Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21

connection Commander Dempf stated
that the examinations for promotion
| from the ranks to the grade of ensign
would be held shortly after the 1st of
January.
Although there are only three vacan-
cies in the grade Of ensign at the present
ume, there are about seven men who will
| take the examination for promotion
However. it is declared that there proba-
bly, will be few more vacancies in the
near future. At present the battalion
has only thirteen officers, while the law
provides for twenty-three On the staff
Of Commander Dempf there is vacancy
, in the grade of lieutenant commander.
who would be executive officer, and two
staff lieutenants. one as chief signal,
ordnance and equipment officer and the
other navigating officer.
In the line there are four vacancies OF
lieutenant. junior Lieut. j. =. Dalton
more than four months ago asked for
six months leave of absence. It was
officially denied to him, but he has not
reported for duty since he made the re-
, II is proposed, according to Ensign
Sigourney, aid TO the commander, 10
take this case up with National Guard
Headquarters within short time
:: = :: !
The rattle of musketry and the clang-
ing OF the targets soon will be heard in
the Naval Battalion armory. Ensign
William X. Hoefer, acting ordnance Off
Ger, Is making prepare lions TO set UP the
tarr cts in the armory and he expects
to have them completed by the first OF
the year. These targets will be used
| for sub-caliber practice by the members
of the battalion.
Several of the small boats of the local
naval militia We're taken out of the water
last Sunday by Ensign Harold Crawford
and a crew of naval militia Ensign
Crawford superintendent the rigging up
of the ropes for pulling small vessels up
OH the wharf. The job was a difficult
one. but after some effort the boats We're
finally gotten into their winter bel this on
the dock. This is done every year in
order to protect the craft from any ice
which might. form in the river. The
motor boat D. c. NJ. and the two whale
boats were hauled out, but il is probable
that the steam launch will be left in the
water 1t is a sturdy little craft and is
believed by Commander Dempf to be
strong enough to withstand any ice pres
sure.
Several of the officers OF the battalion
declare that what is really needed is a
couple OF sets of davis to be attached
10 the side of the dock. These would
make it as easy to raise Z vessel from
the river to the dock as it is to raise d
small boat out OF the water to the deck
of a battleship. Another argument ad-
vanced for the need of davits is that il
there should be any good weather dur
ing the winter the boats. with the aid
of tlfe7 davis. could be launched into the
water and used for short cruises, while
with the present difficulties of getting
them in and out they will have to remain
on the dock until spring. This is de-
clared to be a handicap. The matter OF
obtaining davits has been laid before
Commander Dempf.
:: :: :;
The navy has perfected a small wireless
set which can be carried in a suitcase
for the use of landing parties. \ mum
Der of these sets have arrived in Wash
ington and Lieut.. BUST G.. Getsinger
commanding the first division of the