At 10.30 o'clock yesterday morning Soldiers Field assumed a martial aspect superlatively compatible with its name, and the concrete walls of the Stadium witnessed a scene rivalling any gridiron contest in action and intensity, an exhibition which a spectator might have guessed to be either a celebration in honor of Lindbergh or a sham battle.

It happened to be the latter event staged by a battalion from the United States Ship Florida, the fastest battleship in our fleet since it recently attained the terrific speed of 22.32 knots a record for battleships in the United States Navy. Invading Soldiers Field, 350 men strong, the battalion quickly prepared for the exercises which served the double purpose of perfecting it in the open order of drill of which it had but a slight taste recently in Guantanamo and of acquainting Naval Science students in the University with a first hand knowledge of the tactics and manocuvres of the landing force of a battleship. Intantry companies, an artillery company and a machine platoon quickly took their places awaiting the signal for firing. A Red Cross detail was stationed to one side of No Man's Land and the Communication and Radio Details worked like lightning to spread their networks over the field. From the baseball stands a band blared patrlotic anthems, and the commands of the officers blended with the stentorian shouts of the men. The Color Guard advanced with flying banners, and at the signal given by C. B. Mayo, Commander, U. S. N., the battle began.

For a hectic half hour furious fusillades swept over the soggy turf of the baseball diamond, the tit-tat-tat of the spitting machine gun sneering at the consistent popping of the rifles. Scouts, grenade dischargers, and wire cutters mingled in the heat of the fray, and many a sailor showed the potential ability of a movie actor by "biting the dust" with a consumate reality of the battle scenes in "What Price Glory." Little pin points of fire from blank shells glowed through the murkiness of the medical men ran about trantically with empty stretchers. All the ghastliness of bloody battle was spewed out on the peaceful field.

After the formidable exhibition the war weary men were glad to have a peaceful lunch in the Stadium before walking back to the Navy Yard where the U. S. S. Florida awaited them in all her glory.