Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-06
Time IS WELL SPENT
Local Naval Battalion Learn
ing Art of Coast Defense.
PART OF ATLANTIC FLEET
Performing Duties Similar to Those
of Regular Sailors.
CHEERING NEWS FROM FRONT
Message Calls Well" Sent Out From
U. S. S. Mississippi, OF Massa-
chusetts Coast.
PART OF ATLANTIC FLEET
CHEERING NEWS FROM FRONT

"All's well with the Naval Battalion!
This is the message just received here
from the United States steamship Missis-
sippi, which. together with the battleships
New Hampshire and New Jersey, has
aboard the members of the Naval Bat
talon. y. G. d. c.. in the maneuvers of
the Atlantic fleet off the coast of Massa-
chusetts, opposite Provincetown.
The men from the local naval reserves
are enjoying their cruise. There is plenty
of hard work. however. as they are per-
forming the same duties as the regular
sailors. They have had considerable ex-
perience during the past few days in
planting mines and torpedoes and their
officers declare that if an emergency arose
the members of the District Battalion
could now plant mines SO as to protect
any harbor in the country.
The discipline is excellent and the regu-
lar officers and men are enthusiastic In
the praise of the reserves from the Ma
tional Capital who. they say, are anxious
to learn and to perform their full share
of all the work to be done.
Know How to Handle Ships.
The men already feel at home on the
big battleships. and have acquired good,
practical idea of how these gigantic fight
ing machines are handled. The weather
has been good. and all the conditions are
such as to make the cruise enjoyable as
we'll as instructive. After some days
spent in target practice the ships will
bring the local battalion to Hampton
roads.
Commander Samuel W. Stratton, Lieut..
Frederick H. MOZART and Lieut. Frank
lin S. Durston, Junior grade, command
ing the third division, are aboard the
New Hampshire.
1.-THE officers and men of the New
Hampshire are not to be outdone as
hosts writes a member of the Naval
Battalion from that battleship. Each
vies with the other in showing a good
time to the men of their corresponding
grade. and also to their interiors. The
regulars and reserves work together,
mess together, chat. play and dance
together. When the ships band plays, 1t
moves the spirit of the Jolly tar" and
his feet must move, too. The crew OF
the New Hampshire say that the re-
serves from the District OF Columbia are
decidedly superior in efficiency to the
them.'
Chief Masters Occupation Gone.
The men are so well behaved that not
one is ION the report and there is moth
ipg for Chief Master at Arms Herfurth
to do. For diversion he contents himself
with fishing with the other c. p. O.'s.
When he landed ten-pound silver hake
on the deck Of the New Hampshire. while
Chief Yeoman Charles l.. Larzelere
couldn't secure nibble. he made his
companions ''sit up and take notice"
The District men aboard the New Hamp-
shire claim that they have the best
food. but those on the New Jersey and
Mississippi dispute this claim.
Lieut.. John Doyle Carmody has been
detailed as ordnance officer on the bat
tleship Mississippi
The members Of the engineer division,
headed by Chief Machinists Mates
Nudge and John, are gaining much valu-
able experience. The men work four
hours and then have twelve hours of
duty before they again 80 ION watch
Woman B. c. Getsinger, after spending
several weeks on Lake George, joined his
command aboard the New Hampshire
Sunday afternoon.