Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-15

| recently enacted by Congress already is
beginning to be shown by provisionS be-
ing made for militia officers to partici
pate in the various exercises of the bat
tleship feet which are held from time to
time. Commander Dempf last week re-
celved a letter from the Navy Depart
ment saying that provision had been
made to take ten naval militia officers
aboard the battleshps Of the Atlantic
feet at the spring target practice on the
southern drill grounds, beginning March
81 and lasting until April 4. The let
ter contained the recommended ton that
If any one were designated to go the
privilege should be extended to the ord
nance officer Of the organization. When
Commander Denapf explained the letter to
his officers last Thursday night several
| of them made application to be desfg-
mated. and their names were sent to
| National Guard headquarters for APP
| proval. The name Of Ensign William
| r. Hoefer, ordnance officer OF the local
| naval militia however, was the only
one which was forwarded to the Navy
| Department
| While on this duty the officers who
make the trip from any part of the
United States will receive the pay and
| allowances Of officers of equal rank in
| the regular service, and, In addition, will
| receive mileage from their homes to Fort
| Monroe where they will board the yes
sells. and return after the practice is
| completed.
Last Thursday night Ensign Hoefer de-
| clared that he was varv anxious to make
trip, and he explained that he could
get O great amount of Information while
| on this duty which would be invaluable
| to him in the performance of his duty
| as ordnance officer of the battalion lie
I will be able to watch the workings of
| the big guns, and see their effect upon
the targets under all conditions. While
%hn leo To- CT &C
said the gun crews of the local naval
militia had target practice only with the
secondary battery of tive-inch guns on
| the Alabama. although they received IN
| struction in the workings Of the big guns
Ensign Hoefer expects to leave for
Fort Monroe next Thursday, IL his appl-
cation Is approved at the department,
and there is little doubt that 1t will be.
| After the q. S. s. Sylvia returns from
| the Washington navy yard, IN ABOUT
| week, and after some minor repairs are
made to her main engine, the third dlV1-
| sion of the battalion commanded by En-
sign Frank w. Sigourney. will take the
vessel for practice cruise down the
river Ensign Sigourney yesterday de-
| clared that he hoped the vessel would
| be III readiness to make the trip by next
| Sunday.
| 1t will be made exclusively for the
| third division, and each man In this divi-
| sion, which Is now the largest in point
| Of numbers in the battalion. although 1t
/ was organized only month ago. Will be
| allowed to take with him friend. Some
I members of the engineers division OF
| the battalion will be taken, however, to
| do duty in the engine room. The officers
who. are planning to make the trip are
Commander Dempf, Ensign Sigourney.
who will command the vessel during the
| trip; Ensign Crawford. navigator of the
1 vessel; Ensign Hoefer, who will act
executive officer Of the vessel during the
trip, and the engineer officers of the
battalion. including Lieut.. Charles NJ.
| Smithson, chief engineer.
| The vessel will leave her dock prompt
| ly at $50 in the morning and is sched-
| uled to return at O'Clock In the after
noon. 1t Is proposed to go down as far
as Indian Head and there anchor for
| short period, put about and return to
| Washington. docking at the time set.
During this trip the members of the
| third division, who are the recruits Of
the battalion. will be given a chance to
| show just what they have learned dur
| ing the short period they have been in
| the organization. Under competent chief
petty officers. it is said. these newly en-
listed men have become enthusiastic
| about their training. have lost no time
and are anxious to get on the vessel and
put their knowledge to practical use.
| The four divisions Of the battalion were
| assembled in as many corners of the
| drill hall last Thursday night by Com
| mander Dempf, and those which had
! small attendance were shown. Com
| mander Dempf then took his divisional
| officers to task and instructed them that
| they must build up the attendance i'm
| mediately and see that on drill nights
| they had present as many men as their
| records indicated.
He called attention to the laxity Of at
| tendance which has been prevalent of
| late and In no uncertain terms let them
know that he held them responsible and
| would not tolerate small attendance at
the drills. He informed them that they
must let the men under them know just
| what was expected of them and should
| insist that orders be followed out Some
men staying away, he pointed out, had a
serious effect on the others. who in turn
would stay away. thus bringing the gen
eral attendance to low level. He told
them that they must make the service
attractive to the men, so that they would
not want to remain away from drills. He
gave each divisional officer certain Pc