Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1917-04-11

they may be called upon to perform They are usually the first sent to an- swer the call of war.
 "Semper Fidelis."
 That motto translated into English means ever faithful. It is the motto of the United States Marine corps, and no body of men ever lived up to traditions handed down for years with greater fidelity than the officers and men comprising this force.
 The Marine corps is organized, clothed and equipped very much the same as soldiers of the land forces, and the preliminary instruction of the marine is similar to that of the sol- dier. For these reasons they are qualified for duty with either the army or the navy. Their headquart- CTS, barracks and depots are on shore. Details from the barracks are made up for duty on board ship when re- ouired. Marine attachments, accord ing to the size of the ship, vary in strength from a dozen men under a sergeant to sixty or more men under one or two commissioned officers.
 On shipboard the Marines have a great many duties to perform. They form part of the regular crew In handling the guns, manning the sec ondary batteries mostly. They learn a multiplicity of things that would be advantageous afloat and ashore. They can plant mines, as we'll as build bridges, and for quick landing and op- erations ashore they have no su- periors.
 On Nov. 10, 1775, before single vessel of the navy was sent to sea, the Marine corps was organized by resolution of the Continental congress: On Dec. 13 ,1776, congress directed that thirteen ships of war be built. On the 22d day of the same month con- gress passed a resolution declaring Esek Hopkins chief, and appointed officers for all the vessels then in service. This was the first step taken toward the creation of the naval establishment which has won imperishable fame for, the United States, and upon which is based the claim of the Marine corps to be "the oldest in the service"
 In the early part of 1777 battal' ion of 300 marines and landsmen, un. der the command of Major Samuel Nichols, landed from the fleet un- der command of Commodore Hopkins at the island of New Providence, ir the Bahamas, assaulted and captured the English forts protecting the is land, taking large quantity of cannon and military stores. This, the first battle of the American navy, was fought and won by the Marines.
 Throughout the Revolution the Ma rines were at work proving their pa triotism and devotion to the cause. IT troubles with Tripoli they played a conspicuous part. Again in the wal of 1872 the Marines distinguished themselves by the gallantry of thei1 conduct and their work in battle. Ir the years that followed they saw act i've service in the Florida war, in Su. matra and in the West Indies. From 1846 to 1848 the corps was engaged in the war with Mexico, where il figured in every quarter, and made { most excellent record.
 Throughout the civil war the Ma. rine corps added many achievements to it's splendid record afloat anc ashore, The first, man killed in the war with Spain was member of tht Short crop of winter .... ....... .... corps. When the Boxer troubles be- gan in China, Marines were sent i'm mediately to the legations at Pekin And still fresh in the public memor!