military departments
of several societies have also agreed
to take part.
The boys are rapidly improving in
! the evoluti0ns OF the battalion since
| they commenced thor outdoor drills.
| 4 marked Improvement l. seen, especi-
| ally id taking and maintaining proper
| intervals.
Half-fare rates have been conceded
| by the railroads 10 the encampment of
| State troops at Battle Creek.
Company viii have a fun dress
inspection Monday evening, which Will
| be followed with a hop.