Evening star., 1939-10-08
Naval Reservists
To Get Training
On Gas Attacks
Alorm Sirens
Have Been Installed
In Drill Quarters

With war In Europe and with haste
being made here to bolster up the
national defense and preparations
being made to meet anything that
comes, members of the 1st Battalion,
District Naval Reserves, are becom.
ing gas conscious. Gas masks have
been distributed and their armory
at the Washington Navy Yard has
been fitted with sirens to sound the
warning of the rolling waves which
might carry death and injury to
those who do not get their masks
adjusted properly in time.
While this is the first time they
have been ordered to include this
training in their schedules, never
theless the lack of it was responsible
for them getting an unfavorable
mark during the last annual inspec-
ton. They found out for the first
time that they were supposed to
have gas-attack training, when they
received the reports of the board on
Taking cognizance of the impor-
tance of communications in naval
operations, particularly for ships at
sea in formation, a special class has
been organized for the members Of
three divisions who are in the signal
gangs. 1t. j. F. Carpenter, a mem
ber of the deckboat on enlisted
mems training, has been given the
additional duty of battalion signal
oflcer. He Is formulating a com.
prehensive plan for training the en-
listed men of this branch in signal
work of all kinds, including flag
hoists, yardarm blinker, searchhght
blinker and semaphore.
Each drill night, according to pres
ent plans, members of the signal
branch will be assembled away from
their respective divisions and given
instruction in this important detail.
Members of this branch will be
able to obtain signal drill while
cruising on their new ship when it
returns. They have signaling facili-
ties aboard it which were not avail
able aboard the cabin launch which
formerly served as training ship
| for the local organization. It has
yardarm blinkers, searchlight
blinker, and when it returns from
the Norfolk Navy Yard, where it is
undergoing an overhaul, it will have
a complete set of signal flags, with q
mast high enough to carry a COM
| plete hoist.
Because of the greater cruising
radius Of the vessel and its speed it
is expected that during training
trips it will be able to run the full
length of the Potomac River and do
some cruising in the Chesapeake
Bay. In view of the increased
naval activities in the bay the local
reservists expect to encounter naval
vessels there and engage In signal
operations with them, it was said.
difference of opinion between the
Navy Department and the controller
general of the United States as to
what constitutes sea service. What
Is sea service for promotion pur-
poses apparently Is not sea service
for pay purposes. and particularly
for allowances for quarters. The
case came before the controller gen.
eral as to right of a lieutenant in
the Navy who was assigned to COM
mand the U. S. S. Eagle 56, for
merly training ship assigned to the
local Reserve battalion but assigned
to that duty In Baltimore. The Bu-
reau of Navigation said that duty
aboard the vessel is considered shore
duty, both for the purposes of rec
ord and for rotation of duty.
The officer informed the COM
mandant of the 5th Naval District
that rooms are available aboard
the vessel, but as it is used for
the training of reservists, steam is
not kept up on the vessel except on
weekend cruises, but that a donkey
boiler is installed on the dock to
which the vessel is tied up when
not in use to supply steam when
needed. He said that there is no
ventilation system on board except
by means of Windscoops, that the
portfolios are rather small, that the
rooms are hot and that no screens
are installed on board with the re-
suit that following weekend cruises
when food is taken aboard the YES
sci the living rooms are infested
with flies. The controller general
says that the officer did not state
how long or during what periods
he lived on board and found the
conditions unsatisfactory. The COM
mandant Of the 5th Naval District
held that quarters aboard the YES
sci are not suitable for living quar-
tiers and should be considered as
not available, in 50 far as rental al
lowance is concerned.
But the controller says that the
ship is listed In the Navy directory
as among the vessels Of the Navy
IN commission. He says that the
courts have held that for q vessel
to come within the phrase "at sea"
it is not necessary that she be upon
the high seas; that 1t is enough if
she be waterborne, even at anchor
In a bay or port or harbor and not
IN condition presently to 60 to sea,
or tied to dock; that she need
not be in commission or engaged
in navigation; her crew need not
be seamen, but may be q small
force of civilian laborers.
The controller general pointed out
that the decisions have held that
such duty was sea service and were
largely on the basis of discomforts
in living aboard ship, which re-
suited in the increased allowances
OF sea pay. He held that those same
discomforts cannot now be consid-
cred as q reason for holding it Is
not sea duty to increase the ofilcers'
rights to allowances. He said that
1t Is noted that the Bureau of Navi.
CATION considers service aboard the
U. S. s. Eagle 56 as shore duty both