Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-18
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AZ making the Naval Battalion
NM of the National Guard OF
Wv the District of Columbia
the most efficient organiza-
ton of it's kind of the country. Com
mander Joseph A. Dempf. commanding
the battalion, is laying out elaborate
plans. He told the men at drill last
Thursday night that they will be ex-
pected to attend drills regularly and
put in their time working for the bet
terment Of the naval militia and to
improve it's efficiency in general.
Every effort is being made to recruit
the organization up to its full strength
of 400 men, 100 to each OF the -FOUR
divisions of which the battalion con-
sists, and excellent Roadway is being
made along these lines. according TO
the division officers
School are to be provided for the en-
listed men, it Is declared, where oheS
can specialize in the various and null
titudinous lines of naval work. There IS
to be established a radio school wnere
men will be taught how To receive anu
send radiograms in accordance with
naval regulations and the international
mailing are to be provided. as well us
engineering.
Last Thursday night the men were in
structed in seamanship. Some OF them
Iouartermasters were divided into two
groups and were given instruction IN
signaling with code flags and with the
two-arm semaphore system Iney
were under the leadership of chiei
|auartermaster The machines provided
by the Navy Department for 1nstruc-
ton in signaling were set up. one at
each end Of the drill hall. and the hags
were raised and the men required TO
read them.
The men of the steam engineers d.
vision were taken into the engine and
fire room aboard the Sylvia and given
instruction in the methods OF handling
naval engines and boilers.
At the conclusion of the drill and fol-
| lowing the roll call Commander Dempf
gave what he termed "heart-to-heart
talk to the men, regarding the new naval
battalion. He explained to them that the
District naval militia was now about to
enter upon a new era In Its history. AT
some length he told of the vicissitudes
Of the organization from the time OF
had successfully ridden through the
storms of which the local naval militia
has had many.
From the present time on. he said. he
| would expect nothing but work from the
members of the battalion. Those who
did not want to work and had lost in
terest in the naval militia as the second
| line of defense for the navy had best
step down and let their places be filled
with wide-awake young men. many OF
whom are now enlisting in the orgam-
cation.
The divisional officers. he pointed out.
| would be held directly responsible for
the attendance Of their men at drills.
h. ;,,ta t0 tn fta n yilin NAL
| officers to use what means the law has
provided to insist upon regular attend
ance. He declared he wanted to see
| four full divisions, not merely on paper
ords. but in bodily presence in the drill
hall Thursday nights. This, he believed,
could be accomplished by the divisional
| officers
| Men who put in their time regularly
at drills and do not waste their time are
| to be recognized by promotion through
the various grades. Those who wear
petty officers ratings on their arms
and do not attend drills and take in
terest to be put back to the ordi-
nary seaman class to make way for the
workers. He pointed out that the day
of shirkers in the battalion was over,
scrutinized to see that it was regular.
and If found wanting In this regard he
would be called before a summary court
martial to answer for the laxity.
|
summary court officer for being absent
from drill without first obtaining per-
mission.
The Sylvia. the training ship assigned
| by the Navy Department to the District
naval militia, made a practice cruise
last Sunday to Bryants point. where.
after having a brief period of drill in
sent ashore. the men were given
chance to fish in the Potomac waters.
After a couple Of hours of this sport
the Sylvia weighed anchor and pointed
| her PROV toward her home station at
| the foot of Water and o streets south
west. She delayed en- route at Fort
Foote. where the steam launch Of the
battalion had landed with a party of
men who had been taken. out on an in
struction cruise. Coxswain Boteler of
the second steam cutter was in charge
of the boat.
declared, will be a most instructive
and interesting one. Aside from the
| regular routine drills and exercises
aboard the vessel. the ship will proceed
to a point opposite Indian Head. where
she Will drop anchor. Officers and men
will be taken ashore and escorted over
the naval proving grounds and through
the powder factory.
| officers and men Of the local naval
militia are complaining of the long de-
lay by the militia division of the Navy
Department of their pay for their an
lnual cruise aboard the Rhode Island
last summer. Although they completed
their duty aboard the Rhode Island
before the end of July they have not
yet received one cent of the money to
which they are rightfully entitled I'M
) der the law. which money has been
appropriated by Congress-. The officers
point out that should a regular naval of
) ficer's pay, be held up this long there
would likely be a big complaint with no
end Of trouble. yet the naval militia must
stand by while naval officers pick
flaws In the pay rolls and in naval
militia orders.
| A good many of the officers Of the
North Carolina naval militia who were
lon the same cruise with the District
militia have been paid, as have some
OF the militia organizations who
lcruised on their own, ships Yet the
District has waited and is likely to
wait awhile longer. On the cruise
tho hiatt 1ab