the Continental Congress on November 10, 1775, and therefore has the
distinction of being the oldest military branch in the United States
service. The corps served valiantly throughout the Revolutionary War,
and was disbanded at the close of the war, April 11, 1782. But the corps
was reorganized and permanently established July 11, 1798. From that day
to this, its officers have been zealous participants in every expedition
and action in which the navy has engaged, and in many trying campaigns
they have won distinction with their brethren of the army. Their motto
is _Semper Fidelis_, and ever have they lived up to it in war and in
peace.

The marines serve both on land and sea. They are trained, clothed, and
equipped very much as are soldiers of the land forces. In their
preliminary instruction on shore, at navy-yards and naval-stations, they
are instructed and drilled in the duties of infantry soldiers,
field-artillery men, and as machine-gun companies. In preparation for
their duties as landing-parties from ships of the navy, for
expeditionary duty, and as defenders of naval advance bases, they are
further trained in the use of portable search-lights, the wireless
telegraph, the heliograph, and the various other methods of signalling.
They study range-finding; erection, operation, and maintenance of
telegraph and telephone lines; planting of land and submarine mines;
handling of torpedoes; erection and demolition of bridges; building of
roads; knotting and splicing of ropes; handling of heavy weights;
fitting of gun-gear and the various methods of slinging and transporting
ordnance, and the mounting in suitable shore positions of guns of 3, 5,
and 6 inch caliber.

In their service on battleships and cruisers, the marines form a part of
the ship's complement for battle, manning the 6-inch, 5-inch, 3-inch,