Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-26

shells. They are skilled in the infantry
mutual of arms. with a few unnecessary
evolutionS omitted They have been drilled
In the signal code, ana are supplied with
throw up hasty intrenchments. They carry
several 3-jnch shell guns firing fifteen
pound shrapnel, and each of the two
battalions is equipped with four Colt auto
matte rapid-fire guns.
These rapid-fire guns weigh only forty
pounds each, and are mounted either on tri-
pods, for use in the open country, or on
trucks, for use in the towns and villages.
When one of them is fitted to tripod it
can be carried by mounted marine In a
boot at his side, and Will extend only from
his waist to his shoulder. When steep hills
and me untainS have to be climbed it can
be strapped handily to the side of a pack
Sc ddle, thus occupying hardly more room
than half dozen umbrellas.
When one of these guns is set up for
action the operator merely pulls the trigger,
as he would that of a pistol, and the firing
continues. Six hundred army shells are
discharged per minute, the cartridges being
arranged on a belt which feeds the cham
Der.
Their Equipment.
A supply of Sibley tents and Buzzacott
ovens has been brought over from Guanta-
namo for the use of these Ambassadors.
Each tent holds sixteen men, who bunk
with their heads together at the center pole
and lie like SO many spokes Of a wheel
with their feet turned to the world outside.
These shelters are unlike the regulation
army tent, being shaped like huge umbrel-
las, PARKWAY closed, or like Indian tepees.
The ovens are large rectangular boxes with
tops and bottoms of steel Each closes up
as compactly as a dress suit case, and con-
tains inside thirtyfive utensils, including
all necessities for roasting, baking, frying,
broiling stewing. The whole makes
package 25x35x14 inches and weighing It's
pounds.
While doing this land duty the marines
are being fed on army rations costing IL
cents per man per day, whereas when on
shipboard they share the jackey's ration,
paid for at the rate of 30 cents per man per
day. Needless to relate, these soldier-sai-
lor police prefer the board of Jack Tar
The uniform of the marines Is that of
soldier rather than OF a sailor They wear
khaki on the isthmus, and their campaign
hats are of the SLOUGH variety worn by our
soldiers. The climate of the isthmus be-
ing tropical, each marine travels as a shirt
waist man. To replace the blue flannel
shirt, which offers an enemy too good
target when in contrast with the mud color
of the trousers, Uncle Sam has Just order
ed a khaki-colored serge garment In his
new tropical buds the marine will be diff
cult to distinguish against the brown of
the earth and parched vegetation.
Jack at All Trades.
ter of many the marine of the ranks is
primarily policeman. He is the "cop" of
the navy yard, of the fighting ship and of
the land districts held under naval survel-
lance. In Panama he is guarding the
trails to the SOUTH whence the angry CO.
lOmbians threaten to inaugurate their Boer
ish methods of guerrilla warfare On shore
duty the marine has one great advantage.
Our great floating fortresses are their
bases of supplies. War ships can always
be relied upon for water unless the duty
be very far inland. If the protecting ships
sail away temporarily they can torpedo
their harbor and leave this hidden defense
in the hands of marine officer. Then there
is no danger Of attack from the sea side
until the mother ship returns to make the
torpedoes dead and sail away with their
charges.
ut takes force Of ten against their one
to drive them out, with such advantage"
said Brig. Gen. Geo. F. Elliott. in command
Of our Marine Corps, to your correspond
ent yesterday.
While engaged in this shore duty on the
isthmus the marines are governed by army
regulations, but as soon as they return to
their ships naval regulations apply to all
that they perform. Hence, their versatile
officers must be learned in both codes
Each battalion on the fsthmus is in COM
mand of major, and when the two operate
together a colonel has authority over ALL
He in turn reports to the ranking admiral
of the fleet, as though the latter were a
brigadier general in the field.
Operating thus on land, the men in the
ranks must accustom themselves to the
dragging straps of their heavy guns, and
must have at their nerves ends all that the
light artilleryman knows of gunnery. They
must stand ready not only to throw up
hasty intrenchments at any time, but to
bridge streams and do the general field
work of the army engineer. They must
moreover. be able to signal to their coop
Grating attachments or to their OUTLYING
ships. and, to add to all Of this combined
duty. the functions of the infantryman on
forced marches or in camp.
On Shipboard.
While detailed on shipboard they are con-
sidered as infantrymen serving afioat They
man the secondary batteries of the ship.
and stand ready to act as sharpshooters in
the fighting tops During engagements they
must repei, with fixed bayonets. enemies