Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-05-05
THE NATIONAL GUARD
TT
Promising Outlook for the Cruise of
Naval Battalion.
DETAILS OF THE SERVICE At Sea
Present Condition Of the Guard as
an Organization.
a n Il NJ D q
|EqAILS OF THE SERVICE At Sea
NJ A 7 G II ES AND PRIZE S

The officers and men of the battalion have
been hard at work for the past two months
brushing up in infantry drill, signaling, sea-
manship, etc, and making preparations for
their second annual cruise, which is sched-
uled to take place from July to 10, in
elusive. The plan of the Navy Depart
ment is for the local sailor boys to embark
on the Prairie the morning of July 3 at
Piney Point for cruise of seven days.
The L. s. S. Fern, the training ship of
the District of Columbia, will be used to
convey the battalion to the point desig-
mated and return, when the cruise is at an
end.
The District of Columbia will bear the
expense of the subsistence of the organiZa-
ton while aboard the Prairie. and see that
the members are properly supplied with
bedding and mess outfits. The work of
arranging for the comfort of the men dur
ing the outing will be attended to by the
paymaster and his assistants of the local
organization.
The work of instructing the men In man
of-war routine duties. drilling. subcaliber
practice, including target practice and fir
ing with the big guns will comprise the
most important features of the cruise.
The Daily Routine.
The daily routine of the Naval Battalion
while on the Prairie will be as follows:
First day.-9:3O- :15-Muster and sta
tons at guns. Instructions about training,
elevating and sighting. 1o:4J-11 :45-Aim-
ing drill. 1:3o-2:3o-Taking apart breech
mechanism Instructions concerning parts;
cleaning and returning same. 23o-tAfter
finishing above.1 Continue aiming drill till
each man has made a target.
Second day.-9:30- :1.-Having sent men
who Were at siX-inch to the six-pdr. guns
and vice versa carry out exactly the same
routine first day.
Third ddy.-g. .D-NuStpr at stations. Sub
caliber practice. Crews drilled as if firing
regularly, but each gun acts Independently
Each man fires ten shots, then shifts sta
tons. 1:3o-Same as forenoon.
Fourth day. :30-1015-Muster at sta
tons. Subcaiber practice. First and
second gun captains fire. Commence firing
visionaI drill. 1O:45-Aming drill. 80
2:30-Same as forenoon. After completing
gun drill finish aiming drin, each man max
ing a target
Fifth day. :30-AIuster at stations Each
gun fire rounds at target. Guns fire in
succession. 1:30-Contnue morning work.
The naval militia will be examined at
convenient times in signals and naval drills.
The watch duties of the vessel will be per-
formed by the officers of the naval bat
TALON under the supervision of the regular
officers. and the naval battalion officers
will, as far as practicable. be instructed in
all that pertains to the handling, navlga
ton and lighting of the vessel.
Details of Sea Service.
The details as to the cruises of the differ
ent naval militia organizations on board the
United States steamer Prairie during the
summer of 1899 have been arranged by the
commanding officer of that vessel, and have
been distributed among the officers COM
mandirg the militia III the several states.
The officers of the naval militia Of com
mand and commissioned rank will mess in
the ward room, Of warrant officers rank.
NtI;,,
sire to 90 SO. OF course, it IS distinctly I'M
derstood that the naval militia officers
quite a liberty to form their own messes if
they wish. On the coming cruise of the ma
val battalion the officers are requested to
bring with them blankets. napkins. toilet
articles, sheets and pillow cases. towels.
bath sponges and other necessary articles
required on an outing Of this nature.
The enlisted men will be furnished sub
sistence by the ship, but parts of naval ra-
tons can be purchased from the Paymaster
as cash issue. Aboard the Prairie there is
an ice box which holds about foilr tons of
ice. and this will be placed at the DISPOSAL
of the naval militia. The responsibility for
the food Of the men will rest entirely upon
the officers of the organizations which par
ticipate on the cruise. Each enlisted man
is requested to bring with him blankets.
hammock, knife. spoon, bowl. toilet articles
bag, fork, hammock mattress, plate cup
and towels.
Each Command Arranges It's Own.
AS the numbers and ratings of enlisted
men of the naval militia of the different
states vary greatly it will be impossible to
make a general watch, quarter and station
bill which will do for all; therefore the fol-
lowing particulars have been furnished BY
Commander NJ r. S. Mackenzie Of the
Prairie, so that the naval militia officers
may make their own bills and give the men
their stations before coming aboard the
Prairie:
Billet numbers for militia sol to $50, Mess
tables hold twelve each. Ship supplies gal
ley cooks.
The fire bill will be for ship's force only.
Naval reserves fall in at quarters
Battery. eight 6-inch. six 6-pounders The
ship furnishes powder and masters divis-
ions.
Boats: First, cutter, ten oars. second
whaleboat six oars; third, whaleboat. five
oars; starboard wherIy. two oars: port
wherry, two oars; gig, five oars; steam cut
te--
The executive officers have been reo,,es. Ell
to have ready when the reserves arrive on
board the Prairie two neat lists. giving he
name, with initials and rank or rating of
every one in the reserve making; the cruise.
The ports and dates of arrival and depar-
ture Of the United States steamer Prairie
have been arranged in schedule form bv
Commander Mackenzie for the benefit of the
naval militia, the Prairie arriving at the
ports below mentioned and sailing again
upon the same dates
New Orleans, La, April 23 and April 80:
Pensacola. Fla, May 3; Port Tampa, Fla,'
May I; Key West, Fla, May S: Pensacola,
Fla, May T.: Port Tampa Fla. MAJ IA.
Key West, Fla May u; Brunswick. Ca
May 20; Charleston, S. C.. May u: Bruins
wick. Ga, May 27 Charleston. S. C., Nav
IS; Southport, N G.. May 80 and June 6.
Arrives at Norfolk. Va, June s. and leaves
June IL; returns again and sails June 20:
Baltimore. Md, June 21 and June %: Dis,
trict of Columbia July and o.
Assignments Made
Lieut.. Commander S. G. Hopkins, who
has been on duty at District of Columbia
militia headquarters as representative of
the Naval Battalion, has reported to Com
mander Hams. He has been detailed as
executive officer. f. T.,
Chief Engineer Thomas W. Power, who
has been acting executive officer for sever
al months past, has been relieved of that
duty and has resumed his duties in the
engineer department.
Ensign Howard Fisk has been ordered to
report to Paymaster Bieber for duty in
connection with the pay department.. He
will be detailed as assistant paymaster of
the Naval Battalion.
Lieut.. r. B. Brummett recently received
a large supply of signal flags and ensjsns
for use of the Naval battalion. The new