Evening star., 1914-05-31
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49,

An Battalion OF the NduOnai
wv Guard of the District of Co
lumbia aboard. the L. s. S.
Sylvia, the training ship assigned to this
organization. left her dock promptly at
o'clock Friday afternoon for a practice
cruise down the Potomac river. Just be-
fore the vessel cast off her lines, Com
mander Joseph A. Dempf. commanding
the organization. said his plans were TO
steam as far as Colonial Beach, where
drills and boat exercises would be en-
gagged in, and besides there would be
places for the men to enjoy themselves
when they were given short liberty.
However, with slow steaming, night
overlook the vessel. lights became con-
fusing. and the Sylvia went hard aground
near the Upper Cedar point lighthouse.
A tug from the Washington navy yard
was sent to her rescue.
Shortly after noon when the enlisted
men began to arrive things began to hum
around the naval militia armory at the
foot of Water and o streets southwest.
The deck men hastily donned their clean
white uniforms. while the engineers
jumped into their overalls. There was
activity everywhere. Orders were flying
thick and fast. To prepare a naval YES
sci for a trip. when she is not in con-
stant service. takes lots of time. The
helm, siren. telegraphs and other navi-
cation contrivances on the bridge must
be tested. the engines have to be looked
over by the engineer officers to be sure
that everything is running smoothly be-
fore the mooring lines are moved
But as soon as the officers began to ar
rive everything was done in an orderly
way, although it took nearly two hours.
When the bugler sounded the first call
for quarters the little naval yacht was
in trim shape and ready for service.
Just before the orders to steam ahead
were passed Commander Dempf ordered
the crew mustered on the dock and the
roll was called. Then the jackies were
dismissed to get to their stations and
intention to make Colonial Beach as soon
after nightfall as possible.
AS the bugled sounded quarters
every man not assisting in getting the
ship under way stood at attention in the
forward part of the ship, and the three
blasts on the steam siren announced that
the Sylvia's engines were going aStern,
carrying her out into the stream.
The officers aboard when the vessel
left her dock were Commander Joseph
A. Dempf. Lieut.. Charles NJ. Smithson,
chief engineer; Junior Lieut.. B. c. Get
singer commanding first division and
executive officer on the present cruise:
Junior Lieut.. Frank w. Sigourney, COM
mandng third division and senior watch
officer on the present cruise: Ensign Har-
old Crawford, acting navigator; Ensign
f. L. Nudge. commanding fourth divi-
sion (engineers), and Ensign Paul v
Thompson, fourth division.
While there will be plenty of shore
liberty and time for pleasure while the
Sylvia is anchored off the Beach. Com
mander Dempf declared there also would
be lots of work by which the men will
get much valuable training which will
be of assistance to them, especially the
new men, when they go aboard the ar
mored cruiser Tennessee on their an
nual cruise in July. There were good
many of the newly enlisted men on this
trip and older men will be ordered, it
was said, to teach them many of the
naval duties. They will be taught how
to heave the lead for ascertaining the
depth of water and the kind of bed over