Evening star., 1914-02-01

many men as either of the other three
divisions.
The divisional officers are taking great
interest in their men and are giving them
all of the instruction that it is possible
to give them. In addition each of the
divisions has a little entertainment all
its own. Ensign Frank Sigourney. com
manding the 81 division. is making
plans to entertain his division next Thurs
day night. After giving the men little
lecture he proposes TO give them refresh
ments. and let them have the rest of the
evening to themselves i'll their divisional
quarters.
= = - i
Affairs moved lively at the Naval Bat
TALON last Thursday night. Not min
ute was lost In She drills and every
drfll was made to count. The two deck
divisions of the battalion. under Lieut..
burns and Ensign Crawford. were takeu
on the drill hall floor and We're put
through the heav: arti ilery drill. drag
sing the bulky field piece about the
moor with q rapidity which oniy trained
men can do. Since the heavy artillery
drill was first taken UP under Lieut.
Guss the men have become very pro-
feient in this kind of work. and though
it is hard it serves to tougher the
getting the training which would be in
valuable to them in time of war, look
upon it as a great sport.
The third division the recruits di
by Lieut.. Getsinger who instructed
these new men in some of the elements
OF navigation particularly the rules OF
the road for as soon as the season
opens the small boats ass! gned to the
local battalion will he launched and the
men will be taken out on the river for
rowing exercises and for other small
boat drills.
The engineers division was taken
aboard the Sylvia by Ensign Thomp-
son. second in command in this divi-
sion, where, in the engine room. it
was given instruction in the han
ding of naval machinery The men
also were given some practical in
struction in overhauling naval ma
chtnery when the steam launch as
signed to -fhe local battalion was
hauled from. its mornings to alongside
OF the Sylvia. where. with the aid Of
the davits on the yacht. the boiler was
taken out in order TO allow the men
TO overhaul it. Further than taking
the machinery out of the vessel moth
ing was done Thursday night. but it
Is proposed to have the engineers
gang work on the boilers while steam
ing down the river today.
While the vessel is steaming today
It is proposed to have those aboard go
through a number of the regular navy
drills. such as fire drill. aba ndon ship
call to battle stations, etc Each of the
three guns aboard the Sylvia will have
gun crew assigned, and when the
bugler sounds the general quarters"
every man will be expected to be at
his battle station.
4 further step to increase the efficiency
of the local naval militia Will be taken
this week. according to commander
Demnf. who declared that he VIII file
with the Navy Department "A formal re-
quest for the detail Of ii regular naval
officer here as inspector-instructor of the
Naval Battalion. to act in much the Same
capacity as the regular army officers as
signed to the National Guard.
1t was said at the division of militia af-
fairs of the Navy Department last week
that policy of detailing officers to other
naval militia organizations has been es-
tablished. and that if the commander of
the local naval militia would put in ce
quest for such q detail il would be hon
ored. While there is no provision at the
present time for the detail of regular
naval officers to naval militia organiZa-
tons as NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. the naval
militia bill. which mas passed the House
of Representatives and is now before the
Senate. makes such provision In the
meantime the division of militia affairs is
doing the best 1t can. Under the present
ARRANGEMENTS a naval officer on detail in
Washington could be assigned to visit
the armory on drill nights and instruct
the officers and to see tnat they handled
their men properly. and in addition could
give them lectures on navigation and
other nava! matters which an officer Is
expected to know when he is actually
called into the service of the United states.
At least that is the way other naval Or
ganizations have been handled. it is as
serted In some cities the local hydro
graphic officer is instructed to make
periodical visits to the naval militia
ganiZations in his vicinity with view
to helping the mlitiamen along
Commander Dempf declares that much
valuable training could be received by
the officers and men Of his command If
regular naval officer were assigned
to him, and he is enthusiastic about
the idea. He declared that it was some
thing which he had in mind for long
time. and now that he has learned that
the division of militia affairs is willing
diately file his request for the detail.
Commander Dempf also declared that
he is going to make request for the
assignment of large gun to the Naval
Battalion for the purpose of instruction
The department has established the pol
ICY OF issuing four-inch guns to the
naval militia organizations for instruc-
tiop purposes. and Commander Dempf is
desirous of getting one OF these for his
command. Outside of the two field
guns on their carriages. and the three
one-pounders on the Sylvia. the battalion
has no big guns with which to practice.
/
for this ordnance material also will go
in next week along with the request for
the assignment of an or-instructor.
THE gun when it is assigned here will
be placed in either the 1st or I'd
Division quarters at the arInory.' de-
cared Commander Dempf, where the
officers and enlisted men OF both deck
divisions could make use of it.
:: = :: =
Private Marion r. l.. Wood has been
transferred from the 1st Battery Field
Artillery, \. G. D. G., to the Naval
Battalion.
The following named enlisted men of
the Naval Battalion have been ordered
honorably discharged on their own ap-
plication: Yeoman. first class, Herbert
f. Becke. 1st Division: Apprentice Sea-
man William G. Mills. 1st Division; cleo
trician, second class. Robert l.. A. Plarr
and Oiler B. ]. Passett, 4th Division.
PRIESTS HELD FOR RANSOM.
Another French Missionary Slain in
Sack of Liuan-Chow.
SHANGHAI January AlyireS re-