The San Francisco call., 1897-11-08
OUR NAVAL MILITIAMEN
The Camanche Will No Longer
Serve. the Purpose Of
Training-Ship.
Activity of the Fifth Division at
Eureka-Remarkable Score Of
Cookswain Beloher.

The naval militia at this port is now busy
every night studying the new drill rugula-
tions and the officers and men are working
with q viii to master them
Tuesday night there was a drill on the
wharf. when the men showed how proficient
they nave become in the new rec ulations.
The following named have been commits
stoned officers OF the Naval Militia: Carl +.
Lindsey. lieutenant junior grade, Fourth di-
vision; John L. Doyle, ensign, Fourth division;
Joseph L Emanuel, lieutenant junior grade,
First division; George r. Kingsland, Heuten-
ant and passed assistant engineer; Henry P.
GRAY, lieutenant junior grade and passed as
sistant engineer; George NJ. Merriman, en-
sign and assistant engineer.
The United States naval authorities having
decided to place the Old snip Marion, now at
Mare Is and, at the disposal of the Naval
Militia at this port, she will take the place OF
the Camanche which was recently cleaned and
repain ted. The officers OF the militia are OF
the opinion that the men under them viii do
much better on the more modern vessel than
they did on the monitor, Yet the men did re-
markably well on the monitor and their work
was the subject OF very favorable comment.
EUREKA. Nov. THE Fifth Division, Naval
Reserve NJ litia y. G. c., 1T Eureka, under
Lieutenant c, V. Otto. commanding, attracted
some little attention before The pubic last Au-
Captain Whiting of the United States wars nip
Mouadnock 10 the Nava. d 4partment at Wash
irgtOn. 1t was during the annual cruise OF
that vessel last JULY that she called at the
port OF Eureka. AT that time LieutenantS
Roper, Parker and Beecher OF the United
states Navy were designated n special board
to inspect the California Naval Militia. Alter
q careful inspection OF this division they made
4 report embcdying the fac's that II was we'll
equipped, excellent in discipline and in gun
drill very credita bic. They recommended that
faF7E L -. % ba
furnished the division. As n result the Gov
ernment has Just shipped seventy new Lee
magazine rifles for their better equipment.
Eureka feels very proud OF tins recognition by
the Government of her little body OF white
uniformed boys
An active interest in their work has always
been manifest on the part OF the officers and
members OF this detachment and It Is not sur
prising that il has reached suc1 high degree
of efficiency. Much credit in this respect is
cue 10 Lieutenant Otto for his zeal, uutirng
energy and determination not 10 be beh nj n
anything. % show the interest taken i'll this
work hardly ever week passes that a boats
crew OF this division is not out on the bay
several times going through a part OF their
exercise on the water.
The regular target practice OF this division
took place on the 16Ih inst. near the Marine
Ways on the peninsula west OF Eureda. Here,
on the low, barren sand fats, under cover of
the rising sand dunes, they have secured
splendid field for this practice. Under the
new regulations they shoot 200, 500 and 500
yards. Under these regulations 10 points
must be made out OF poss ible % at the 200
yard range TO admit the contestant to the 500
yard contest. ana 10 out OF possible % al
the 300-yard range to admit the CONTESTANT to
the 500-yard contest. In this manner one
must be very good mGrkSmau in order 10
contest at the 5c0-yard butt.
Tle manner OF practice developed the fact
that there was a goodly number OF first-rate
m6rksmen Il in the division. The shooting
interesting from the beginning, but when she
contest began at the 5O0-yaTd range, l. was
not only Interesting but exciting. Much ex-
celen- shooting was done, but Petty Officer
Irwin r. Belcher distinguished himself the
best shot in the division. and beyond a 4
doubt MS score disturbed the record of the
state in ike contests. At the 200 and 800
yard ranges he scored twenty points respect
lvely,' and at the 500-yard range ne made
twenty-four out OF a possible twenty-five
points.
The following are some Of the scores made:
200 yards-Lia uterant Otto u, E1slgn Nc
Laugniin 10, Ensign Barnum 10, Petty OF
ticars Lidstone Is, Manning 10. Long g. Muir
ray TO- Olsen 16, TORY 10 I. R. Belcher 20,
Seqmen Adams 10 + A. BetterIv 20 O. A
Betterly Is, Burreu 10 Comm, IS, RolIey
20. Strain 21, Smith q, scotch 10, Wing 10.
300-yard rar Ge-Ensign McLaug3lil Z, I. r
Bsleher Be 20, Sssmeu Adams 10, E A Betier!y
Is, BurreIl 10. Connlck 10. kOley 16, Strain
lS, Wing Il. 800 yards-Euslgn MCLdUg him
is, !. r Be.chec "a, /. A BetteTly -. COunick
Is, strain 90 ROIey IS. Bur.eu s, Wing IS
80 much interest has been aroused by the
shooting OF the division that the members
have Just organized out OF its best marksmen
TWO rifle teams and have dubbed them respeC-
lively the 'HiGhbiuGers" and the "Horrl bic
Ten" The division on the whole is giving
good deal OF attention TO target practice and
boat drill and is looking forward to the State
encam pment next summer, when 1t hopes TO
be in trim to contend with the best teams IN
the Naval Militia.
After target practice at about P NJ, when
the division was returning TO the city, ex-
citing scene was witnessed on the water front.
Two rowb boats well manned with Seamen were
closing race OF a mile and quarter from the
shooting grounds 20 tho boathouse. 1t was
close contest, but the large boat OF ten oars
came out ahead of that with eight by nalf
length
Repairing 10 the srmory, a short address
delivered by Lieutenant Otto. Alter this
Lieutenant DRESSER, invited guest, and
who had given good instruction to he boys
during The day, and VINO is assistant ins pector
OF rife practice OF the New YORK militia,
stepped forward and spoke in highly euio-
CYSTIC terms Of the officers and members OF the
division. He said he had never seen COM
pany that possessed more Drawn, muscle and
intelligence; that he was surprised at the
good practice at the butts, and pleased with
their extraordinary energy, dl>cipllne and
enthusiasm, and that as a representative oil
the State of New York ne felt that that State
would be justly proud OF such a company, and
the interests OF any State would be we'll pre-
served by such young men as composed the
Filth Division OF the Naval Militia, \. G. c.