The Washington times., 1908-07-16
DISTRICT SAILORS
TO LEAVE TONIGHT
Will Defend Hampton
Roads and Washington
From Attack.
MEN WILL COME
FROM FIVE STATES
Commander Dempf Will Likely Be
in Charge of Washington Men
Who Go or Flagship.

Theoretically rushing TO the defense
of Hampton Roads, the most important
naval base on the Atlantic coast, and
10 the Capital Of the Nation the naval
militia OF the District OF Columbia viii
Aeave Washington this evening for
alexandria, then to ship on the cruiser
Yankee, flagship OF the twentieth ma
eneuver feet.
Naval reserves from FIVE states will
combine with the District sailor men
sn the most important maneuvers Of
the volunteer naval forces ever held
Under the Admiral" Commander
Marsh. of the navy, a fleet of eight YES
sells win defend Hampton Roads and
the navy yard against the waterwitches
sof the navy, the tiny torpedo craft that
steal in during the night, bringing
death and destruction.
A majority of the vessels Of the de-
Tending forces will be manned by the
reserves of the District of Columbia,
PENNSYLVANIA Maryland, New Jersey
aud North and South Carolina The
District men will have the place or
honor on Admiral Marshs flagship the
Yankee. This vessel has new guns and
has Just been newly equipped for the
Vessels Taking Part.
The vessels participating viii be the
s,onverted cruiser Yankee. thetgunboat
Jsls de Cuba, of the Maryland reserves
the Sylvia, Pennsylvania State ship: the
Vixen. New York. and the converted
cruiser Prairie. North and South Caro-
lima. In addition there will be six tor
pedo boats and two submarines, and
possibly several destroyers.
The feet regulations as sent out by
-o,,F m
those issued to the great batueshiD feet
-on its long cruise around the world.
This was done to harden the men TO the
routine of actual conditions in the navy
in war times.
The maneuvers will be most compre-
hensive. and win include everything
from regular ship routine and drilI 10
theoretical battle; Each OF the COM ON
be responsible for his part in the attack
OF defense, and will be left at his own
discretion after receiving the instruc-
tions for his ship. There viii be IRE
drill. boat drill. and all the others, but
most interesting Of all viii undoubtedly
be the signal work, and the enorts OF
the defending forces to hold or the ter
pedO boats.
In addition the commanding officers
OF these little craft, the. enemy are
fborougbiv familiar with every inch OF
the waters around Hampton Roads. and
they will have a front OF twenty-five
the capes IL VIII be hard task 70 cut
them of .ioIn Fort Monroe, wash
ington, or uc Norfolk navy yard 1t
is probable the fleet will cover the coast
as far as HOG Island They will be in
imminent danger every minute Of the
night from torpedo attack The base
will be established twenty-five miles
north Of Old Point.
Dempf Will Command.
The District Brigade viii be command
ed by Commander Dempf. Commander
Stratton, who is his senior, has been
absent from the city for several weeks,
and it is doubtful whether he will go
on the cruise. For six months the Dis
trict Brigade has been training hard
for the coming maneuvers, and Com
mander Dempf says that his men are
in the best Of physical condition and
training. and viii undoubtedly surprise
Inc officers of the navy and Uncle
SIMS jack tars by their work.
At s O'Clock this evening the men will
entrain for Alexandria. and will i'm
mediately be berthed on the Yankee
The tide will be high early in the morn
ing, and the Yankee will lose no time
IN getting away. As soon as she IS
headed down stream the men will start
regular life aboard ship. Early Satur-
day morning part of the New Jersey
brigade ard the North and South Caro-
line brigades. the overflow from the
state ships, will be taken aboard the
Yankee.
1t is intended to keep all the men
under their officers IL possible. but each
State organization will Immediately lose
Its individuality in the feet formation.
All day today number OF the men
have been on the Puritan making up
'their bags and getting things ready.
Commander Dempf has been a busy
man arranging the details of the cruise,
and he settled back today from week S
strenuous work with the comforting
thought that everything was finished.
Officers of Yankee
The Yankee is an auxiliary cruiser Of
modern type, carrying a fun armament
OF ten 3-inch .50-caliber guns. and
manned by a skeleton. crew. Of 10
regulars under Commander c. c. Marsh
Her complement Of regular officers, in
addition to the commander, includes
four warrant officers and. the following
commissioned ones:
Lieut. P Foley, executive NAVIGATOR.
Lieut.. NJ. Joyce, Lieut. r. A. Koch.
Lieut. G. D tombstone watch officers;
Assistant Surgeon Melhorn, Assistant
Paymaster J. II. Knapp.
The commissioned personnel of the
focal battalion who will take the cruise
are:
Lieut. J. A. Demph. Lieut.. 7 ID Car
mody; Lieut.. L. II. MOZART s1rpeo,,.
Lieut. w. T.. Burt, signal officer: Iieut
}. l. Johns, paymaster; Lieut.. ]. III.
Mittendorf. chief engineer; Ensign J. ri
Dalton, Ensign /. A. Buttson, Ensign
T. S Durston, Ensign w G. Guss
Puritan Left Behind.
At her solitary mooring near the
Arsenal the poor old monitor Puritan
sheds many sad tears as she realizes
that she viii be left out OF the cruise
this year. The powerful old fighter is
Unwieldly and unsuited to the man.
euvers to be gone through. so She will
De lert behind, unnamed, in the hot
summer sun, while her more fortI1pate
the Chesapeake
Inc cruise will end July Is.