Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-25

der the command Of Lieut.. Williams
will stage q DESTROYER battle problem
featuring gunnery. This organization
won the target competition during the
annual cruise last Summer. The signal
gang will show the various methods OF
visual signaling used on ships OF the
Navy. A large crowd Is expected to at
tend.
Ensign Gordon Dykes, as ofncer-of-
the deck, will have charge OF carrying
out the details of the program. H. B.
Berryhill, boatswain's mate, first class,
will be chief petty officer OF the watch;
P w. Bogikes, seaman, second class,
quartermaster of the watch; c. B. Beck
with, seaman, second class, captains
orderly, and C. z. Carter, seaman, sec
ond class, sentry.
The Naval Reserve Inspection Board,
composed of officers of the regular es-
Enlistment, spent the greater part OF
this month on the West Coast. Since
October IL 1t has visited the battalionS
and divisions located at Santa Cruz, San
Jose, Oakland, San Francisco, San Diego
and Los Angeles, Calf.
The Inspection Board recently report
ed that the present plan OF assigning
a destroyer training squadron on the
East Coast to provide week end cruises
would prove beneficial, in its belief. The
other smaller vessels assigned to the
Naval Reserve units were reported TO be
in generally good condition. 1t added
that the eagle boats so assigned are
considered excellent training vessels for
week end cruises In that they give train
ing to the engineer forces that cannot
be had on the subchaserS and motor
launches.
The board reported that it still con-
siders that considerable advantage
might be gained in training by assign
ing units for their training cruises to
battleShipS or cruisers once every three
or four years. Some Of the divisions on
the East Coast have already been deS-
ignated as battleshipS divisions and will
make their training cruises next sum-
mer on battleShipS. However, the board
added that it is believed that the di-
visions of the 9Th Naval District, which
now cruise on the Great Lakes. are the
one which would be mostly benefited
by battleship or cruiser experience.
Under the present system, these divi-
Sions, So in all, have no opportunity Tor
actual contact with the regular Navy.
A modification Of the cruising scheduled
contained in the report, 1t is suggested,
would give these divisions this most es-
sential contact and would serve to I'M
bue in oflcers and men more Of the
feeling that they are actually part Of
the regular Navy.
Data obtained for the calendar year
1880, just made public, reveals loss
of fleet reserve men, for all fleet d.
visions, Of 40.6 per cent. This Is de-
clared to be slight improvement over
the previous year, when the loss was
4l.9 per cent. It was pointed out that
the turnover loss does not include mer
lost through expiration Of enlistment
but consists mainly Of men lost through
transfer to the volunteers. Generally
it was explained, these men are trans
ferred on account of failure to attend
drills, either through lack Of interest
or by reason of moving, night work
etc. Some divisions have been able tc
keep the loss to q minimum and at the
same time to keep up drill attendance
The turnover losses in the twelfth dis
trict, 81 per cent; ninth district, 48.4
per cent, and fourth district, 46.9 per
cent, we're considered by the board to be
exceptionally high and should be greatly
reduced during the calendar year 1881.
Certainly little real progress in mo-
bilization efficiency can be expected
with so many men entering and leav.
ing the Reserve each year, the board
commented