Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-22

both anxious and willing to accept re-
cruts up until the time the roster is
made up for dispatch to Capt Preston
of the Alabama. This list will be held
until the last moment, and the interim
between the time the list is closed and
the date of sailing will be needed to get
the new men ready for the cruise. Uni
forms, hammocks and other equipment
Will have to be issued marked properly
with the enlisted mans number and
name, and then will have to be packed.
When the new men return they will
have been taught much of the life or
the sailor. By the time the men reach
Washington it is expected that the
United States converted yacht Wasp will
be locked at the foot of Water and .
streets for the use of the District Naval
Battalion. and. Commander Dempf de-
clares that he intends to get much prac-
teal work out of her during the summer
months, and even during the winter.
During the first year of his enlistment
in the Naval battalion the recruit will be
taught how to pull a good oar He will
be taught how to sit in boat and how,
working in conjunction with the rest of
a boats crew. he may get the greatest
result with the least expenditure of
strength.
Then he will be taught how to box
compass-that is, to mark off the various
points of. this instrument-and must
qualify as markSnlan i'm small arms.
OF course. the sailor boys have to go on
land sometimes to fight. just the same
the infantry men. and then they use their
rifles wherever possible. Anyway. said
Commander Dempf, every man should
be taught to. use small arms.
Another thing which the recruit is
taught during his first year is the proper
ment. He must keep it clean and in
perfect repair. so that 1t will pass in
SpectiOn at any time.
In the second year will come gunnery.
Ill
with the larger ones. OF course, there
will be signaling taught the men in all
its branches. The jackies will be taught
how to handle the small boats both
under oar and sail. and the method of
navigating large vessel Will be taught.
These are mostly what are known as
eek duties" Those with a technical
turn of mind will he given training in
the engineer division. Here they will
start as coal passers. thence to firemcn.
water tenders and second, first or chief
machinists. Even in the deck division
those men who during their training
show special ability to handle men will
be given d chance to study and take the
ships which nigh, occur In the deck d.
visions
The power boat D. c. NJ. upon which
the officers and men of the Naval Bat
talon have been working for some time.
Is ready for launching, and she will be
put overheard today. The engine is
ready to put aboard, and the propeller
will be here from the factory within
short time. 1t is probable that the little
vessel will he seen darting around the
harbor OH several trips before the men
leave Tor the cruise.
=
The power boat Nameless will be hauled
out probably next week. to undergo
pairs at the hands of the experts of the
Naval Battalion. There is not much
work to do OH this vessel. After she is
will be put overheard. and will then be
ready to convoy her sister ship on any
short voyage on the river.
Ensign Paul V. Thompson has become
SO enthusiastic about his work since he
received his commission in the engineer
division that he suddenly. last week. got
He was working on the engine in the
motor boat Nameless.- After he had
taken the engine out of the boat. he took
hold of the fly wheel which was left in
the boat attached to the propeller shaft,
and started turning it. Gradually ne
worked his way out into the river, not
realizing how far he was going. he
found himself drifting rapidly towara
one man power could not keep the pro,
peller going as fast as the engine, ana
t'-at h" could not fight the current he
signaled his predicament to the officers
81 land Then he churned the wheel |
The boat drifted' southwark. He called.
He churned some more. Again he called:
S.~rna -,or. no rhu~ned and schurned and
churned, making about ten revolutions
minute. Finally some one on the dock
discovered him. and he was rescued.
The engine Is back In the boat.
x
Ensign William r. Hoefer, very much
to his regret. will be unable to make the
voyage with the local Naval Battalion