Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-01-24

W =
VERY effort is being made by
II Commander Joseph A. Dempf.
| commanding the Naval Bat
TALON of the National Guard of
| the District of Columbia, to
improve the personnel of that organi-
| cation. He is making every effort to
recruit his four divisions up to full
strength with only the highest type of
young men of the city and so far has
| succeeded.
| Applicants for enlistment now will
have to undergo severe test to get
| INTO the organization. The physical
standard has been raised to a point
| near that under which men must IN
| dergo to get into the regular service
The mental requirements also are be-
| ing made more severe
The passage of the naval militia act
he declares, has made a big change in
the naval militia and the standards
| must be raised. Long before the pas
sage of the actin fact, as soon as
Commander Dempf took the leadership
of the organization-he started in the
work of raising the standards of en-
trance.
Commander Dempf has issued orders
to Lieut.. Frank w. Sigourney. execu-
tive officer, to send all applicants for
enlistment to the division officers for
conference. If the division officer de-
cldes that the applicant is not quail
ned or does not come up to the stand
ards as laid down by Commander
Dempf. then he will be rejected before
mis- enlistment papers are made out or
the surgeon has made the examination.
The schools which have been estab-
llshed in the battalion during the past
OF hard study. Men who will not study
and will not keep up the efficiency
which Commander Dempf insists must
be maintained are to be rejected.
than one hour of school period, during
which all of the division officers
lectured their respective divisions on
the matters of salutes and customs of
the naval service.
These schools have attracted quite a
little interest, and all of the men are
enthusiastic concerning them. They
nave taken up the work in the spirit
which 1t deserves and are studying
hard for promotion in the various
| rates. The newly issued Bluejacket's
Manual is a fund Of information con-
corning the naval service.
II The men of the carpenters gang last
Thursday night had a practical drill
They were put to work constructing
gun racks in the armorers quarters
They were complimented by Com
| mander Dempf for the efficient manner
in which they put up these racks.
Preparations are being made for the
cruise of the U. S. S. Sylvia, training
ship assigned to the local naval militia,
will undergo thorough overlap ling
number of charts of the Potomac.
Chesapeake bay and Hampton roads
were received by Commander Dempf
last Thursday night
They were Immediately turned over
to Ensign Harold Crawford. acting
,, navigator. who has begun the work
| of laying off the courses which the
Sylvia will take on her voyage to the
navy yard.
Every effort is to be made to improve
| the gunnery practice of the local naval
| militia to the extent that it will fin
ish first next year and take the
year. To that end gun crews will be
assembled by the divisions next Thurs
day night and practice with the big
gun mounted in the Naval Battalion
Armory will be begun.
! Instead of going to the Congress
Heights rifle range this year for small
arms practice. as has been the custom
in previous years. efforts are to be
|
time at the Washington navy yard
! practicing with one of the big guns
| there.
! This plan is the idea of Lieut.. Frank
| W sigourney, executive officer. and
Commander Dempf has given his APP
proval to it, 1t is also probable that
the scheme will receive the indorse-
| ment of the headquarters officers of the
| National Guard of the District Of
| Columbia.
IT is pointed ont that small arms
practice will be of little use to the
naval militiamen in time of war. as by
the time they are called into service
| and placed aboard the battleshps the
need of landing parties will be slight.
as the army would soon be in the
| field Their duty is to become efficient
in shooting, and shooting true with the
| big guns.
| To that end more good could be OBJ
| tanned If the naval militiamen were
| sent to the Washington navy yard for
drill with big guns that could possibly
result by their dispatch to the rifle
range.
| The members of the naval battalion
have become very enthusiastic over
athletics. Their success in the basket
| ball field has whet their appettes for
| now on foot to organize a base ball
team in each division and have 4.
| trained to take to the diamond as soon
| as the weather opens for practice.
| way of boxing gloves. basket balls and
| indoor base balls has been purchased
already, And after drill each Thursday
and on Monday nights the armory is
| turned over to the men for pleasure
purposes.
| Very few officers and men from the
naval militias of the United States
will be permitted to take the cruise
aboard one Of the battleships of the
| Atlantic fleet during its voyage from
| Hampton roads to the Panama-Pacific
J exposition, via the Panama canal.
| 1t had been hoped that several thou
| sand officers and men would be taken,
| but the failure of Congress to appro-
! pirate the necessary funds has upset
somewhat the plans of the Navy De
part1nent. Only one of the eighty Of
fcers who make the trip will be paid.
The enlisted men will be subsisted dur
| ing the period of the cruise.
| Four officers and eight enlisted men
| &. tho njsfricf n ('Olumbia'S uuOIH