Evening star., 1935-08-04

~AA VA WAlOlIl dg LkilS
@ s.nie expect to take the cruise. OF
course. there may be some last-minute
wieilarswais as men find that they
cannot get the time set for the cruise
OH from their civilian positions.
~ Will be the first time since the
Worio War that the battalion as a
unit mas been assigned a battleship
lor cruise, the previous training
PERIODS having been taken aboard
small boats including eagle boats and
uestroyers. Also 1t will be the first
!iIiie that the battalion has cruised
as a unit In previous years only one
division has been taken out at time.
The battleship plan has been for
mulated by the Navy Department in
oIuer 10 give the Reservists a we'll
rounded training so that they in time
Vi an emergency which would REQUIRE
Gazing the Reserve into active sery-
ice the men could be sent to any
Klnd OF ship and be familiar with its
workings. This is In addition to the
iact that under present plans each
meet division forms the nucleus of a
destroyer crew. It also will serve to
iamiliarize them with the method of
gunnery in use on big ships. which
IS said to be quite different from that
aboard destroyers.
While no details have as yet been
received at the headquarters here as
70 the itinerary. 1t is expected that
the snip will go to Northern waters,
probably in the vicinity of Halifax
where the mid cruise liberty probably
VIII be granted. The matter of trans.
portation to Annapolis will have to
be worked out as when the Reservists
are ready to go the Washington, Bal
timore & Annapolis Railroad will
have suspended operations. 1t is
probable that the Reservists will be
sent to the Maryland town by either
Government trucks or chartered
ousses. The only equipment they will
have will be personal baggage, includ-
ing hammocks and sea bags.
Officers Of the battalion are quietly
working in the efforts to have funds
allotted here for an armory for the
local outfit, which now Is housed in a
building on the edge of the Washing
ton Navy Yard which formerly served
as a commercial store. Plans and
Specincations for a proposed new
building have been prepared by the
local officers and navy yard officials
and have been approved not only by
the commandant of the Washington
Navy Yard. Rear Admiral Defrees, but
by the Secretary of the Navy. There
Is a strong hope that funds will be
allotted for the building which is
designed to house also the activities
of the Marine Corps Reserve. which
sRow is as poorly located for training
Racilities as the Naval Reserve.
Additional figures are being COM
piled for submission with the plans
with view to having them come
within the restrictions laid down for
the use of the work relief money. and
the officers are confident that they
can keep them within the limitations.
At the present time the armory is
located some distance from the water
front in the Navy Yard, and when a
vessel is assigned here for training
purposes it results in considerable loss
of time in going between the armory
and the ship. The loss is considered
great because the men only drill for
two hours each week.
The plans for the proposed armory
also include provision for docking
facilities for a training vessel here,
which would be within a few feet of
the site for the proposed armory which
is in the Washington Navy Yard, just
east of Eleventh street and south Of
the present training station quarters.
Local Reservists also say that they
are handicapped by the lack of a suit
able ship here for training purposes.
They formerly had destroyer here,
but this was withdrawn at the time
Of the governmental economy wave,
and have since been without a vessel,
except for a small launch which is
declared to BE- unsatisfactory, as it
does not give an opportunity for as
broad a training as is needed.
1t was asserted that both officers
and men would make full use of a
training vessel assigned here, as the
launch trips each week end have
proved so popular that it is necessary
to turn down officers and men each
week because of the limitations on
accommodations. The personnel point
to the fact that other Reserve units
throughout the country have been as
signed vessels, and certainly the unit
stationed In the National Capital
should have vessel. In addition to
being used as training it would fur
nlsh an opportunity for visitors to the
Capital from inland States to see a
naval vessel.