Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-03

Washington for the use of the
Naval Battalion, N. G. d. c.,
are moving forward. The formal letter
from the Navy Department offering the
use Of the Sylvia for the temporary use
at National Guard headquarters tho first
Of last week, and was Immediately re-
ferred to Commander Dempf.
Commander Dempf has prepared his
reply, and It has been sent to Gen. Har-
ries, commanding the District Militia,
for his approval. The letter accepts the
offer Of the boat for temporary use, and
says that the local naval commander will
be ready to send for the boat about the
middle Of the month.
Before the crew which is to bring the
vessel to Washington goes to Philadel-
Of local naval militia officers to the
Quaker city to take an inventory OF the
goods aboard her, as we'll as to make
an inspection Of her engines. This board,
It was declared, will be composed OF two
officers. and these probably will De G-
sign Nudge, commanding the fourth d.
vision, and Ensign Hoefer. his assistant.
These two officers probably will go TO
Philadelphia August s. and 1t VIII re-
quire probably five or six days to make
the thorough inspection which ID neces-
sary.
when Commander Dempf receives word
that the ship is ready and In good con-
dition. he, with two deck omcers ana q
crew OF twelve men II the snip comes
down via the Delaware canal ana sixteen
men IL it comes down the coast, W1ii go
to Philadelphia. It will be probably three
DAYS before the vessel can get here by
either passage. But It Is expected tnat
the vessel will be here about the middle
of August.
The target practice Of the Naval Bat
talon was finished last Tuesoay ever.
at Congress Heights. and the naval mi.
lftiamen are now prepared Tor thal
busy but profitable year wnicn has
been promised them by Commander
very good scores on the range. but
it is believed that when they get useo
to the new system in vogue on tne
Congress Heights range they VIII be
able to make better percentages
Two days on the range shooting un-
der the hot sun gave the sailors a
healthy tan. When they were not
shooting they were working about the
range, or amusing themselves at va
rious games. many OF the lackies no.
the battleship Alabama. where they en-
loved many pastimes with the regular
tackles. The first evening at the range
the deck division of the naval men or
another team gotten up by their COM
rades from below the decks-other-
wise, the engineer force.
Well, the way those boys pounded the
ball all over the target range seemed
to indicate that they were letting out
some OF the pent-up energy retained
when they were confined to playing
hand ball on the decks of the Alabama.
And runs! Why. not even q newspaper
scorekeeper could have kept track OF
them, they came over the home plate
SO fast.
Ensign Hoefer, one of the engineer
officers. was one Of the bravest sailors
there. He acted as umpire. Judging by
ness in the face of two fires would
make him good naval man to have
around In battle any time. The ball
flew all over the lot, and even the SEN
try left his post long enough to get
the ball, to save one of the base ball
men from playing out in his attempts
to recover it.
Nobody knows the score. Either that
or they are afraid to take sides. Both
Commander Dempf and his aid. En-,
guess. and Ensign Hoefer will not. He
thinks he did his brave part In UNI
piring the game. Reports from both
sides place the score at anywhere from
% to 40. favorfng, of course, the side
who was giving you the score.
y
Commander Demprs jackies are always
nss e hs s so After fsa ns
Commander Dempf heard Maj. Lynch. in
command Of the range, remark that the
flag at the top OF the high staff was hung
there and he was waiting for the wind to
blow 1t down SO 1t could be fixed.
'Why wait for wind?' said Commander
Dempf. when you have. the navy right
here. I have men who can go up that
pole in jiffy and have the flag down
and the ropes fixed IN no time:
ter-at-arms out scouting for one OF his
deck. force. One came along and after
a few whispered words from the COM
mander up went sailor man to the top
had disentangled the rope and the flag
was fixed.
What's the use Of having naval
force II they can't fix things that are
lying around out Of order?'
Everybody agreed with him.
= =
Not even the Naval Battalion escaped
from the storm which visited Washing
ton Wednesday evening. There We're
three boats-a whaleboat, cutter and a
metallic lifeb0at-On the north side Of the
naval battalion dock when the storm
the whaleboat. which had been lying
sunken alongside Of the dock for many
months until 1t was recently raised.
weighing approximately half ton, was
found on the south side Of the dock. and
had been prevented from going over the
side and falling on the motor boat d. C.
NJ. which the naval militiamen have just
finished repairing, by two piles
AS for the cutter and the lifeboat.
these were not to be seen until after q
thorough investigation, when they were
discovered sunken In the Potomac river
near the Arsenal wall fully 100 yards
distant. All Of these boats had been
were lying on the dock awaiting removal
to the Washington navy yard for dis
posal.
Onlcers and men OF the battalion are
congratulating themselves that the D. G.
"a. was not crushed by the whaleboat
during the storm.
X =
There was o large crowd who visited
the arm0ry last Sunday night to hear the
band concert and witness the departure
OF the local sailor boys for the target
with people al during the evening until
the tackles boarded the cars for Com
greEs Heights. =
The object OF most interest. however.
was Sausage. He is q great favoriteI
with the children. and there were few
visitors at the battalion who did not make
INQUIRIES about him.
Is that the dog the sailor boys brought
from Newport p asked one fair visitor Of
one OF the sailors last Sunday evening.
II would like to see him, because have
read 30 much about him.
Yes. madam, !" answered tho jackie as |
he proudly oaress6dk the animal
ta HSnfffAst