The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-04-23
4 NAVAL RESERN 4.
Secretary whitney Strongly Urges Its -
tablishment.

WAsHINGToN, April 22.-Representa-
tive Whitthorne, chairman of the sub
committee of the House Committee on
Naval Affairs, having in charge the bills
now pending before the committee look
ing to the establishment of anayal reserve,
has received long letter from Secretary
Whitney, in which he declares himself
earnestly and unequiyocally in favor OF
such legislation The Secretary says in
his lsttcr that the necessity for the main
tenance Of a naval reserve Is so univer-
sally recognized at the present day that
an endorsement of the proposition is
necessarily matter of mere form. No ma
ton maintains a standing army or lagy
adequate to its defense, or to the mainle-
nance of its right in war All Of them rely
upon reserves and upon the preparation
previously made for expanding quickly
from peace TO war basis. The main
tenance OF a naval reserve the Secretary
observes is measure Of economy. Under
such a system body of men supporting
themselves by ordinary civil pursuits,
is enrolled and trained by the Govern
ment sufficiently for its purposes in the
event of war at comparatively small
expense. England, he saws, main
tains with an annual expenditure of less
than 81 100000 an auxiliary naval force
twice as large as the American navy. \
naval service is so eminenly consistent
with our policy as nation that the
Secretary eau only express wonder that il
has hitherto been overlooked.
The suggestion, however, has awaken
ed the greatest interest in all parts OF the
country, and already more than one State
has indicated determir alton 10 cooper
ate with the Government in this effort to
secure a naval reserve, and the depart
ment is in almost daily receipt Of resolu-
tiOns of representative bodies OF citizens
throughout the country expressing the
greatest anxiety that the necessary steps
to secure reserve should be Immediately
taken. The necessity for a naval
reserve, the Secretary says, has be-
come more imperative with the
changes which have come about
in the art of war. In former times, when
the implements of war were simple in
construction and the ship was handled
wholly or mainly by sail, the sea faring
class were available for immediate incor-
poralion into the naval force. Now sea
manship PLAYS an unimportant part The
ship is handled below deck, and no man
Is iii to he engrafted into q naval force
who has not been previously trained to
knowledge of the modern implements of
war and naval tactics. So that II
may be said, he adds, that there Is
no longer any naval reserve in
the merchant marine. More than this
Preparation which has not been pr
viouslv made cannot be extemporized
The speed and power of modern nayies.
are such tha. fortnight is sufficient for
European power TO concentrate an ab-
solutely over.powering force, where
months were formerly required, and SO
the only time for preparation is now In
time of peace.
After endorsing in general way the
bill which was prepared by General
WhitthOrne for the establishment OF a
naval reserve, aud suggesting some
amendments thereto, the Secretary closed
his letter by saying:
In the judgment Of the Department. it
is both necessary and economical that
the Government should have in reserve
fleet of auxiliary merchant ships, pre-
viously prepared with the necessary fit
tings for instant conversion into cruis-
ers. which would therefore be available
upon moments notice for use by the
Government in time Of war.