Evening star., 1914-05-31

which the ship is travelling They will
be given instruction in the compass.
signaling and how to stand watch al
the helm. Below decks in the engine
room the men win he instructed IN the
methods of handling naval machinery ana
how to fire the boilers.
Besides this instruction there Will be
plenty of drills Fire drill will be had
many times during the cruise we'll
as abandon ship and battle quarters
The gunners will have their duties OF
looking after the guns and new men VIII
be given instruction to nit them Tor the
duties of gunner's mates in the various
classes.
Just before the ship left her dock the
bugler sounded the mess call and each
member of the crew given coffee
and sandwiches to tide him over until
the big meal later on in the evening.
:: X & ::
Petty officers Of all grades hereafter
will have to undergo a strict eNamina-
ton in the Naval Battalion in order to
obtain their ratings. Commander Dempf
at drill last Thursday night issued
instructions to the executive officer to
appoint a board to consist of the senior
officer of each of the deck divisions to
prepare examination papers for petty
officers, and to conduct the examinations
when men are recommended for promo
ton by their divisional commanders.
This was the formulation of new
policy on the part of Commander Dempf
to have no petty officer in the battalion
unless he can pass strict examination
on the work in which he is specializing.
Under the terms of the new naval militia
law. said Commander Denpf. the men
have got to come to a standard equal
almost to that of the regular service
and when they are taken aboard the bat
tleships of the United States they must
know their business. To assure him of
their ability to perform their duties. Com
| mander Dempf declared that he had de-
cided to have each man pass an exam
nation
After several months of effort another
band has been organized by the Naval
| Battalion. 1t is to consist of a chief
| musician and fifteen musicians. This viii
supplant the band which the battalion
took with it on its annual cruise on the
| battleship Alabama last year. and which
recently was mustered out. Although the
services of these bandsmen at the pres
ent time will be without pay, efforts are
! to be made to have passed before the
battalion goes on its annual cruise IN
! July a bill providing for the pay of these
musicians.
The band will hold its first rehearsal
today. and it was declared by one of the
that the regular Sunday band concerts
so popular at the battalion arnlory last
summer will begin either next Sunday
or the Sunday following.
There was much activity at the Naval
Battalion armory last Thursday night
The men who were selected to go on
the cruise which started Friday had their
hammocks, blankets and mattresses to
prepare and their clothes to bundle up
They were dismissed from all drill and
allowed to give their entire time to this
preparation. The men who had not been
picked for this cruise were taken in the
street and put through infantry drill
movements.
Efforts are being made by Commander
Dempf to have the time allotted by the
Navy Department for the naval militia
cruise on the arn,ored cruiser Tennessee
extended from ten to fifteen days The
time for the ten-day cruise has been set
| for July 6 to Il, inclusive. In letter
sent to the department last week, Com
| mander Dempf said that the dates were
! satisfactory. and. in response to ques-
| ton from the department as to whether
the local militia could spend more time
on the cruise, said that the battalion
| would like to have fifteen days.
Commander Dempf explained that ten
DAYS is pretty short for training cruise
for the naval militia, as just when the
men are beginning to get used to their
stations on a particular ship it is time
to disembark and return to their home
stations He expressed the hope that the
department this year would extend the
time by five days. and he said he felt
sure that the government would be well
repaid by the additional experience which
the men would receive.