Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-17

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then he inspected the fastenings. The
| collars on the horses were unbuckled and
buckled again. in order that the distin-
| gufshed visitor might the more carefully
| examine them. He passed over everything
| quickly. but Lot until he had made HIM
| self thoroughly familiar with what was
worth knowing. He asked questions as to
| the utility of this or that strap and why
| 1t was used He next passed to the gun
| carriages and examined the set-uD of the
| vehicles. finally coming to the guns them
| selves, which he critically inspected. Not
| satisfied with the examination of one team
| and carriage, he passed down the line and
| looked them all over.
| Visits the Battery Quarters.
After the inspection of the artillery the
| English officer, accompanied by many of
the officers stationed at Fort Myer. passed
l on to the quarters of the battery, which
| are like the quarters of all of the other
troops stationed at Fort Nyer, with the
exception of the Signal Corps. The offices
| and dormitories the first floor were
thoroughly inspected. Capt Foote and
| Col Edgerly accompanied Gen. Baden
| Powell answering his questions and ex
planning the use of certain pieces of equip
| ment about which inquiry made. The
visitor did not always depend on his
! guides. however, but frequently appealed
|
happened to be near. He was pleased
| with the dormitories. and next inspected
| the bath rooms and lavatOries, examining
| all the plumbing and the fittings. Next
| the mess hall was visited
The inspection was made without pre-
| vious notice, and the tables were found
| partially set for dinner. every article on
| the tables being placed in regulation man.
ner and the whole place literally shining,
| it so Clean There was nothing fancy
about any of the rooms. The furnishings
are simple, strong and durable. But every
thing is clean and neat.
In the kitchens the cooks were at work
| preparing the evening meal. Here the floor
was white and shining. and the various
cooking utensils were bright. Capt. Foote
explained how the men manage their mess
| and how the government furnishes food in
such plenteous quantities that the men are
able to save portions of 1t. Gen. Baden
Powell said the men In the English army
have to buy some of their food themselves,
only the necessities being furnished Them.
Capt. Foote told the visitor that the mem
bers of his command had been able to
save much on their food supplies that
they had battery fund of over $1,000 in
one of the local banks, which is drawing
interest for them.
Cavalrymen Equipped for Duty.
On the way from the barracks to the
stables the visitor was given the oppor-
tunity to view a cavalryman fully equipped
for duty in the field. The man belonged
to Troop G of the I'd Cavalry. and WIS
prepared to make a march Of any duration,
except that he had no rations. The ex-
treme HghtnesS of the equipment making
1t possible for the horse and man to travel
great distances with comparative ease was
what struck the English officer first. lie
examined every piece of the outfit. opening
the saddle bags and made an investigation
as to their contents and inspecting minute
ly the saddle and bride.
The stables Of Troop F of the I'd Cavalry
cd for ho fnovN nOft mr.
Here, as at the barracks no previous notice
Of the visit had been given, and the stables
were in the same condition they would be
any other day-scrupulously clean and
without blemish or speck Of dirt visible
anywhere. Here the cavalry horses were
examined the saddle rooms were explored
and the lockers for the horse-cleaning i'm
plementS turned out.
The feed rooms and the methods Of serv-
ing the feed to the horses were next ex-
amined The alleyway in front of the rows
of stalls and the car with which the feed
is conveyed along the alleyway from the
feed room were commented upon with SOM
admiration by the visitor, who spent time
in examining these things The stables
were carefully explained to Gen. Baden
Powell by Lieut.. Harvey. who gave his dis
tinguished guest little time to ask ques-
TONS The general was interested in ell
things connected with the care of the
horses. because he is a cavalryman. and he
said he expected to introduce new methods
In MS cavalry command. AFTER the 1nSp0c-
ton was concluded the visitors were driven
to the officers club, where they were en-
tertained and introduced to all the officers
Of the post who had not met them before
Expressed His Pleasure.
This ended the exercises of the day, and
after bidding all the officers goodbye. Gen.
Baden-POwell, his aid and Maj. Green en-
tered a carriage and returned to the city.
Before going however. he took occasion to
express his thanks to Col Edgeriy for the
entertainment and the chance he had to in
spect the troops. He thanked Capt. Foote.
also. and expressed his admiration Of the
manner in which the battery was handled.
OF the cavalry he said. simply:
1T was very interesting. l am much
pleased"
Gen Baden-Powell left the city at 4:1G
this morning for Richmond. where he will
visit the battlefields of the civil war. He
told one OF the officers at Fort Myer yes
terday that he was a descendant of Capt.
John Smith, who first landed on the shores
Of Virginia, and he said he wanted to see
some of the ground in Virginia which had
been traversed by Capt. Smith. The dis
tinguished soldier will also visit West Point
and will probably inspect the infantry sta
toned near New York.
T. Before leaving Fort Myer yesterday Gen.
Baden-Powell told Lieut.. Harvey that he
would be- in New York the 9th instant
and would make 1T a point to witness the
military evolutions In connection with the
military athletic tournament in Madison
Square Garden which begins on that date.
Gen. Baden-Powell will sail for -4ngiand
the 28th instant
In addition to the English visitors at Fort
Myer yesterday Mai. Gen. s. B. NJ. Young.
president of the war college board. and
Miss Young were among the spectators OF
the drill.
Newspaper Enterprise Commented On. |
One incident Of the inspection OF the |
troops and the quarters at Fort Myer that
created considerable amusement among the |
army officers and establishment to the Eng |