Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-15
SAILOR LADS DEPART
District Naval Battalion Begins
Cruise on Puritan.
WEIGHED ANCHOR AT 1890
Two Days Will Be Devoted to Target
Practice at Sea.
CAPT. sTRATToN IN COMMAND
Ship Supplied With All Necessary
Equipments for Voyage, Which
Will Last Ten Days.
WEIGHED ANCHOR AT 1890
CAPT. STRATTON IN COMMAND

The United States steamer Puritan. hav-
Ing on board nearly $50 ''bluejackets' of
the Naval Battalion of the District of Co
lumbia, weighed anchor at 1920 O'Clock this
morning and Is now steaming slowly down
to the mouth of the Potomac river on the
annual practice cruise. The voyage Will
cover a period Of nine days, in " nieh time
the local "jackfes' will be given a thor
ough course of instruction in sedmanshlp,
gun practice, signaling and navigation.
The battalion is under the command Of
Capt. s. w. Stratton. He was vtIy much
pleased by the interest displayed by the
men during the past few days and in the
early morning hours today when making
preparations for the departure. Capt STRAIT
ton anticipates one of the most successful
cruises from an instructive standpoint since
the organization of the battalion, and 10
this end has prepared an interesting pro-
gram for the trip.
The first stop Will be made at Old Point
Comfort, Va, Monday, for the purpose OF
taking on board ammunition to he used In
target practice. The Puritan will then pro-
coed at once to sea, passing through the
capes and then up the coast. Tuesday ana
Wednesday will be devoted to target prac-
tice after which the Puritan will proceed
to Newport News, Va, Thursday, when the
coal bunkers will be filled for the return
trip home and a fresh supply OF provisions
put aboard. Target practice wlI occupy
Friday, when the men will concluoe their
work at the guns possibly in the vicinity of
Piney Point, at the mouth of the Potomac.
The crew will be divided into landing par
ties and will be instructed In TINS line OF
work after the start has been mace up tne
river Saturday The Puritan is expected to
arrive at her moorings at the foot Of 1th
street southwest Sunday afternoon, sep
TENDER o. when the men will be dismissed
from further active service.
Busy Scenes on Ship.
The scene aboard the Puritan last even
ing and early this morning was one OF I'M
usual activity, and the manner in which
the men equipped themselves would be
credit to any man-o-war's man In the reg
ular service. The last of the stores were
put aboard early this morning, and with
them out of the way all hands turned 10
cleaning up ship preparatory to weighing
anchor When the last line was cast loose
the battalion was better equin9ed anu ~
finer trim than ever before. The puritan.
which took part in the naval review az
Oyster Bay on Labor day, was returned py
the regular service to the District Jackles
in excellent condition, so that there was
very little work in this connection to De
done when orders were issued to prepare
for the cruise.
During the past week supplies of all kinds
have been put aboard ship. 10 Paymas-
ter's Clerk William G. Neumeyer son OF
Major Edward H. Neumeyer, commissary
general of the District of Columbia Militia,
is due the credit for the efficient manner
in which the work was successfully carried
out He has labored unceaslngly IN afTans
ing the supplies for the pay department ana
the commissary part Of the program, wnich
is a most important one on cruise OF tnis
character. The men will be we'll red. anu
while the regular naval ration Will pc
t1n6 "a
cacies, which the men will undoubtedly ap-
preciate after being out several Gays. IN
anticipation of cool weather, generous
supply of jersies and pea jackets were
taken, and will be furnished the men on the
midnight watches should the occasion war
rant it. The pay department Is under the
direct supervision of Paymaster John l..
Johns.
Observe Naval Routine.
The regular naval routine will be carried
out. with a drill period twice day, morn
ings and afternoons. The watch ana STA
ton bills have all been made out ana as
soor as the men reported this morning they
were assigned to their respective stations.
The regulation exercises in which the men
will be instructed will include fire drills,
quarters, boat drills, abandon ship, sgnai
drills gun drills, small arms practice, etc.
The men will all be comfortably quar-
tered and before shutdown this evening they
will be supplied with new bedding, blankets,
hammocks and other equipment necessary
for sleeping ACCOMMODATIONS whlie on .ne
cruise. The U. S. s. Oneida, which has
been undergoing extensive repairs during
the past week, was still incomplete when
the Puritan left this morning and was IN
able to accompany that Vessel. She mas
been equipped with two new boilers during
the past week and her machinery has been
overhauled and every effort was made to
finish the work before this morning. Lieut.
W. E. Burt remained a home and will
assume command next Thursday vita
crew of twenty men, when it is expected
that General George H. Harries, command
ing the District National Guard, will leave
this city with party aboard to join
the Puritan on the homeward bound trip.
The Oneida will be used for instruction
purposes, such as signaling and navigation
and will prove of great value in instructirg
the men in "wig-wag' signaling and the
international code.
Engineers in Force.
The engineers force was well represented
on the cruise. nearly 100 men reporting for
duty this morning. This force comprises
the fourth division, and Is one of the most
important on shpboard. The other d.
visions consist of about fifty men each,
and were assigned to different positions
and watches about the ship.
Capt. Charles A. Weaver, regimental sur
geon of the 1st Regiment, d. c. N. G., ac-
companied the reserves on the cruise in
the absence of Surgeon F. H. MOZART, who
was detained on account of illness. AS
there are large number of raw recruits
who have recently enlisted in the battalion,
and will get their first taste of salt water,
Capt. Weaver will undoubtedly be kept
quite busy attending to the seasick lads"
The men will be given instruction in the
four-inch guns, six-pOunders and one
Founders and the tive automatic ra pid- fire
guns, with which the Puritan is equipped
A large quantity of lumber was put aboard
last night with which to construct the float
ing targets, and If the boys make good"
at one target, there is an ample supply
aboard with which to build another one.
The target consists of triangular skele-
ton raft. with ten-foot mast upright, sur
mounted by red flag. The triangular
pieces of canvas are furnished with bulls
eyes, i'm proportion to the size of the can
vas. The targets are made in such a way
that with the three wings bull s-eye is
always in sight, no matter what the posi-
ton of the vessel is.
Naval Instructor Aboard.
Lieut.. Commander w. II. McGrann,
U. S. N, who was executive officer of the
Puritan on the trip to Oyster Bay and re-
turn, accompanied the reserves today in the
capacity of naval inspector and instructor.
On the return of the battalion to its sta