The morning call., 1891-09-14
NATIONAL GUARD.
Boom Organization of the Naval
Battalion.
The First Going to ehicago-Bicycles in the
service-Eew Wrinkles in Camp-Adop-
tiOn of somber Uniform.

scheme has OF course attracted many, but
as yet nothing but promises has been dealt
out. That novelty will soon wear off, for
there will be months of drilling before the
companies will be in state to appear in
public.
1t will he many more months before the
enthusiastic boys will have had the satsfac-
ton of ever having worn the natty uniform
of the battalion, and many more months
more before the sea-solders will have mad
the proud satisfaction of having trod the
deck of the training-ship, for Uncle Sam
and also the Adjutant-Generals office move
awfully slow in such matters.
The patience of the "bOys and all sol
diers are boys"-may not have been eX-
hausted then, and they may after all these
delays be as enthusiastic as they are to-day;
but il will be interesting to note whether
then the companies will have the large
membership they have now and whether
they will not have been disiliuSiOniZed after
the manner Of the stick of the rocket. which
went up in such blaze of glory in the fzz-
-boOm-ah style.
Talking of the battalion, the evening sheet
which never makes allusion to a military
matter bat to do SO incorrectly, rashy stated
that ~the law allows California but four
Francisco, one for Eureka, and one for San
Diego" The law simply states that there
shall be allowed mot more than four COM
panies of naval militia. which snail consti-
tute a battalion TO be known as the Naval
Battalion of the National Guard"
uoCUs PoCUs AT SAN DIEGO.
Eureka las never been considered in the
matter and the assignment of the companies
L't.at oil ha
fourth to San Diego. BY some hocus pocus
San Diego sent in its application to the Ad-
iutant General first, though a company in
San Francisco had already been practically
organized, and While the San Diego COM
pany las not yet been mustered in and the
three companies in san Francisco have, Yet
it will have tie letter A in the battalion.
A has the required quota aud IS waiting
for the detail Of an officer e. muster Il n ana
hold the election for officers. The future OF
this San Diego company IS not SO promising
Ii he battalion is fortunate enough to have
either the Npsic or Adams assigned to 1t in
this barbor for practice purpose, certain
quite that she cannot be kept going be-
tween here and san Diego for the drill of
Comp my a, aud quite as certain Will 1t be
also that the southern company cannot be
TsilroadinG weekly to this city to avail Itself
Of the presence OF the trimming ship.
Two vessels will certainly not he assigned
for battalion of four companies, resulting
Practically to locate one permanently al san
Diego for one company. The San francisco
companies have thus the best OF the bargain,
not considering their proximity 10 the Navy
Yard at Mare Island and the greater Opper-
tUnitIes for calling upon the assistance and
advice Cf the officers stationed there.
The company, which should have the let-
ter A and was mustered in on the 22d ult.,
has been designated 3. and the one mus
tered IN on the Sd. with ffty-four members,
will be known as c. Company ID was formed
on Friday night Of the yachtsmen on the
bay, ana elected as officers Louis ID. Turner,
Lieutenant; Shafter Howard. Lieutenant
Junior Grade, and En,igns William L.
Gum and T. F. Tracy.
COMMAND OF THE BATTALION.
According to the law establishing the or
gauization the battalion will be commanded
by a ACCOMPLISHMENTS and for this
post F, b. Chandler, who has been promi-
nPnt in the work of organizing the cOmpa-
uies, will undoubtedly be elected. The
staff officers viii be an AGjutant, an Ordi-
rance Officer and a PaymaSter selected from
the Lieutenants of the Junior Grade Of the
battalion. besides Surgeon, with like rank.
For the most important of the staff positions
the Adiutant-F. a. Brooks has been Ia
vorably named. He was elected Ensign of
Company B, but not having qualified, was
chosen Lieutenant Junior Grade at the elec-
ton IN Company Z, so that he Is el!giDie,
having moreover rendered service In the
In drawing the bill the theory was to
make the Naval Battalion distinct feature
of the National Guard apart from the land
forces but the thing was so rushed through
tile Legislature that, with other defects, no
appropriation for Its maintenance was even
thought OF. But the divorce from the
National Guard was not complete after all,
and when il came to muster In the COM
panies the assistance of its officers had to be
called In TO give the proceedings legal effect.
Another anomalous state OF affairs, which
has not vet made itself felt, Will result from
the distribution of companies IN two local-
ties. The San Francisco companies have
bePn placed or will be considered under
Second Brigade headquarters for admins
frative purposes and the San Diego company
will be under orders from headquarters OF
The First Brigade.
headquarters will be in San Francisco, his
companies are in territorial limits OF two
brigades and under distinct jurisdictions for
administrative purposes. The practical re-
suit will be that the acknowledgements
will only have battalion oil three COM
panies, and the fourth will be almost en-
tirey under its company commander.
THE FIRST GOING TO CHICAGO.
Some two or more months ago Companies
C and (Nationals), First Infantry, re-
solved to go to the Worlds Fair at chicago
in 1898 appropriation or no appropriation
from the State, and since then some 100
men have been paving money weekly into
a fund which has been invested so as to
bring in interest, certificates being issued
by the Treasurer Of the fund which are ne-
gotiabe in the corps, and registered also, in
which case they are Withdrawn from clrcu-
lation and not redeemable until 1893
About fortnight ago Company II Of the
regiment also voted to 90 to the Worlds
Fair and made some arrangement patterned
after tile above. Then the desire to go to
the fair as a battalion became epidemic In
the regiment and at the meeting OF the
Board of Officers on Wednesday evening
the subject came up aud vote was carried
that battalion from the First Infantry
Regiment go to Chicago to represent the
National Guard Of California.
Lieutenant Colonel Il. p. Bush has been
put in charge of the preliminares and this
fact alone auguTs we'll for the scheme, for II
there is "rustler" and man who seldom
fails in anything he undertakes It is he. 1t
is not proposed to take the entire regiment,
but a battalion Of some 800, permitting of
the formation OF seven companies, each OF
twelve files front, double rank, with guides
and ile-closeTs, or about forty men per COM
pany.
These will be picked men from their COM
panies drilled especially and uniformed
anew, 50 that California will take back
seat with no other State in the Union as re.
CARDS citizen soldiery save in the numerical
representation.
BICYCLES IN THE GUARD.
In his report to the War Department OF
the inspection of the Connecticut National
GHard Lieutenant w. II. c. Bowen, Fifth
Infantry, praises the troops generally, but
especially calls attention to special blcy-
Gle CORPS organized by corps of the First
Regiment Armed with Colts repeating
carbine, and with a revolver, man mounted
on bicycle, according to Lieutenant Bow
en-, can travel in many places where II
would be impossible to take horse, and
can beat the flag in sending messages. In
his opinion the bicycle service will be ad-
yIsable as messengers, patrol and advance
guards, and he suggests to the War Depart
ment the feasibility of extended expert
ments in that line. The cOlored troops are
especially commended as perfect soldiers
and marvellous scouts.
Second Artillery, has been relieved from
duty and placed on the retired list with the
rank designated, having served more than
seven years continuously.
Regimental orders from the Second dis
charged Corporal and two privates from +.