The Washington herald., 1914-07-19
.IARHEELS BEAT
DISTRICT SAILORS
Local Battalion Finishes Last
in Tangier Sound Target
Practice.
WILL BE HOME TUESDAY
Then for the Rolliekins Sea Dogs
Tales and the Spinning Of Yarns
that-But Read ThisI
WILL BE HOME TUESDAY
ny IRWIN RARBoUR.

morning, whsn they viii go ashore and
make ready. to take the night, steamer
70 washington They viii arrive at the
seventh street wharf early Tuesday
morning.. The Rhode Island reached here
shortly after noon today.
Victory perched on the banners Of the
North Caroline naval battalion in the
target practice Just concluded In ranEer|
sound BY the reserves of that State. the
| District, Pennsylvania. and New Jersey.
| which have been cruising on the Rhode
Island. This ought TO be pleasing news
70 Secretary Of the Navy Daniels who
10 Tsrhsel.
Nobody Lost His Thirst.
For ten days We sailed the OCEAN, re-
Gently made desert by ofSsial eeict with
but one oasis In sight-Bermuda, land Of
oleandsrs. onions, palm gardens and
ayaricious guides Then II whs back 70
Gods country, where the festive lager
still holds forth in all It's pristine glory,
but no one on board was any less thirsty
for the knowledge. because We steamed
right past the Virginia capes and into
desolate waste Of water known on the
map as Tangier Sound. where for three
days the young men Of the naval militia
delighted In shooting the atmosphere fun
Of holes but in which not even 50 much
as q mail tug with the much-delayed
letters appeared.
II was on wednesday that We FIRST
anchored In Tangier Sound. and owing
to troubls In laying out the range, due
to bad weather. there was no firing that
day. Thursday, Just about the time Old
Sol. the sporting editors pet, was climb
ing out OF his hammock, large gun
doomed somewhere nearby. and We
leaped out OF our little trundle bed In
hasty search for raw cotton, which the
Navy Department thoughtfully provides
In order 10 preserve the eardrums Of the
men who 60 down TO Tangier Sound 10
shoot All that day at regular intervals
the guns blared forth. and screaming
shells went hurting across the oily water
TO targets dim in the distance. Friday
II was the same thing again. And after
Il was all over. who should be wearing
the IaureIs OF victory but the North |
carolina battalion. which gentlemen at
the beginning OF the voyage had not even |
been conceded an outside chance!
Perfectly Good Alibi.
After It was all over. we sought Com |
mander Dempf who had been voicins |
loud claims ip behalf Of the District |
gun creyws which we are ashamed 10 ad- !
init wound up with an average some |
thing. Ike the 81. Louis Feds. We found |
hin. IN secluded stateroom portng over |
q newspaper awe weeks old. We might
as well print the aiibi, because tits |
perfectly good one. -
Several days before target practice
began the commanders OF the various
ORGANIZATIONS were invited to draw
slips from a hat to determine the posi-
ton in which their crews would nre.
The District was unfortunate In draw
ing No. /. Consequently the Washings
ton crews had to fire on the new range
- 11a
while the others. when their turn
came, were able to take advantage of
the Districts mistake and each others
mistakes and North Carolina, which
fred last, was enabled to profit by the
mistakes Of all OF them. The stand
ing Of the clubs" after 1t was all over
was as follows: q E,
North Carolina, New Jersey, Penn
syIvania, District of Columbia
New Jersey and Pennsylyania had
but two divisions firing. however. while
the District and North Carolina had
four, and consequently are not in line
for the trophy which the Navy Depart
ment is Offering the naval battalion
making the best showing in target
practice this season. There still re-
main ali the New England, lake, and
several Pacific Coast organizations to
try to better North Carolina's record.
but the Tarheels left them something
to shoot at. and are confident Of bring
ing home the cup.
Cups Fate Uncertain.
Capt. Bradham. the North Caroline
commander, already is planning what he
is going to do with that cup. At present
he Is undecided whether he will crate II
up and send it to the governor to have
II put into glass case and placed In
the capitol at Raleigh. alongside the bust
Of some former speaker or somebody, or
whether he will send II up to Washing
ton for Secretary Daniels to put on the
nantelpiees Of his once in the Navy De-
partment, or TO use as paper weight
or something, as a sort of constant re-
ninder that the North Caroline naval
battalion contains the grandest little gall
axy of sight squinters that ever plugged
q bulls eye in Tangier Sound.
OF all the District crews-and there
were eight of them-the engineers. En-
sign Nudge commanding. made the best
showing. They were the only Washing
ton crew to finish within the prescribed
limit, and they sent their shells where
they would do the most good.
-Onsobit Of consolation remains 70 the
District The officers of its third divi-
sion were credited with the best officers
string. Gentlemen, pass the palm to
Lieut. sigourney and Ensign Wheatiey
They are the bloomin' heroes
Speaking Of, heroes. the District Bat
talon has been harboring one unbeknown.
The other night one OF the North Caro-
lima men. Edgar Newkirk. slipped on the
wet deox and was making rapid plunge
over the side when Louis Malone, Of the
District Battalion, made flying tackle
from halfway across the deck and pulled
the young Tarheel back to safety. Ma
lone Is q modest young man and doesn't
like to talk about It. He lives az 81 Q
street northeast. Mr.. Carnegie. please
note
Going to Get Very Dirty.
Tomorrow we coal ship-and gosh, how
the naval milihamen dread it-that is.
all except the North Carolina bsttaiion.
which will be safe ashore BY thst time
and on its way home. Coeling ship. ac-
cording to the conversation passed
around, Is mostly exercise, with anuss-
ment left out. After the coal 10 aboard.
a field day Is in order, and the men
viii turn around and clean up the Rhode
Island from bow 10 stern and from
strange Internal reeessss way down be-
lew 70 the peak Of the -hghting top.
Then. their two weeks cruise over. the +
District battalion will take the Norfolk
boat for washington on Monday even
Ing. their heads cremmed fore and aft
with knowledge Of things naval many
callouses on their hands and heavy coats
Of sunburu. For the next two weeks 4
much OF the Distrjet's population wlI ,
Be regaled with the advsnturesz Of ifs
hawai- battalion In foreign Ihnds1Ber.I