Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-06

a
time before the cruise. But the regular
men. under Commander c. F. Preston
commanding the Alabama. were very con-
Siderate. and didn't mind taking double
watches and being patient with the naval
miitiamen until the latter became used to
their places.
Commander Dempf took his station on
the bridge with Commander Preston. Both
remained there until Well into midnight of
tuesday. when the Alabama came to an
rhor we'll down the Chesapeake BAY
Praises are heard all over the ship of
Commander Preston.
Recognition for Dempf.
Commander Dempf is kept busy doing
his work executive officer of the ship.
When the vessel was two days out Com
| mander Preston, recognizing his ability.
appointed him as temporary executive Of
ficer for the present cruise. From what
can be learned about the ship he is doing
his work well. and evidently has DISPLAYED
TO Commander Preston that the latter had
not made mistake when he picked the
skipper of the District Naval Battalion to
act as his executive officer
1T IS remarkable to the layman how a
vessel. with as many people aboard as a
fa1r-siZed town would contain, goes
smoothly onward without accident But
II is the system and Commander Preston
with his able assistants. both in the regu-
the Alabama going smoothly.
Of course. II takes a while to get the
naval mllitiamen, many of whom are new
| broken into the work. But even in view
| along smoothly so far on the present
cruise.
| There is one thing that has been
| demonstrated. That every man. whether
| young or old. should have training in the
| naval militia. And it is demonstrated
4 ftIrthPr that the of no
| [ nited States can be pressed into serv-
i ice with remarkable swiftness in the
| event of an Impending unpeasantness.
/ The Alabama is a reserve vessel The
| militiamen aboard have settled them
i selves down into their places so quickly
/ and merged themselves with the regular
crew that it has been pointed out In no
1 uncertain way that vessel could be
/ gotten In condition for service in the
| time ii would take it to steam from it's
/ reserve station to its battle station
The District of Columbia Naval Re
i serves are being praised for the efficient
manner In which they have conducted
/ themselves since they came aboard the
vessel. The local tackles have been work
i ing hard. in the engine and fire rooms
and on the decks. but when the time
/ came they made up in fun for the work
1 they had done. And the regular navy
| aboard. as has been demonstrated by the
| way they have tried to entertain them
1 In various games. Even hand ball is
played on the decks. When the ball
| drops into the briny deep. as 1t sometimes
does. the boys have good laugh and get
4 another ball. Everybody aboard is good
| natured on the Alabama.
Work Along With Regulars
The officers of the District Naval Bat
4 talon have merged themselves right in
with the regulars and have been doing
work just as important. standing their
| regular watches in turns OF course
| there are a number of deck officers but
there are only two engineer officers from
/ the District Battalion, ENSIGN Frederick
| l.. Nudge and Paul V Thomson These
/ young men donned their overalls the
| same as others. and got down into the
| hot engine rooms the same as the reg
| ulars. And when they come above at the
| end Of their four-hour watches they have
| Just as much of a smile as they have at
/ any time while in the wardrooms eating
| nice dinner prepared by the navy
| cooks
AS executive officer Of the vessel Com
| mander Dempf Is one of the busiest men
/ aboard, but he enjoys it Just like reg
| ular. and he carried il along lust as
| though he had been associated with
| Commander Preston since the latter has
| been the skipper OF the Alabama Ensigns
/ Sigourney and Crawford the latter the
| Junior ensign of the District Reserves
| are enjoying themselves doing their
watches on the bridge.
| On the second night out the Alabama
| encountered severe storm. and she
| pitched and rolled and the rain beat hard
/ into the faces OF the men on the bridge
| But il was not long before she came
| out OF the storm area. After that it was
| smooth steaming. and the sea became
| quite calm Smooth steaming then bless
| ed the Alabama until Newport was
reached.
| The trip not without its funny
| side. And the band brought by the Dis
trict of Columbia Naval Battalion fur
nished the fun. Ii is made up principally
of Italians. The regulars stood off and
| innocently laughed at bandsmen playing
games. and the band realized they were
furnishing entertainment and got
| much fun out of 1t as others on board.
Couldn't Manage Hammocks.
night they just could not get used TO
their hammocks. Instead of hanging
them taut up against the decks. on the
plea that they might hit their heads they
hung them on hooks near together MAX
ing them hang in the shape of a L.
Then they had hard time getting into
them. They would catch hold of the
edge and the hammock would turn over
Then the bandsmen would have good
laugh. Finally one little fellow said:
Just watch me how I get in He
showed them He grabbed hold of the
side OF the hammock, gave leap. and
went right over the top and landed on
| the other side. Finally some Of them
gave II up in disgust. and sat down and
made wishes for their little beds al home
| just a couple of feet from the floor and
solid. One stout bandsman finally pro-
| cured a piano stool and helped himself
/ into the hammock.
1 They had much fun and drew such
| crowd that the master-at-arns told
/ them that they would have 10 keen
quiet But that only seemed Ia he =
| signal for them TO start anew He took
| il good naturedly
! The various drills aboard ship are very
interesting The second day out there
| came a fire drill. when the men wer.
taken to their various stations. closing