Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-08

SASo VA fe<AaS a&1a W 70 tAe
best advantage on every question that cannot
be carried in its entirety. 1t also illustrates
the fact that the average American has not jet
| overcome his strong repagna.cs to Tie loea-
| ton Of large standing army near him. and
that he recognizes the fact that il ID part of
the duty of a citizen to odd his mite TO the
common welfare.
As early as 1882 . book was written which
contained reference to the need Of q naval
force Of citizen sailors - an adjunct to the
regular force and feeder to it in time Of var.
The work was entitled '"The Blockade and the
Cruisers," and its author was the present as
| sistant secretary of the navy, Hon. J. R Soley.
He referred to the history 0f the early part of
the civil war to prove his proposition that the
country had not the adequate naval force and
ne particularly called attention to the fnct that
what the navy most needs IN cases Of emergency
rs the service Of men accustomed to handling
ships and munitions Of war, and not green
hands picked up ut random from the great
CITIES without reference to their fitness.
The suggestions OF the writer has borne fruit,
though perhaps his remarks fell at the time on
stony ground. He does not today claim to be
IN the least responsible for tho advance made
IN the orBanizatan OF naval militia forces nor
does he wish TO take to himself any Of the
credit that attaches to the position of the pro-
moter OF the system that is now growing with O
gratlying rapidity. He ia working hard, how
ever, for the success Of the scheme. and to him
WI, no doubt, be given the honor when the
labor has been performed.
THE ORIGINAL IDEA DIFFERENT.
The naval intelligence Office Of the Navy De-
partment has studied the question very thor
oughiy during the past three or four years and
literature that has been produced on the me-
| cessity OF some sort of a naval militia in this
country. The original idea was quite different
| from that which has at last taken root and
sprung up into the semblaace of Q fact,
| and 1t was only abandoned when 1t was
| found that the scheme was not acceptable
10 the average Congressman, and, through
HIM. the people ut large. This first thought
| was to organize In the country bordering on
oceans and gulf a force that was to DO called
the Naval Reserve" and that name has chung
10 the plan even up to today, although the dis
tmctlye feature Of a reserve has been aban-
doned and the force that il being formed now
Is no more nor less than a militia, pure and
simple.
| There Is more in the difference between these
terms than one might At first suppose. The
naval reserve Was to be force gathered from
| the people whose callings make them &C.
qualnted with the sea, signed to q partial en-
ns'ment with the United States navy, but free
for eleven months in the year. For thirty
days III each year this force was to be amena-
BILE to the authority Of the government. and
was to be called ont for active service in in
| structon on board ship. This pre-supposed
the possibility Of obtaining enough men from the
active walks OF life who could and would
| afford the time that such service would de-
rnand. OF course these volunteers were to be
paid for their month'swork at the regular rates
| established by law for the pay Of the navy blu,
| after good deal Of discussion the plan was
abandoned, for it was seen clearly that it would
| be next to impossible for the government 10
/ Obtain. without drafting no NJ N o,,fe
cient number Of men Of intelligence and good
habits, who would be willing to sacri.
nee their resting terms in summer for
thirty days of what would prove
to be hard work. The idea Of compulsory at
tendance upon the drills that would have to
form part OF the system was altogether re-
pugnant to the average intelligence and il was
on this basis alone that the theory of the for.
nation OF a strictly naval reserve" was
| altered to include the element Of volunteering
that has made the land militia SO much of 8
| success.
BILLS INTRODUCED N CONGRESS.
| The movement to establish q naval reservf
went so far as the Introduction Of a number O,
bills in Congress, the best of which, for the Dur
poses Of illustration, being known a. the 'Whit.
| thorne bill, from the name of its author This
bull was introduced January l. 1883, and pro.
| vlded for the enlistment, as q naval reserve. O,
| all persons between the ages Of eigh.
teen and forty-fve OF the following
| classes: "All seafaring men of whateyeI
calling or occupation, and all men engaged
in the navigation of the rivers. lakes and other
| waters; all persons engaged in the construction
and management of ships and crafts or any
part thereof upon such waters, together with
members Of yacht clubs and all other associa,
tons for aquatic pursuits aud all ex-oficers and
| enlisted men of the navy
This bill provided fo- the holding Of an an.
nual drill OF these men, not to exceed one
month in length. who should be paid AT the
| same rate as men and officers holding similar
| rank IN the regular navy. 1t also contained a
clause providing for the payment of an annual
| mileage subsidy by the government TO the
| owners and builders of steam vessels suitable
for use as cruisers for this auxiliary navy.
| This latter provision us to subsidizing vessels
| with a view to their future use by the govern.
| ment has since been enacted in another meas
ure that had no other bearing upon the cues
| ton OF a naval reserve.
1t was estimated, in plan drawn up BY the
| Navy Department when the matter was under
active consideration, that fully I5.O0o men
| might be enlisted under such an organization
from the different parts Of the country. There
were also some additional estimates made o,
the numbers that might be furnished by the
| various states, and these figures will show the
expectations at that time: New York, $500
Massachusetts,. LOGO; Maryland. Michigan and
| California. 600 each, and SO on through the LIST
| OF states with water fronts whereou their naval
reserves might be drilled.
The Whitthorne bill however did not he
come a law. It was quite thoroughly discussed
| at the time of its Introduction both in Congress,
and in the columns of the press in all parts OF
the country, and the general verdict was that
it was not adapted to the needs or the views O,
the people of the present time. 1t was decided
then that the idea Of a semi-regular reserve
| would not follow out the idea Of volunteer sol.
dierdom sufficiently, and from that conclusion
has grown the present theory OF the naval
militia.
1 INTENDED PROVISION FOR TIE DISTRICT.
One Of the first measures designed to carry
into effect this latter plan wss the Grout bill
introduced january 81, 1890. providing for q
battalion of naval militia in the District of Co
lumbia. This bill also failed of passage, but q.
it comprehended plan for an organization
that might be well taken . model it may b.
alluded TO here. 1t provided that there should
be organized in the District Of Columbia a hat
TALON of naval militiamen, organised iutt
four companies under the command Of an Of
ficer with the rank of commander who should
be provided with suitable staff. Each com
pany was to have - officers one lieutenant on
Junior lieutenant and two ensigns, aud was q
be composed of not less than two nor NOR
than SIX crews, each crew to have not NOR,
than sixteen petty officers and men. The pctt,
oficsr in naval psrlance corresponds 70 tn
uon-commissioned officer in land forces
There was to be IN officer Of the rec
| ul.r navy dekailad knr du~r sa.;.