Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-07-06
JACK|ES SAIL AWAY
TO THE bERMUDAS
Naval Battalion of District
Aboard the Rhode Island
for Long Cruise.
TRAINING FOR SERVICE
SHOULD WAR DEMAND 1T
Command to Engage in Target
Practice in Tangier Sound,
Lower Chesapeake Bay.

HAMPTON ROADS. Va. July g.
Anxious to fondle the big guns of the
big battleshp Rhode Island of the At
lantic fleet and to prepare to take the
prize in target practice; anxious to try
out under service conditions the train
ing of the past year, 200 citizen sailors,
composing the Naval Battalion. Ma
tional Guard of the District of Column
bia, boarded the big ship early this
morning in Hampton Roads. Shortly
after noon the anchor was weighed
and with the District sailors taking
their stations just as readily and with
the same efficiency as the regulars. the
chip steamed for the Chesapeake capes
beginning her voyage up the coast to
1-ewes. Del. There the naval militia of
Philadelphia and Camden, " j. will be
picked up and the vessel will then
point her nose toward Bermuda-the
OBJECTIVE point of the fifteen day
cruise of the citizen sailors-a cruise
which will be as a school of training
service IN time of interna tional I'M
pleaSd0tneSs- II Will be "A post grad
uate course for both officers and men
after good nights rest on the trip
Gown on the steamer Northland the
sailors from Washington were awakened
just before Old Point was reached.
There was a hustle 10 get ready for
shore. and when the shin touched all
hands We're ready to go on the dock
II was healthy. clean-cut battalion
which Commander Joseph \. Dempf
commanding the District tackles. re-
ported to Capt. Williams of the Rhode
Island.
Transfer to the Warship.
The work of transferring the militia
men Was done quickly. They stepped
from the NcrthIand to the docks and
right from the dock into the Rhode
Islands shore boats. Breakfast was
served as soon as they boarded the
Rhode Island. and then the work of
assigning the men their stations was
undertaken The engineers were given
their hiaceS III the fire and engine rooms
and the deck forces their stations which
the vessel
The forenoon was taken up with a few
routine drills and exercises. then the
Start Of the cruise was made Each of
the gun crews is hoping to be the one
10 capture the Gunnery trophy when
they return to Tangier sound. in the
lower Chesapeake bay, for target prac-
tice.
on the trip down on the Northland
IL the evening hours the boys kept
things lively on the ship. but long be-
fore midnight all had turned in, in or
der that they might be able to report
in the prime of condition this morning
Greeted by Cheers.
Until it became too dark to dis
tinSuish the sailors most of whom
were lining the rails, there was
cheer after cheer from the crowds on
the docks along the river side and
on launches returning after days
outing The strong-lunsed jackies
ansv cred back in sailors stvIe The
attracted much
other passengers on he ship and
more than one commented favorablv or
the manner in which the sailor boys
! showed discipline.
The Rhode Island. with the comma nd
ABOARD. Is due at Lewes. Del tomor.
row and probably will arrive at Der.
of shore liberty there The men vii
be given every chance to see III,
islands CIV
Battalion Sails Away.
Inc Naval Battalion of the Nationa
Guard of the District of Columbia. near
ly -" strong, boarded the Norfolk ant
Washington steamer last night at ,
O'Clock. bound for Old Point The or
SaraZation was in command of Com
mander Joseph a. Dempf, and consisted
OF four divisions, the first in command o
Lieut.. w. G. Guss. the second in com
| HidHu W JuhiOr Lieut. W. W. Burns
the third in command of Junior Iieut
Frank W. Sigourrey and the fourth, O
engineers division. in command of En-
sign Nudge
When the local jackies return to Wash
inGton. after having spent fifteen day;
aboard one of Uncle Sans first line bat
tleships. they will have covered approx
mately ECO miles on the water
While aboard the Rhode Island tn,
naval militiamen will operate the ship
the regular crew, which is a part of tn,
fourth division of the great AtIanti,
fleet, is TO he put ashore. The milia
men will navigate her. fire her boilers
run her engines, and. most important o
all will fire her guns at target practic
in Tangier sound. When the ship re
turns to the states and proceeds up tn
Chesa peake bay to the sound. the either
sailors viii show their proWcss with III
big guns Of the Rhole Island. ant
the scores they make there will deter