Evening star., 1935-04-07


alarm gongs and the Stac-
IL cato voices of officers and men
as they directed the fire-con-
trolled machinery of battle at a re-
hearsal drill in their armory last week
in preparation for the reception to-
morrow Of board of Regular naval
officers, who will put them through
series of stiff tests to determine
their relative efficiency for service in
the feet in time of q national emer-
gency.
Although the local ReServistS do not
have any training ship aboard which
they can perform their duties for the
inspection board, the armory has been
fitted up as much shiplike as possible,
and when the board members step
into the building tomorrow night they
might well believe that they are STEP
ping over gangway, for the ReServists
have various parts of ships installed in
the building. including a well-fitted
engine room, in the basement of the
building. They have a complete ma
chine shop on the drill hall floor, and
in one section is bridge and COM
plete fire control equipment for carry
lNR OUT d Ddllle pTODleIn.
Under the direction of Lieut.. J.
D. Sullivan, battalion commander, the
officers and men for weeks have been
making preparations for this event, in
the hope that they might be the VIM
ners this year of the trophies donated
by the United States Naval Reserve
Officers Association for award to the
battalion and division making the
highest figures of merit as q result
of marks received during the annual
inspection.
Although they have been drilled
and instructed for weeks in the duties
which they are expected to perform,
nevertheless a dress rehearsal was
held at the armory last week, and
every detail was checked, and where
faults were found immediate steps
were taken to correct them, so that
the same things will not occur on the
night of the inspection. The men
were informed that they must come
In their very best uniforms and their
equipment must be shining The in
spection board watches these details
closely, and a few Slovenly men I'M
does much of the work that others
have done to improve the markings.
Glass rooms have been planned, and
the new system inaugurated by Lieut.
Sullivan will be working Monday
night, so that when the Infantry and
other drills are completed the men
will be sent to their respective quar-
tiers and the inspection board will see
Well-organiZed school in session,
where the men of the various ratings
are taught the special duties pertain
Ing to them by the division officers.
One of the most important features
of the coming inspection is the battle
problem, and each division is expected
to work out this feature, an important
one, for it is the essence of the train
ing, that is, the preparation for battle.
Many friends of the ReServiStS are
expected to be present to witness the
ceremonies, which are expected to take
three or four hours. However, the
armory is so small that there is little
room for spectators without crowding
the enlisted men required to partici-
pate in the inspection.
The armory is so small that at all
times of the year except the annual
inspection only one division can drill
on each of three nights assigned for
the purpose. The calling together at
one time for the annual inspection
severely cramps the enlisted men in
their drill work. Usually only one
division can be taken on the drill
hall floor at one time.
The quarters are so crowded that
when it was found necessary to pre-
pare an engine room for instruction
purposes it was necessary to use the
basement. which originally was poorly
ventilated. However, the enlisted per-
eonnel, under the direction of the
officers, have cut additional windows
tn the building and have otherwise
improved this part of the Quarters for
use in drilling and training.
When the Inspection Board arrives
tomorrow night they will be met with
all the pomp and ceremony which
would attend their visit to cruising
ship. They will be met at the entrance
by the appropriate number of side
boys and will be ''piped over the side"
by boatswain's mate.
AS soon as the inspection is out of
the way the usual routine will be
resumed, with class room instruction
as a special feature, all in preparation
for the coming annual training cruise.
which this year will be held aboard
the battleship Wyoming Of the Atlantic
Training Squadron. 1t will be the
first battleship cruise that many Of the
officers and men have participated in,
as most of the cruises since the World
War have been aboard destroyers or
other smaller vessels.
While the plan of instruction for
the Reserve provides for service of
these men aboard destroyers in time
of war, it was pointed out that they
should have battleship training to
round out their instruction as sailor
men. Further, in the event Of ma
tional emergency they could be trans
ferred from one type of ship to an
other. and they would be familiar
with both.
They also will be introduced to bat
tleship fire control data. which are
more intricate than those aboard
destroyers, and during the cruise they
will have an opportunity to put it
10 full use during battle practice. AS
there will be divisions of Reserves
aboard the same ship from other
parts of this area. including Balti-
more and Norfolk, they will have an
opportunity of seeing how the other
divisions perform their duty.