Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-13
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The Jack tars composing the Naval Bat
TALON Of the District Of Columbia have
until Sunday evening, July n, free from
drills and other duties In connection with
their service as a reserve force for Uncle
Sans navy. The period Of furlough I'M
doubtedly would have been longer, mad
It not been for the fact that July - and
% had been set for the battalion to at
tend the small arms target practice on
the National Guard rife range at Con-
gress Heights, d. c.
While the enlisted men, are enjoying
their vacation from naval reserve work.
the officers will be putting In the time
catching up on the correspondence which
piled up while the battalion was away on
its annual cruise on the u. s.. s.. Alabama
There are numerous other matters which
will have to be looked after and placed
in shipshape before the battalion begins
it's active work for the winter.
There will be a general muster Of the
Naval Battalion on the Thursday follow
ing the days at the target range, and
although plans have not yet been pre-
pared. it Is not at all unlikely that the
naval militiamen will let this take the
form of q celebration Of their voyage on
the Alabama.
The following Monday. according to
present plans. the officers school will be
thrown open and from then the real. work
OF training men to become efficient sailors
for the American navy will be carried
forth.
AS the Naval Battalion will be forced
to go to the rifle range Sunday, in order
to be able to start practice early
Monday morning. it will not march
there, but will go on the street cars.
|. However, the band will have a chance
to serenade the sailormen after the target
practice Is over. g. 54e1
\ 4 4 X
AS soon as the furlough period is over
Commander Dempf will inaugurate an
other enlistment campaign. He is de-
sirous of having only those men in the
battalion who have good character and
who are interested in naval militia work.
There Is much pleasure and interest in
addition to the work at the Naval Bat
talon armory. and Commander Dempf in
tends to see that there is something at
the. battalion to attract the men Of the
city to join.
1t is the intention of the commander
to recruit the battalion up to as near
it's full complement of 400 men as it
Is possible. 1t is. believed that this
can be done in time, and he hopes to
take away with him on the next cruise
a battalion with a full complement of
officers and men.
There are number of vacancies
among the commissioned grades in the
Naval Battalion. These places will
have to be filled as the battalion grows.
But Commander Dempf says that he is
going to fill them slowly and only with
those men who have shown themselves
capable, Of leading men and who are
competent ito I'LL the positions of Of
ficers. So r5ss9 -
In view Of the fact that it will be
some time bekore they are, filled per-
sons enlisting soon after the battalion
takes up its regular work the first
part OF August win have q chance to
sfons as enSigns. It is best for those
who are DESTROYS of reaching the COM
missiOned grades to enlist early. so as
to begin the course OF instruction in
the officers schools as soon as posi-
BILE. However, Commander Dempf picks
for attendance at the schools those men
who by their work in the lower grades
show executive ability and willingness
officers must be the pick Of the bat
talfbn and will only be recommended
for commissions in the event they pass.
the rigid examinations and come up to
the other requirements.
! Il - n
: The mystery surrounding the appear
ance of Sausage" the mascot of the
Naval Battalion, aboard the L. S. s.
Alabama just before the vessel steamed
away from Newport has at last been
q certain officer SO much that the lat
ter was forced to admit that he brought
the dog on board the ship.
His (the officers. of course,) name is
Sigourney. his initials are Frank w.
and he holds commission as ensign
and has detail as recruiting officer.
aid to Commander Dempf, summary
court and numerous other things in the
Naval Battalion. and to these duties
which were thrust even showered.
upon him he has voluntarily taken
upon himself the guardianship OF Sau-
sage"
to the Naval Battalion has just leaked
out. He was discovered in Newport
and followed Mr.. Sigourney to the gov
eminent wharf late the night OF July
T. when the officer was about to take
the steam launch , for the Alabama aba nn
the gangway on the Alabama and
slipped past the vigilant eyes OF the
officer of the deck and when Sigourney
awoke the next morning he found
sausage" sleeping peacefully on the
floor alongside of his bunk.
After much diplomatic negotiations.
permission was finally obtained to keep
.Sausage" aboard until Baltimore was
tract was let for the construction of a
nice blanket for the animal. 1t was this
that the animal wore SO proudly down
Pennsylvania avenue during the parade.
Had ii not been for the fact that 'Sau-
sage. insisted upon keeping at the heels
If Sigourney during the whole march 1t
IL unlikely that the mystery would yet
have been solved.
i Chief Master-at-Arms Corners Is think
ing about writing book entitled. How
to Master the Italian Language in Nine
Davs." He says he will strongly recon-
mend It to masters-at-arms who are
compelled to enforce orders among
italian bands. Corners was four days
irving to make the band understand that
they would have to wash their white
uniforms. and was about to give 1t up
as q bad Job, when. as last resort, he
took one Of the bandsmen and got him
ia tell him how to say different things
to the bandsmen which would make them
understand his orders. He must have
succeeded. for the band uniforms were a
snowy white when they marched down
the Avenue Wednesday at the head Of the
local lack tars. When any one expressed
Doubt as TO Corners mastery of the Ian
rnare in the. short period he pointed,
with an air Of victory. to the nice. clean
uniforms.
OVER TIE SEA.