Evening star., 1915-02-28

"
utive officer. for the summer drill
work. All of the small boats of the
battalion are being put in condition
| to be dropped into the water.
A detail of naval militiamen went to
| the Washington navy yard yesterday
| and will return today for the purpose
| of painting the two steam launches
| belonging to the battalion, which were
! taken out of the water by the crane
! at the yard to protect them from the
| ice in the harbor where they are kept
! in the summer time. These two vessels
| will be thoroughly overhauled before
| they are again put into the water to be
| returned to the battalion's dock at the
| foot Of Water and o streets southwest,
| where they will be used in drills.
When these two vessels are returned
they will be in the prime of condition.
| One of the boats, known officially az
| the "frst steamer" will have her en-
! eines thoroughly overhauled and new
pumps installed. This work will be
done by the navy yard force before the
! the armory dock.
On the dock at the armory are two
large whale boats and two motor boats.
! These also will be thoroughly painted and
! oyernauied before they are put over
| board.
! According to Lieut. Sigourney. all of
! this equipment will be in the water and
| ready for use before March 10. He de-
clared that this year there will be no
| repetition Of the practice OF waiting until
summer begins before work IS started
on the beats. and then losing half the
summer in preparing them and getting
them overheard. Hereafter every year
before spring arrives the boats Will be
ready for use, he said. and they will be
! in better condition than they ever nave
| been before. There viii be no long de-
laws during the sunlrne, months, he said,
for repairs and overhauls.
| Commando Temp =. l'aanning TO give
the men lots of Sunday practice during
the spring, summer and early fall with
| the small boats. The enlisted men will
go in the steam launches and whale boats
! to the upper river every Sunday, where
they will be drilled for short period,
and then the boats will be turned over
! to them for races and the like In adj
dition to practicing in handling small
boats under oars, sails and steam, there
I will be signal drills and practice In
maneuvering for landing parties.
| In an effort to encourage enltstments
in the organization Commander Dempf
| is preparing for series OF netd days
during the spring ana summer, When
the men will be permitted to take the
boats out for races and to enjoy, their
use in other ways. They will be en-
! couraged to go to the upper stretches
of the Potomac above the Aqueduct
! bridge, where they Will to some extent
serve as an advertisement to the Or
, ganization before the many young
men who spend their time on the water
there.
While enlistments are coming in rap
idly Commander Dempf said he is very
anxious to have battalion Of 400
men before the next two months have
passed by. The number now in the or
ganization Is more than 800. He de-
clared, however, that he wanted 400
men who would be present on every
drill night and not just 400 enlisted
men on paper.
In order that the men who do at
tend regularly may not become dis
couraged through the non-attendance
Of others. Commander Dempf has Is.
sued orders to try by court-martial
every man who has been absent for
more than three consecutive drill
nights.