Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-29
WATCH REGULARS
HANDLE BIG GUNS.
District National Guardsmen
Observers of Drill.
|ALL ACQUIRE Information
Note How Coast Defense Arma-
ment Is Manipulated.
CITIZEN SOLDIERY KEPT BUSY
Steary Progression Of instruction
at Potomac Forts-Advisability
Of Systematic Bathing While
in Field-First Aid Packet.
Note How Coast Defense Arma-
ment Is Manipulated.
CITIZEN s0LDIERY KEPT BUSY

Special From STAFF Correspondent by The Stars
Dispatch Boat Fairbanks.
FORT WASHINGTON, Md, July 90
National Guardsmen Of the District of
Columbia on duty here and at Fort Hunt
for joint coast defense exercises with
troops of the regular army. are engaged
today principally as observers watching
drill at the big disappearing guns by regu-
lar soldiers. The sun is shining brightly.
All commissioned officers and enlisted men
of the National Guard assigned as coast
artillery reserves witness the drill, which
Is personally superintendent by the COM
mander of each battery. Each period of
loading. tripping and aiming is gone
through, preceded and followed by clear
explanations. the exercise concluding with
rapid-loading and simulated firing of
the guns. Position finding stations are
not manned.
The following days of the work here
will be devoted to drills and exercises.
the idea being progression for the Ma
tional Guardsmen. having in view the ulti-
mate manning Of guns and stations by
themselves.
Camps Thoroughly Settled.
The camp. or to be more accurate the.
many camps, are now thoroughly settled.
any rough edges of the first day or two
having been smoothed down. and the ma
chinery is working without jar. 1t
seems to be impossible at the start, in
the hustle and hustle incidental to trans
porting tons Of equipment and supplies, to
prevent a mess chest. for instance, going
astray or box Of provisions being tenn
porarily lost. BY last night everybody
had all to which he is entitled In the
way of property. and from now on the
1g,> L. &-l> ~
officers and men Of the regular establish
ment, who are courtesy personifed. as
much knowledge Of coast artillery work
as is possible to drink in during the limit
ed period of less than two weeks.
The citizen soldiery Of the National cap
ital may not be graduate coast artillery
men when they return home the 9th of
August, but it is a certainty that the big
majority of the members of the command
will then be better citizens and more val
liable soldiers. II the need should ever
arise. by reason of the present visit to the
Potomac forts
Band Concerts a Feature.
AS result Of the visit by Gen. Harries
and his staff to Fort Hunt yesterday the
Corps OF Field Music. with the exception
of a few trumpeters needed on this side.
have been transferred to the Virginia
shore for the remainder of the outing
there music for guard mounting and other
ceremonies. The Brigade Band remains
here. It's concerts. beginning at o'clock
each evening, are an attractive feature.
the music being particularly enjoyed BY
the ofi1cers and their families and the en-
listed men permanently stationed here's
The officers of the reserves today lis
tened to a lecture at Battery Humphrey
on Coast Guns and Their Carriages"
while the officers Of the supports were en-
lightened on advance and rear guard
duty The remainder of the program for
lectures follows:
For the reserves-Thursday, "Mortars
and Their Carriages and Their Use IA
day, Power. Light and Communication.
and Their Use in Coast Defense" at the
central power plant: Saturday, "Subma-
rine Mines and Their Use In Coast De-
fort; Monday, "Projectiles. Fuses and Elk
plosives." in the administration building.
For the supports-Thursday, Outpost
Duty: Friday. Construction and De-
tense of Entrenched Lines and Redoubts;
Saturday. Defense of Land Approaches
to Coast Forts: Monday. Duties of Ar
Non-commissioned officers Of both the
reserves and supports recite to company
officers in camp.
System Of Signals.
A system Of day and night signals has
been agreed on for use during the exer-
cises. The day signals for forts and YES
sells are:
One yellow smoke rocket or one amber
smoke bomb. warning that vessels or
boats Of the enemy are In sight. and also
a signal to the enemy that he Is located TED
Two yellow smoke rockets. Two amber
smoke bombs or any two smoke signals
in succession, enemy is advancing. man
stations and guns at once:
The night signals include
One rocket OF any kind or one white
light bomb. warning, enemy's vessels In
sight and signal to him that he 10 located.
Two red light bombs at any time. enemy
approaching, man stations and batteries
at once.
One red light bomb. action or exercise
ended.
AS signals to be used by searchlights to
indicate to vessels that they have been
picked up and identified. as soon as yes
sci has been Identified the searchlight
beam will be moved rapidly In vertical
direction. twice UP and down. and then
held On the weasel The vessel picked I'D