The evening times., 1899-06-15
THE NAVAL MILITIA
IN FINE CONDITION
District Battalion Ready for
Its Sea Cruise.
The Prairie to Be Used Instead of
the Fern.
Men to he Given Practice in Han
ding Heavy Guns-Resump-
tiOn of Drills.

From the present outlook, the District o
Columbia battalion will be one of the bes
organized and equipped Of the naval militi;
companies when they are all ready To-
their cruise at the end of the month. 1t h
probable that they will leave this city jun
23 and meet the United States auxiliar,
cruiser Prairie at Point Lookout. From
that place the boys will run the ship dowl
the river into the Chesapeake Bay ant
then out to sea-
| This will be the first deep sea experienc.
for many Of them. but they do not expec
to be inconvenienced by their inexperience
Many Of the men in the District battalion
have served in the navy and they will bs
able to give instructions to their less for
! tunate brethren who will make their maid
| en- cruise on the Prairie
II was at first intended that the cruise
should be made in the battaIion's own ves-
Sci, the Fern. but this ship IL not equipped
| with modern ordnance, and 1t is the de-
| sire Of the navy officials to have the va
rious crews in the different States become
| as proficient in the handling of the heavy
guns as possible.
The Prairie has very heavy battery
consisting mostly of 6-inch guns. This il
the type OF cannon which will probably be
most used in the naval warfare of the fu-
ture, and therefore it is necessary that tie
men should get the training required 10
make them expert marksmen. The District
sailors will not have much to learn about
these guns. however. While it is true
that they have never had an opportunity
to handle a vessel which was armed with
them. most Of those members of the militia
who have not served in the navy are en-
ployed in the navy yard, and have been
engaged In the manufacture of the guns
They understand everything about them
except the actual firing. and 1t is said by
some of the men that this knowledge can
be mastered in a comparatively short time
The only guns that the boys have had a
chance to practice with are two 3-inch
Howitzers, which were issued 20 the
militia at the time of its formation. These
guns are the most improved of their kind
in existence. and the boys have become ex-
pert in operating them. There is vast
quantity OF ammunition that can be used
whenever the commander of the Reserve
elects and 1t is thought that when the boys
return from their cruise frequent trips will
be made down the river for gunnery prac-
tice.
The Fern returned to her dock at the
foot Of Eighth Street after undergoing
Every part Of the ship was examined and
repaired. The vessel was in sad need OF
these improvements. as she had not been
overhauled for long time previous to her
being assigned to the District as a practice
ship. and was in a foul condition. Every
part of the ship has been treated to a
new coat of paint, and the various cabins
have been doctored up to such an extent
that her interior looks like new. The ship
was employed all through the war with
Spain as despatch boat and rendered eX-
cellent service. Her bottom Is still foul
but on the cruise down the river Sunday
she made 9.S knots an hour. although. with
a clear bottom. it is said she can easily
make twelve knots.
The men have been hampered somewhat
in their duties by the lack of equipment
but this is being remedied as rapidly as
possible. New bedding and blankets have
lately been issued to the commander of
the militia. and these are being unpacked
as rapidly as possible. The entire lot is
now on the berth deck Of the vessel, and
as fast as the men come to the ship they
are being issued the necessary materials
for their cruise. Drills have been resum-
ed on the vessel. and it is probable that
there will be two every week from now
on. The busiest man on the vessel at
present Is the ships tailor. who is attend
ing to the repairing of the uniforms be-
fore the departure OF the men Trousers
are being repaired. blouses with rips in
them sewed up, and hammocks inspected
and put In good order. Altogether. the
militia Is in fine shape 1t is said that
they are really in better condition for their
practice trip than any other reserve in the