Evening star., 1915-03-28

the District of Columbia. More
fhan four hours last Thursday nisht
was given over by Commander Dempi
to preparations for the inspection
From shortly after o'clock until near
" 4. there was a hustle and bustte
about the battalion.
The large number OF new men VINO
enlisted Thursday night week ago
had to be outfitted and great num-
Der of the older men had to complete
their uniform equipment. To partfct-
pate in the federal allotment Of funds
The inspection, which is to be made BY
Lieut.. Harrison f. Knauss, U. 8. NJ,
commanding the u. S. S. Sylph. at
tached to the Washington navy yard,
every officer and man in the battalion
ynust be fully equipped for immediate
service, and there must be enough
stock on hand to provide for 10 per
cent increase In the organization.
The issuance of clothing had been
put off for so many weeks that WheH
the order was passed to serve out this
material practically every member OF
the battalion had to draw some part OF
his equipment
The storehouse was the busiest place
at the armory last Thursday night, and
ft1s dispatch with which the clothing
was served out reflected much credit on
the system maintained there for issuing
such equipment. Lieut.. John Lane
Johns payma ster of the organization,
is in charge of this branch, ana ne mas
an able assistant. trained by long years
of experience, In DIR. c. Cooksey. he
has several other we'll trained enlisted
men attached to this branch or the pat
TALON, all of whom did excellent work
last Thursday night in supplying the
,,f llty L.
TALON
II was after 10 o'clock. the usual
time for dismissal. when the battalion
was embled on the drill hail moor
the manual of arms, as well as bat
TALON drill. This took up more than
an hour, and it was nearly IL o'clock
before the bugler sounded the recall.
il X
In addition to the inspection by
Lieut. Knauss, Maj Harry Coope, in
spector general. n. G. D. c.. will make
an inspection of the battalion on be-
half of the militia.
x 4
The two steam launches of the bat
talon which have been in dry dock at
the Washington navy yard during a
board this week and will be returned
to their herths of the battaEon's dock
at the foot of Water and 0 streets
southwest A detail of men was or
structions to clean and paint these
boats in order that they may be pre-
pared for early practice work on the
river by members of the battalion.
1t is expected that the two motor
boats and the two whaleboats which
are now on the battalion's dock also
will be placed overheard within the
next two weeks so that much of the
spring and summer can be given over
TO practice work for the members of
the battalion.
Much of the practice work of the
small boats this spring and summer, it
Is declared, will be carried on In the
upper stretches of the river above the
Aqueduct bridge, according to the
plans of Lieut.. Sigourney. which have
been approved by Commander Dempf
Although the u S. S. Sylvia, training
ehf1, assigned to the local naval mill
tia, Just returned last Sunday from the
Norfolk navy yard after a thorough
roverhauling. II was necessary to send
her to the Washington navy yard.
There she had new range installed
IN her galley and repairs made to GER
tain parts of her engines which were
damaged and caused much trouble on
the trip from Norfolk to Washington.
= +
The annual rife match between a
team representing the National Guard
of the District of Columbia and the
Jnidshipmen of the United States Naval
Academy at Annapolis will be held
May 8. according to Maj Thomas r.
King, inspector ofsmall arms practice,
N q. n. G.
The members of the local team have
not yet been picked. and will not be
selected until shortly before the time
set for the match. In preparation for
the event the rifle range at the Center
Market Armory will be open for rapid
fire practice every Monday night for
prospective members of the team
r
The rife range of the National Guard
OF the District Of Columbia at Congress
Heights will be opened May / next for
the annual practice of the local guard
The dates for the various companies
TO go on the range have not yet been
fixed.