Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-17
A';NlSIGl}bisst

HE United States converted
yacht Sylvia, assigned to the
Naval Battalion, n. G. d. c..
is due to arrive at the battalion
dock, at the foot of Water and
o streets southwest, about O'Clock TINS
evening Elaborate preparations have
been made for her reception The Naval
Battalion Band has been ordered 10 Dc
there. and will serenade the vessel as she
steams into port Shortly before the time
the Sylvia is due the power boat ID. Z. M
will get under way from the Naval Bat
talon dock in charge Of g. naval militia
officer, yet to be named, and will cruise
down the river to meet the Sylvia and
convoy her to Washington. When the
vssel arrives in the harbor the power
boat will put on full speed. and get the
men to the dock to catch lines and make
other preparations for the larger vessel to
dock
There will be long band concert fol-
lowing the docking Of the vessel and the
as may desire to inspect her. Her ARRIVAL
at the dock will mark the beginning OF
hard seasons training for the navai
practice cruise on the battleship Alabama,
have had absolutely no training on boat
of their own for many months. But as
long as the Sylvia remains here COM
mander Dempf has promised his men
warSmen out of them.
Ensign Frederick L. Nudge. chief en-,
gineer officer of the Naval Battalion. ana
his assistant, William r. H0efer, COM
posing a board of survey, left Washing
ton on August for Philadelphia. where
they made a thorough inspection OF the
vessel. They found several minor defects
in the vessel and reported them to Com
mander Dempf by letter. The commander
Immediately got in touch with the Navy
Department, with the. result that the
Philadelphia navy yard was ORDERED The de 20
fects were such minor affairs as broker
deck rail and a part of the deck in need
Of calking.
by long distance telephone with the com,
mandant of the Philadelphia navy yard
to ascertain whether or not. the snip
could. be coaled there. He was toio
it could be done. SO that left practically
everything ready for the trip except the
provisioning and the dispatch of the
necessary crew to bring the vessel to
Washington.
Gen. George H. Harries, N. G. D. c.
caused orders to be issued at Camp slFn,
and the dispatch Of the crew to Phiiades-
nhia. Ensign Nudge, who Will have
charge of the engines on the trip 10
Washington. was commissioner 70 pur
chase supplies ana suOSiSteHCe AOl ~.
VOYAGE from Philadelphia to the Capitai
city.
and were given a brief liberty at Phiia-
delphia before going aboard the snip.
and Thursday morning the vesset ~.
ceived here say she got away an right
and was steaming down the DeiaWare
bay to take the outside passage 70 WAsn-
ineton. Although she has wireics1 EQUIP
ment aboard no wireless opera. s't s WI
at this time to keep the crew down 70
minimum Nothing has been heard
from the vessel since she started, put sne
was expected to come In the vlrsinIa
canes early Saturday morning.. ana reacn
Colonial Beach Saturday afternoon. Inc
vessel. according to plans OF her future
skinner. Commander Dempf. was 10
swing at anchor off Colonia Beacn yes
terday afternoon and Night
vessel down from Philadelphia. COM
mander Dempf having found It impos-
sible to leave his business JUST a. .nle
time. Commander Dempf lett Wasnlns
ton yesterday afternoon on .ne $50.
boat for Colonial Beach. Wnere ne ca
pects to board the vessel.
when the steam siren OF this naVaI
militia craft blows three times as sne gu
ters the harbor in Washington COM
mander Dempf will nave assum leu, c0 nm
L
do,btedly be a crowd to remain about the
Naval battalion dock until late hour
tonight. admiring the craft ana con-
graduating the young militia ofncers VINO
were responsible for her sa1e voyage ~
Refore the vessel left Philadelphia En-
sign Nudge reported to his commander
that he had given the engines OF tne
vessel a thorough dock tr1ai ana iounu
them running smoothly. and said that
the boilers could get up steam In twenty
minutes. which is fine thing for the
miltiamen, for they do not nave much
time to lose in getting up steam on the
drill nights when they VIII take Snort
practice trips down the river.
In discussing the recent general order
of Assistant Secretary Franklin d. Roose-
Welt Of the Navy Department, explaining
that all naval militia organizations which
out of vessels in their. possession. and
also show that they are capable or tend
ing to a vessels upkeep. would have
them removed, Commander Dempf de-
clared that he would show just what the
local naval militia Is made OF.
Many Of the men belonging to the Dis
trict Naval Battalion. especially in the
engineer force are practical men: A good
number Of them have served In the regu-
lars, he declared, and have come to the
Naval Battalion to satisfy their taste for
things naval while at the same time
earning their living as civilians.
Commander Dempf explained that he
would see that his men kept the ship in
excellent condition. and that she would
always look new ii painting would help
any. Any repairing which is needed
from time to time will be done by the
naval militiamen, and will not be put OF.
The engines will be kept in good shape.
SO that the vessel will be in condition
to put out at twenty minutes notice. or
just time enough to get up the steam.
The Naval Battalion armory during the |
coming winter will be a regular Boy |
Scouts school, where these young Amer |
leans will be taught useful things which |
are done in the navy without entering |
into any military training which Is OPP |
posed by the scouts law. They will be |
taught signaling, fencing, self-protec-
ton of all kinds, boat drills, swimming |
and everything which a healthy young |
American interested in protecting him.
self and his fellow men should know.
The boys. however, will not be confined
On trips on the Sylvia, where they will
be able to pick up a lot.
While Commander Dempf realizes that
every trip which the Sylvia makes down
the river will be one of instruction in
naval work for his men, he also takes
the position that other things on the
vessel Will be useful for the scouts to
know. There will be the wireless equip
nent, and practical wireless operators
who are members Of the Naval Battalion
will be detailed to teach the Boy Scouts
his work. and then there are the en-
yines What Boy Scout does not like to
earn things mechanical? And he will
De taken into the engine rooms and fire
rooms under competent guards, and every
part of the machinery will be explained.
1t is the opinion Of the commander
hat while these boys need not deal with
Ctrin ~ ro 1