Evening star., 1898-10-22
THE NATIONAL GUARD
Beginning Of a New Era in Local
Military Affairs.
REQUISIfION MADE FOR SUPPLIES
Formal Transfer of the Fern to
Naval Battalion.
OFFICERS RESUME DUTIES

| The return of General Harries to this city
in the near future and his restoration to
health will probably be followed by a gem
eral awakening throughout the District of
| Columbia National Guard. In the mean
| time, however matters in the brigade are
| decidedly active, and Captain Dapray, the
| energetic acting adjutant general, is kept
| busy from morning to night. He is in daily
| correspondence with General Harries, and
| beneficial results have been the outcome.
| Pending the settlement of the property
| question, requisiton for ordnance and ord
| nance stores has been made for 800 each
| of the following: Springfield rifles, caliber
! 45. cartridge belts, blanket bags, haver-
| sacks, canteens, tin cups, meat cans,
| knives forks and spoons.
| Accompanying the requisition an explana-
tory statement was sent to the chief of
| ordnance setting forth that the articles
| called for are intended to replace, in part,
| the ordnance and stores which were turned
over, under existing law and orders to the
| 1st Regiment, District of Columbia Volun-
teer Infantry. in May last, when that regi-
| ment was equipped entirely from the stores
| of the National Guard. The exact amount
of property turned over has not, at the
present time ben aScertained, but the maj
ter is now in the hands of a board of SUI :
Vey appointed for that purpose. 1t is fur
| ther stated that some of the companies of
| the guard are, in consequence entirely dis
| armed, and for several months have been
unable to perform military duty.
| Officers Resume Their Duties.
number Of officers of the LIST District
Regiment have resumed their duties as Ma
tional Guard officers, reporting formally to
the adjutant general. They are Major F. S.
| I1odgson, 4th Battalion; Capt. William 7.
| H. King, Company B, 5th Battalion; Capt
| James l.. Mock, adjutant of the I'd Regi-
| ment; Capt d. V. Chisholm, Company b,
ID Battalion, and Capt. T. S. King, inspec-
tor of rifle practice, 1st Regiment.
| Commissions have been forwarded to the
| following: Col. Henry May, 1st Regiment;
| First Lieutenant H. T. De Groot, adjutant
| I'd Battalion; Second Lieutenant Alexander
| NJ. Allison, Company c, 1st Battalion; First
| Lieutenant Samuel L. +. Piper, Company
B, 1st Seperate Battalion. and Capt. d. V.
Chisholm, Company B, I'd Battalion.
| Commissions have been received at head
quarters for the fo.-owing, but they will be
held until the officers report for duty:
First Lieutenant Charles L. Lanham
Company A, 9th Battalion; First Lieuten-
| ant John H. Lewis, Quartermaster. I'd Bat
| talon; First Lieutenant Alfred 4 Smith
| Company B, 9Th Battalion; Second Lieuten-
ant Will E. Sorrels, Company D. 9th Bat
TALON, and First Lieutenant Leigh H
| French inspector of rifle practice 9th Bat
talon.
| District Militia Regulations.
Captain Dapray is compiling set of reg
! ulations for the government of the District
| of Columbia militia. This work has been
| lond needed and, it is generally admitted,
| will be of great value. 1t will be modelled
| after the army regulations, each article
| relating to a separate subject. 1t will be
| book of ready reference, culled from the
orders and circulars that have been issued
| during the past eleven years.
Accounts Must Be Closed.
A ruling of Importance just decided on at
| headquarters is that officers who resign
| must make final return for all property
| charged to them before final action will be
taken as regards their designations. Cases
are on record of several years rolling by
after the acceptance of an officers resig-
| nation before his property accounts were
| squared. In fact, some have never been
settled.
| In order that Captain Charles NJ. Shreve,
| Company B, 1st Battalion, may make the
necessary property return pending final
action on his tender of resignation First
| Lieutenant Jesse f. Grant has been or
dered to receipt for all public property is
sued to the organization mentioned and for
which Captain Shreve is now accountable.
Discharges and Transfer.
| The special order appointing Private
| Milo H. Sutliff acting second lieutenant.
| ambulance corps, has been revoked, and
| Private Sutiin has been honorably dis
| charged on his own application In like
manner Private Russell B. Main, ambu-
| lance corps, and William E. Douglas, Com
pany A, 1st Separate Battalion, have been
| discharged. Private Theodore Silance Com
| pany D, I'd Separate Battalion, has been
transferred to the 1st Division, Naval Bat
TALON.
Transfer of the Fern.
Formal transfer was made this afternoon
| of the L. S. s. Fern to the District of Co.
lumbia for use as a practice ship and
armory.
1t is generally conceded by naval officers
| that the District Naval Reserve Is very
| fortunate in securing from Secretary Long
| the assignment of the Fern. The vessel is
in first-class condition for the purpose for
which 1t is to be used, having had new boil
| ers placed aboard last year Her engines
are more simple Inan those Of the recently
constructed cruisers. and will afford oppor-
tunities for acquiring thorough and prac-
| teal knowledge of the engine room on the
| part of those who Will be assigned to duty
| there.
The Fern is lGO feet in length between
perpendiculars, 2s feet beam and draws
about IL feet of water. This Will enable
her to navigate the Potomac river without
| danger Of running aground In places where
the channel is shsllow
Order fo,, sale Revoked.
The Navy Deparifaent october had con
cluded to sell the F;rp. and an order was
Issued hy Secretary Long convoulng a
board " appraisems nj AZ Norfolk. Va
where the vessel lay. M various bureaus
were. a. the same time. Instructed o. 80.
move their arms ea,ap,s<ifs snd the hks
in order Ca facilitate h.t ptuupt dispusal
~ this point one uf the eHrrfH 20 ihu De.
tfiei - Columbia Nav Al battalion learned
sissu, aud itntasdiatsif secuted from tHs