Evening star., 1921-10-26

Special Dispatch to The star.
PORTSMOUTH, y. H.. October 26.-
Records are being made by the Of
ficers and men of the United States
Naval Reserve force of the District
of Columbia in putting the L. :. :.
Eagle 56 in commission at the ravy
yard here. Within thirty-siX hours
after they stepped aboard the vessel
here they had completed the hug
task of checking over thousands "f
dollars. worth of equipment an"
stores. and then turned to put III"
ship in shape for sea.
Lieut.. Commander william IL.
Hoefer, commanding the ship. placed
the vessel in commission this morn
ing when all hands were assemblcd
aft as he read his orders. The
watches then were set for the voyage
and the vessel was put through her
dock trials to determine the condition
of her propelling and auxiliary ma
chinery.
Upon completion of the dock trial
the vessel viii he taken out Oh i
steaming trial and a Shakedown run
TO enable the crew 10 become familiar
with the multitudinous duties I"
which a man a wars man must a"-
custom himself to become AN effec-
crew.
Coming TO Washington.
Any defects in the vessel discoN-
| cred on the steaming run Will he
| remedied on her return to the navy
yard. and then preparation will he
made for the voyage down the coast
| to Washington.
According to the present plans Of
] Capt. Hoefer. the Sc Will steam
out of here on her run south Friday
| morning All of the officers and men
| have worked night and day to get
| the vessel out to sea in record time
| in order that they may start the
| drills and exercises.
The first port of call for the vessel,
| it was learned, will be at New York
| city, where Capt. Hoefer will give
! the crew liberty for a day or so.
| Neither officers nor men have had
| shore leave since they entered the
yard here, as all of them are anxious
| to put to sea. The vessel was found
| in good condition, but all her equip
ment had been stripped and stored for
safe keeping.
Biggest Task of ALL
The biggest task here in the yard
was that of bringing out this thou
sands of dollars worth of equipment
and properly placing it. The vessel
| is well supplied with every necessity
| for an active naval ship and would
| be ready to go into active service
| Immediately
| The commandant of the navy yard
| here and the officers under him have
| given every assistance to a prompt
| fitting out of the vessel and have
| co-operated in every way. They SAID
| today that the officers and men of
| the District outfit have made rec
| ord for putting a ship of the eagle
! type in commission.
| number of the officers charged
with the duty of fitting out the eaSl"
| boats for commissioning Were war
! shipmates of the commissioned COM
| plement of the Eagle SO.
| Machinery in Good shape.
Machinist Charles Burgess. chief
! engineer of the vessel, started the
| fires under her boilers yesterday pre-
paratory to the dock trial today ana
! found the machinery in excellent
| shape.
Capt. Hoefer. commenting on the
! commission of the vessel and her as
! siRnment to the District reserves.
! said that he believed that when the
| vessel arrives il will mark the be-
| ginning of the rebuilding of the re-
| serve force in the District.
| Interest had laXed before the order
| for the vessel was received. due
| largely to the fact that the battalion
| did not have effective and sufficient
training facilities.