Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-09-06

49, 49,;
~ one of it's weekend practice
cruises with the Naval Bat
TALON Of the National Guard
~ Of the District of Columbis
the U. S. S. Sylvia, training
ship of that organization, left here yes
terday morning at o'clock. with Co.
lonial Beach on its log as tho frs
port Of call. The vessel is due bach
at Washington before dark Monday
evening. according to plans outlined
before the vessel left her dock here.
During the voyage the sailormen will
be put through the many drills and
exercises familiar to the jackies OF
Uncle Sans regular navy. There will
be gun drills, boat drills, signaling
h1
course, there will be scrubbing and
holystoning of the decks just as they
do in the regular service. when al
$50 every one is up and ready. the
washdeck hose is turned on and the
decks flushed.
The vessel is to lie off Colonial
Beach Sunday and Monday. and after
she arrives her engines probably will
not be turned again until ready to
get under way for the return trip to
Washington. While at the beach 1t
is the plan to have drills with the
small boats in the morning, while in
the afternoons and evenings those men
who do not have duty to perform will
be given liberty at the resort
The cruise to Colonial Beach on the
Sylvia a week ago was declared to
have been successful one in every
way. The vessel arrived at the beach
Saturday shortly after noon and left
Sunday afternoon at 1 80 o'clock in or
dark. On that trip. as well as on the
others which were made to the Vir-
ginia resort, the vessel was plotted to
the beach and return by Capt. Jones of
addition to plotting the vessel Capt.
Jones has instructed the officers Of the
ship In river navigation.
The officers who started on the trip
yesterday were Commander Joseph A.
Dempf. Lieut. Charles N. smithson,
chief engineer; Lieut.. Frank W. Sigour-
ney. executive officer. and Ensign Harold
Crawford. acting navigator.
Owing to the long delay. in the arrival
Of the steam launch which has been
assigned by the Navy Department to
the third division Of the District of Co
lumbia naval militia commanded by
Lieut.. F. w. Sigourney. letter has been
to the general storekeeper
of the Norfolk navy yard, from which
place the launch is to come, inquiring
why the vessel is being held up. It was
pointed out in the letter that 1t will now
be only a matter of a few months be.
fore the river may be. closed to naviga-
ton in small boats, and the division to
which the vessel has been assigned is
anxious to get as much practice work
be used in training quartermasters and
seamen.
The naval battalion's armory last
Thursday night was busy place There
were drills and exercises during every
minute of the two-hour drill period The
third and second divisions were given
dotting practice at the three-pounder
gun Installed in the armory The fourth
division (engineers) was given instruc-
ton in engineering in the armory and
on the Sylvia. The third division also
had a class in seamanship headed by
Chief Boatswain's, Mate p. M Ward.
officers and men of the battalion
cannot participate in the fund for naval
HOSPITALS, according to a ruling Of the
controller of the Treasury. The question
was put up to that official when asked
II 1t was proper to deduct from the pay
of officers and men Of the naval militia
90 cents a month as Is done in the reg
ular service, to be applied to the up
keep of the naval hospitals.
Capt. T. R. Clarke. paymaster. N. G.
D. c.. completed the payment Of the
District pay" to the men Of the naval
militia last Thursday night.
B. F. Hughes. seaman, Sd Division, is
to leave that division to take up aero
nautical work, according to reports.
Russell Simmons. who recently left
tho Sd OlYta1On of fha Naval Militia