Evening star., 1909-04-25
ARMY AND. NAVY NEWS.
Summer Cruises Of Militia.

Summer Cruises Of Militia.
! Naval maneuvers on the great lakes on
q larger scale than before have been par
ticipated In by the naval n1ilitias Of the
states bordering on those waters are In
prospect for the coming summer. The
Navy Department has been sounded on
the prospect of assigning an officer OF
the United States to command the squad
ron of vessels which will be manned by
the men of the naval milltias Of Illinois,
Michigan, Ohio and Minnesota and which
1t is contemplated maneuvering on the
1 lakes this summer. The assistant Secre-
! tary Of the navy. MIR. Winthrop, has sig
nified his willingness to do everything pos
sible to assist the citizen saflormen. It is
probable that Commander Charles c.
March. who always has been a supporter
of the naval militia. will be ordered to
take command Of the squadron during
/ the cruise.
Vile. which has been under repairs at the
| Boston navy yard for some time. That
| vessel has been assigned to the Illinois
naval militia. Capt. w. F. Purdy Of that
organization will take the Nashville from
Boston up the ST. Lawrence and through
the lakes to Chicago. The Nashville will
leave Boston April 30 and will be manned
by crew from the Illinois naval militia
| Plans for the maneuvers on the lakes
this summer have not been perfected. but
| 1t is expected the squadron will be COM
| posed of eight vessels. These will be the
| Nashville aud Dorothea of the Illinois
Naval Reserve. the Yantic, Wolverine and
| Don Juan de Austria Of the Michigan
naval militia; the Hawk and Essex. be-
| longing to the Ohio militia, and the Go
| pher. manned by the Minnesota Naval Re-
serve.
The militias OF tho southern states will
cruise during the summer In one Of the
vessels OF the regular navy, either the
Panther or the Prairie. The New Eng
| land, New York and Pennsylvania citi-
| zen sailors will go abaord vessels OF the
battleship fleet during their annual sum-
mer target practice on Cape Cod. Mass.
| In August.
The Navy Department, through Assist
| ant Secretary Winthrop, has expressed Its
willingness to assist the militiamen and
will furnish certain light equipment for
their use. Signal books and guns for
subcaliber firing will be furnished.
February 10 last the total strength OF
the combined naval militia forces OF all
! the states was 6292 officers and men. The
| fleet of naval reserve vessels comprises
| twenty-five ships.
New Style Of Naval Launch.
| At Norfolk navy yard the Navy De-
partment Is having constructed launch
of a new style for experimental purposes.
/ The launch Is to have no cover as the
launches In use at present have. The
idea Of Saving IN open launch was
brought about by the sinking Of the
launch OF the battleship Missouri In
Hampton roads some time ago, which re-
suited In the drowning Of several officers.
1t has been pointed out that these OFF,
GERS probably would not have lost their
lives had there been no canopy on their
launch.
worL olco hou hnor ho0up an the CON.
struction OF a new device to be used on
the present launches Of the navy. 1t is
| called a melon canopy" and will be
fitted to all the launches in the navy. Its
launch from the weather and breaking
| waves. 1t will be so arranged that 1t can
be shifted from port to starboard side
with little effort.
Joint Coast Defense Maneuvers.
The schedule for the joint army and
militia coast defense exercises during the
coming summer was completed during the
past week in the division OF militia at
fairs. These exercises under the jealous
iabors of Cols E. NJ. Weaver, chief of
the division, promise to be more import
ant this year than heretofore. A larger
number Of organizations will participate
and a more varied and difficult series OF
proble will be worked out than in pre-
vious years. There will necessarily be
some changes In the schedule. as 1t now
appears, owing to the fact that q num-
ber of organizations have been unable
to report as to the time when they could
best join in the maneuvers. The Dis
trict of Columbia militia reports that 1t
IS impracticable to take up matters un-
til details Of organization OF q coast ar
tIllery corps are worked out.
Marine officers Criticised.
That Gen. Elliot, commandant Of ma
rines. is dissatisfied with the manner in
which certain unnamed officers Of the
Marine Corps perform their military du-
ties is clearly evident from the character
of a recent general order.
Having in view," says the general
commandant, "the fact that the important
duties Of officer Of the day now fall to
many officers of the Marine corps WAC
have had but limited experience in the per-
torrance Of garrison duty in the United
States, and in consideration Of the further
fact that such duties have been recently
carried out in a manner highly unsatisfac-
tory to the major general commandant, 1t
is directed that commanding oIncers en-
force a rigid performance of such duties"
1t was also directed that certain in
structions be observed to the letter unless
prevented by an unforeseen emergency.
one Of these instructions is that the Of
Iicer Of the day shall remain In his ofilce
during his tour of duty. except when
purely official duties require his presence
elsewhere. Absence for meals Is author
lied. The officer Of the day is required
to visit all sentries three times at least
during his tour OF duty. Whenever he
leaves his office for any purpose he must
wear side arms.
1.-The occurrence of a tour Of duty"
says Gen. Elliot, will not be made the
occasion for making social calls In the
navy yard and obviously not elsewhere
Ignorance Of post orders will not exon
crate the officer Of the day from their
nOn-fulfllment"
Regulars to Take Part.
In compliance with instructions from
the War Department, Gen. Wood, COM
manding the Department Of the East, has
detailed troops to participate in the Me-
mortal day parades Of the Grand Army of
the Republic in Greater New York. as
follows:
In Manhattan-Three companies of
Coast Artillery from Fort Wadsworth
and three companies OF Coast Artillery
| from Fort Hamilton.
In Brooklyn-Band and three companies
Of the I'd Battalion Of the 10Th Infantry
| from Fort Jay.
In the Bronx-Twelfth Band and four
companies Of Coast Artillery from Fort
Totten and two comapnies Of Coast Ar
tillery from Fort Schuyler.
Mai. H. C. Schumm, Coast ARTILLERY
Corps. will command the troops in the
Manhattan parade: Maj. John s. Mallory,
| 18th Infantry those In the Brooklyn pa
! rade and Lieut.. Col A. C. Blunt, Coast
Artillery Corps, those In the Bronx
parade.
To Ride Over Virginia Battleaelds.
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