Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-02
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NM the Washington navy yard
Wv she went about q month ago
for extensive repairs both to
hull and machinery, the personnel OF the
Naval Battalion of the National Guard
of the District of Columbia will have to
confine themselves to learning the work
of the land forces. 1t has been est-
mated by officials of the Washington
navy yard that 1t will take just one
month more to put the ship In first-class
condition. When the vessel returns to
her dock at the foot Of Water and 0
streets southwest Commander Dempf
plans to take number of short trips
nights.
Commander Dempf returned to Wash
ington last Sunday morning after going
to Hampton roads to place the eight
local naval mlltiamen aboard the YES
sells Of the Atlantic fleet which started
out to make q cruise to Mediterranean
ports He left Washington Thursday
and conducted his men aboard the wy
oming. flagship of the Atlantic fleet,
Friday. Before the fleet left he was
unable to ascertain to what vessels they
, had been ass gned. He did find out, how
! ever, that Ensign F. l.. Nudge had been
, assigned to the fla ship Wyoming, and
that Chief Hospital Steward Martin A.
Dempf his son. had been given place
on the Arkansas.
The Washington naval mlitiamen. he
said were to be complimented for the
fine saiorlike appearance they made
when they boarded the flagship as COM
pared to the jackies from other states.
The former had their complete un forms
Ell kent and t4eir bag ace was pre-
J rod In, Haiti
of the other naval militiamen who were
to make the cruise was rOped In all
| manners and fashions
| Commander Dempf was full of enthusi
| asm about the trip. and Is full of praise
| for the men who took It. He believes
| that the training they will receive while
on fhe voyage will make their services
| invaluable to the battalion when they
return. The knowledge they will absorb
during the entire two months they are
away will train them to be excellent in
structorS for the recruits now coming
into the battalion in numbers.
The fleet is due at Amer can shores
again December IL. and there is a stron@
| poSsbi''t y that it will come in at New
York heralded by much ceremony Com
mander Dernpf ALREADY IS Planning to
90 to New York to meet the members of
his battalion who made the cruise and
also is planning to have d big home
coming ARRANGED at the battalion for
these citi7en-salors. IL the fleet does
come in at New York as is int mated at
this time. it is probable the naval militia
men will arrive in WASHINGTON i'll the
n. ght In that case, Commander Dempf
proposes to have the whole battalion. in
cud ng the band. to turn out and meet
their shipmates at the Union station and
escort them to the armory.
y = ::
lieut. BUST C. Gets:nger, commanding
TIE 1st Division for the Naval Battalion,
xls,< rcfo ty,f hn off
now is engaged in having his scho ars
brush up in preparation for the exami "a
tons for ensign which will be held about
the latter part of this month. Every
branch of the ship management is being
deIved INTO by Lieut.. Getsinger, and
the members of the school receive the
instruction in the simp est manner pos
sibIe Every point is clearly defined be-
fore the next is taken up.
The Improvement in the battalion since
the winter season began has been notice
abe not only to the officers, but to the
laymen who visit the battalion on its
drill nights. To Lieut.. W. Granville
Guss, executive officer of the organ "a
ton, is due a great amount of the credit
for the fine sailor-liKe appearance of the
batta ion during it's drills. S nee Lieut..
Guss has been made executive officer,
Commander DempfS shoulders have been
relieved of a large part of the load of
night Lieut.. Guss not only issues the
direct ons for the dr. lis and eXerci es
of the naval militiamen, but he takes
time in between his numerous duties to
see that his orders are carried out This
permits Comman er Dempf to renal
in his cabin attending to special work
which it is necessary for him person
ally to act upon.
There were many happy naval militia
at the armory last Thursday ght
when the word was passed that the pay
muster would be around to pay tha men
for their duty on the bait eship Ala
bama during the annual cruise last July.
The battalion assembled early and was
put through semaplore gnal.n5 exer-
cises by chief petty officers. and then
was taken i'll charge by Lieut.. 3. G.
Getsinger for calistnenic eXer ises. Alon
about 3 O'Clock Capt. Thomas Il. Clark,
n. G. u. c., paymaster, came up the
gangway and hove to dead off the star
board beam of the battalion forIna;i N.
The men who were not on the cru Sc
were ordered to step out and to go be-
low to their quarters. Then the others
started their visit to the paymaster'5
table, leaving with smiles and-sone
money. Capt Clark was assisted in pay
ing the battalion by Lieut.. John j..
Johns, paymastcr of the Naval Bat
tai on.
AT the conclusion of the payments the
men were ordered to their quarters,
where they remained while the officers
held meet ng, which lasted only i
short time, following which the men were
dismissed. j
The number OF Boy Scouts attending
the battalion school is increasing every
Monday night Here the Boy Scouts of
the c ty receive much of the training
they need to pass an examination for
merit ladge sea scout. Last Monday
night Chief Boatswain's Mate Chauncey
Rooney took the boys III charge and
taught them how to tie the many knots
known to the sailormen. Command
Dempf also took the boys in hand and
taught them various things about sea
scouting.
AS a recognition of his efforts toward
train ng the Boy Scouts in sea scouting,
Commander Dempf has been named as a
member of the staff of the Boy Scout Or
gan zation of this city.