Evening star., 1914-03-22

urged them to be prompt in answering
their correspondence. and he also told
them that If they needed equipment they
should apply for it Immediately.
Comma nder BaSSett also said that the
names of the members of the general
board of the naval militia would .be an
nounced by the Secretary Of the Eavy
within short time.
y :. !:
When the U. S. S. Sylvia, the vessel
assigned by the Navy Department to the
local naval militia for training purposes,
returns from the Washington navy yard
where it went yesterday for the purpose
of having some repairs made on the
main engine and an examination made
of her sea valves. regular sunday trips
will be made down the river. 1t is eX-
pected that the first of these trips will
be made next Sunday, as it is believed
that the work on her will not take more
than one week.
AS summer comes on it is proposed to
take sections of the battalion for nightly
cruises down the river, thus getting in
much practice work, instructing the men
particularly in the handling of vessels at
night. 1t will familiarze the officers
with navigation at night, and will give
them confidence to take charge of navi-
cation on the big ships when they are
at sea during the summer cruises.
The first of the divisions which are to
make the Sunday trips Is the newly
organized I'd Division. commanded by
Ensign Sigourney This division smade
up of the recruits of the battalion, and
this will be the first opportunity any
of them will have had to put to prac-
teal use the theories Of naval work, in
which they have been instructed in the
classroomS at the armory. II the work
on the vessel is completed by next Sat
urday it is proposed to start at $50 in
the morning. according to Ensign 81
courtney. The vessel Will dock again at
o'clock.
I: = !, =
Lieuts. w. G. Guss, W. W. Burns and
B. c. Getsinger last week received their
commissions as lieutenants, junior grade.
in the Naval Battalion of the National
Guard of the District of Columbia. This
gives them the right to wear one bar
on their collars and to add u half-stripe
to their sleeves.
Lieut.. Guss has been 4 commissioned
officer in the battalion since April, 1903,
while Leuts. Burns and Getsinger re-
ceived their first commissions in May,
1912.
The board of officers which will conduct
examinations for the promotion of en-
signs to the next grade of junior lieu
tenant and enlisted men for commission
as ensigns in the Naval Battalion of
the National Guard of the District of
Columbia was appointed yesterday by
Columbia militia, by direction of Col.
Charles Ourand, temporarily in command
Of the local National Guard.
There is one vacancy III the grade of
junior lieutenant, and three i'll the grade
of ensign. Several of the enlisted men of
the Naval Batta ion have filed their ap-
plications to be examined for commission
The board probably Will convene some
time during the week. when the candi-
dates will be called before it for exami-
nation.
Following Is the order:
THE additional members Of the brigade
board Of examination. consisting Of Com
mander Joseph A. Dernpf. Lieut.. John L
Johns, paymaster. and Lieut.. Frederick
H. Morhart, surgeon. Naval Battalion
detailed November 1. 1918. are hereby
relieved as members of such board.
=: ). < y
"The following named officers of the
Naval Battalion are detailed as members
of the brigade board of examination for
the examination of candidates for pro-
motion and appointment in the Naval
Battalion: Commander Joseph a. Dempf,
Lieut.. Frederick II. Morhart, surgeon,
and Lieut.. Charles n. Smithson, chief
engineer"