Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-14
By Pop

members of the crew Of this division are
down at the armory several times a.
week putting IN their training in an Ell
tort to win the race.
Last Thursday night the boat left the
dock shortly after $50 with Chief Boat
swain's Mate Ward acting as coxswain.
and. spent its time off the Naval Battalion
dock in training. The men are fast learn
ing to pull together, and are getting
strong stroke.
| They are scheduled to be at the armory
again Sunday. when they will again take
the boat out for a practice run. With
| this periodical practice, it is the belief
of members of the third division that
good account Of themselves in the race
on July 4. So far as could be learned
Thursday night the crew which Is to
represent the second division has not yet
begun its training.
More steps looking to the perfection Of
the details for the annual cruise OF the
battalion on the armored cruiser Ten
nessee were taken last Thursday night.
when each of the division commanders
were ordered by Commander Dempf TO
| furnish him with the names of men for
the gun crews Each division is required
| to have not less than two gun crews.
The men in these crews will be required
| to compete in the target practice THIS
summer with the 3-inch. JO-caliber guns.
| A trophy for gunnery in the naval
militia is offered by the Navy Depart
ment just the same as to the efficient
| gun crews in the regular service. At
| the end of the target season the scores
| made by the various naval militia or
| ganizatio throughout the country VIII
| be tabulated and the organization having
! the greatest number Of points will re-
| ceive the trophy, and the members of
| the crew in that division will be allow
ed to wear a white letter "E" for eff
cheney on their blue uniforms.
| A feature OF the target practice this
year Is that the men of the engineer divi-
| sions will be permitted to select gun
crews to participate in the competition
| for the trophy.
The names of the members of the gun
crews from the four divisions composing
| the Naval Battalion have been sent to
! the Navy Department and the time inter-
| vening between now and the time for
| the cruise will be used in training the
| men at the new three-inch gun recently
mounted in the drill hall Of the Naval Bat
| talon armory.
| Regarding this gun, the suggestion has
been made that 1t be mounted on the
after deck of the Sylvia in the place of
the one-pounder rapid-fre gun now there.
| The three-inch gun could be used to a
good purpose, it was pointed out, when
| the Sylvia goes to Tangier sound. in the
Chesapeake bay, in the autumn.
Commander Dempf looked favorably
upon the proposal and it is probable that
the gun may be mounted there some
time before the Sylvia is ordered to the
| Chesapeake target grounds.
n X
In order that every member of the bat
| TALON shall attend at least one drill
| week, Commander Dempf has ordered
drill for every Sunday afternoon be-
| tween and o'clock. Under the terms
of an order issued last Thursday night.
the oficer-of-the-deck will be required
to be present Sunday afternoons between
those hours and to give to the men pres
| ent drills and exercises. AMI any IN
struction which they may need. Any
men who are unable to report for drill
Thursday night, On account Of sickness or
other reason will be required to be pres
ent Sunday, according to the order. It
| is proposed to have some gun drills, ana
then to let the men go on the river In
the small boats for practice work
| X
Junior Lieut. Walter G. Guss has been
| relieved of the duties of executive omcer.
| under terms of orders issued last week
! by Commander Dempf. who. by the same
order. assumes the duties pending the
| selection Of an executive officer. Lieut..
Guss has been ordered to take command
| of the first division, relieving Lieut.. 3. e.
Getsinger, who remains assigned to that
| division,