Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-14
sylvia Inst before the members of the

Sylvia. Just before the members of the
battalion were dismissed after the drills,
Commander Dempf brought Lieut. Smith
son into the drill hall and presented him
to the battalion members.
Lieut. Smithson is a master mechanic
in the Washington navy yard. ana is In
charge of the east gun carriage shop.
He has worked with machinery all his
life, and is just the right man to Keep
the Sylvia's complex machinery in ship
shape condition. The new chief engineer
is a native of Washington. having been
born here May 81, 1868. and was educated
in the Washington schools.
Along in 1889, when he was but seven
teen years of age, he got an idea that
he would like to handle machinery, SO
he entered the navy yard as an ap-
partment. He learned every part OF en-
gines. and saw them increase in size
from the small engines of that time to
the all-powerful engines of today.
When the navy yard was transferred
from the steam engineering department
to the ordnance department. Mr.. smith,
son also was transferred. In this work
he has risen through the various super
Visory capacities to that of master
/ mechanic.
Lieut. Smithson is considered to be a
valuable addition to the commissioner ned
one who thoroughly understands the
working of marine engines and IS able
to direct the men under him. He has
already preparing to begin his school
of instruction for young men who enlist
in the Naval Battalion with the idea OF
learning steam engineering.
He is planning to select the bright
young men from the engineering d.
vision, and each drill night take them
down in the hold of the Sylvia to the
engine room. and there instruct them
in the various working parts of the ves-
sel-how to fire. how. to be water
tender and how to do various other
things which naval engineers should
know.
Several parts of engines, according to
Lieut.. Smithsons plans, are to be built
on platforms in the divisional quarters
taken apart, and with the aid of the
blackboard each part will be explained.
together with the relation it bears to
other working parts of the engines.
* X x *
Now that Commander Dempf has se-
lected his staff engineer officer, he is look
ing around for some bright young men
in the city who want to learn all about
naval machinery. He has renewed his en-
listment campaign and is anxious to
Naval Battalion all the young men of
the city of good character who are in
terested in naval work. OF course, he W II
not assign men to the engineer division
unless they desire, but this is one Of the
most instructive and one of the most in
teresting divisions in the battalion. Deck
duties also are very tntedesting. and Com
mander Dempf wants men to I'LL positions
in these places.
There are only three divisions in the
battalion at this time, but the commander
will endeavor to recruit enough men to
organize another division, and in this
way bring the battalion up to its full
strength of 400 members. All Of the
schools for embryo officers, as well as
the schools Of instruction for enlisted
men. which will enable them to reach
higher ratings in the battalion soon will
be in full swing. The officers school has
been running for several weeks, and the
next school to open will be for the en-
listed personnel. and will be I'm charge
of Lieut.. Smitllson. The schools of
signaling ordnance and gunnery soon will
be organized and placed under the leader
ship of competent officer
X x x
Today will be a busy one at the bat
talon dock, and things will hum around
there all day. A number Of men have
volunteered to come down and assist the
officers in storing material and doing
other work about the armory which cam
not be done in the night. Commander