Evening star., 1937-07-04

bitWf III was IT a LITTER from tha
chief OF the Bureau of Engineering to
the chief Of the Bureau of Navigation
Which said: The officer has during
tne past four years very ably assisted
the Bureau of Engineering in solyino
the difhcult engineering problem Of
obtaining satisfactory illumination
aboard naval vessels" He delivered
lecture on this subject to officers of
the Navy Department. The letter
SAID this work has been well b,vond
that called for as a matter of routine
from Reserve officer and indicates
special zeal, interest and ability opd
Is believed TO be worthy of special
mention.
The Naval Reserve Policy Board
VIII be convened Wednesday and tx
expected to continue its sessions until
July II. 1t will be composed cf
10 Naval Reserve officers selected
oy the various district commandants
from those on an inactive dutv sta,us
IN ADDITION, there will be SIX Regular
orncers and five Naval Reserve officers
performing active duty in the NAVY
department, assigned to the board
rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews chief
OF the Bureau Of Navigation, will
preside.
Inc prepared agenda contemplatez
discussion OF the following topics:
DISCUSSION of 1899 budget estimates:
procurement and assignment of proper
vessels for training af1oat: procure.
ment Of suitable armories and armorv
equipment; removal Of instr,lctiorai
material from cecommissioned vessels.
medals for Naval ReServists: changes
in the Bureau of Navigation manual
ana courses Of instruction and in.
doctrination for Naval Reserve officers,
from the local battalions stand
point. the matter of obtaining suitable
vessels for training and an armory
Is the most pressing problem.
In the matter of training equipment
afoat, the only thing available here is
small launch which is used on week
ENDS. 1t Is practically nothing, 50 far
as effective training materiel is con-
cerned, as about all the men can
receive aboard is instruction in the
handling of small vessels. There is
no opportunity to receive any extend-
ed training with guns, engines,
signaling and ship operation as would
be available TO them if they had a
larger vessel The vessel can accom-
modate so few men each week end
1t Is possible only to give each man
one trip season. In the Winter the
launch is hauled out of the water to
protect it from the ice.
OffcerS of the battalion pointed out
that If larger vessel were assigned
here they could get more than enough
men 10 man it for trip into the bay
each week end. Prior to the govern
mental economy wave the local bait
talon always had larger vessel
here, having started with sub
chaser, subsequently obtaining an
Eagle boat, and later a destroyer was
assigned here.
The armory situation Is little better,
il at all. About all it does is TO pro-
vide a roof over the heads Of the
hleii' aho Soiiie "dILhAi oll IHobffdSlY
cold days in Winter. 1t is an old
brick building which was used as a
commercial store before the property
was included in the naval reservation
at the beginning of the war. and the
drill hall is a frame lean-to placed on
two sides of the building. 1t Is so
small it is difficult to maneuver a
division in infantry formation. and
impossible to put a battalion through
infantry tactics.
Efforts have been made TO obtain
funds for the construction of build
ing on site for which no funds will
be needed, as it Is located within the
confines of the Washington Navy
Yard,