Evening star., 1914-11-01

Navy Department by members
of the Naval Battalion of the National
Guard of the District of Columbia
Thursday night. November 12. The
committee of officers and enlisted men
having the affair in charge held a
meeting last Thursday night. when
the various committees reported. The
invitations were issued following the
regular drill period
During the formal ceremonies of in
spection by the assistant secretary,
and also during the dance which is
to follow, the regular ships band from
the Washington navy yard will render
Il musical program.
The officers and enlisted men are
working hard to make this affair,
which ushers in the drill season for
the naval militia, one of the best in
it's history. and it is proposed to have
one each month during the drill sea-
son. The men have taken d great in
terest in the coming event, and it has
been means of increasing the at
tendance.
ber of army and navy officers on duty
in the District of Columbia. to the
Commissioners of the District of Co
lumb3 and members of Congress.
ASSISTANT secretary ttOoSeNell Is eA-
pected to deliver an address to the
members of the organization after he
has passed through the formalites of
an inspection.
The 125 new navy rifles ordered recently
by Commander Dempf are due to arrive
here by November T. Through the cour-
tesy of the militia division of the Navy
Department the requisition for these
rifles was rushed. and the officers at
the New York navy yard were instructed
tn he 81 in
time to be here by the above date. This
Will be in plenty of time to equip the
linen for inspection.
AS there was some doubt as to whetll-
err these guns could be gotten mere in
time it had previously been decided to
have six nnen picked from each division
to form select competitive drill COM
pany for the night Of the inspection. as
five rifles on hand. It's old equipment
has been turned back to the National
Guard. as 1t was army property The re-
ceipt Of the new rifles will obviate the
the entire battalion may then partici-
pate.
~ X
DR.. c. COoksey, who for a number Of
years has been paymaster's clerk in
the Naval Battalion, has filed his appli-
cation for permission to take the ex-
animation for commission as ensign in
the organization.
The following promotions in the second
division Were made by Commander
Denpf Thursday night: Edgar j. SAINT
meyer. to be coXswain: Seaman Appren-
tice Joseph G. Eller. jr., to be carpen-
ter's mate; Seaman Apprentice G; J:
Smyth. to be carpenters mate. third
class, and Harry v. Hayden. to be yeo-
man, first class.
* X *
The officers Of the Naval Battalion
have formed an officers association of
the Naval Battalion of the National
Guard of the District of Columbia The
first meeting WAS held Thursday night
when Commander joseph A. Dempf
was elected president. Lieut.. Uunior
grader F. w Sieourney secretar-- and
Ensign H. l.. Crawford treasurer The
following auditing committee also was
elected: Lieut.. C. NJ. Smithson. Ensign
F. L. Nudge and Ensign Hoefer.
| The meetings of the association are
to be held every Monday evening i'm
mediately after the officers school. at
service will be discussed. The busi-
ness meetings of the association are
scheduled to be held on the first Mon
day after the 18th day of each month
The u S. S. Sylvia. training ship of
the local naval militia. will not make
a practice cruise today but is sched-
uled to go out next Sunday The new
steam launch belonging to the bat
talon left yesterday morning for a
practice cruise to Riverside, Md, with
number of officers and enlisted men
aboard.
x X 4 X
The enlistment campaign inaugurated
several weeks ago by Commander
| Dempf is bearing fruit, and a large
number of high-class, young. men are
| enlisting in the organization. Thurs
| J.,x nj }Oh
der the direction of Lieut.. F. Fl. Nor
hart, surgeon of the battalion. and DR..
A. p. Tibbetts, were kept busy during