The sun., 1891-07-14
The Naval Militia.

The practice man9uvres of the squadron
OF evolution In Boston harbor last week will
be memorable chiefly as the first exercises Of
the kid in which Strt, naval reserve forces
ever took part, They may be said, there
fore. to mark an epoch In our naval history,
and to initiate a system OF drill and dsci-
pline Whose results should be far-reaching
andimDOrtant The Massachusetts battalion
OF our new maritime contingent had been
very promptly organized, and when Con-
gress adopted the system by making q small
appropriation for arms and equipments the
naval battalion OF the Bay State was ready
The cruise OF the white squadron to Boston
was so arranged as to enable the Massachu-
setts men to exhibit such proficiency as they
had acquired in drill, and also to give them
tour OF duty aboard ship, where everything
on modern war vessel might be explained,
and where they might practise with the
great guns and become familiar with other
naval exercises.
This initial experiment seems, all things
considered, to have been quite successful.
The details OF the Massachusetts battalion to
the various ships OF Admiral WALKERS
squadron were made with view to imparting
the greatest amount OF instruction. Throngs
down tho harbor for target practice, while
to wind up tho instruction an attack was
made on the last day OF the mnnnuvres by
twenty-eight boats from the fleet upon Deer
Island. and there again the naval reserve
had nm opportunity TO take part with tho
regular forces.
Now the scene Is to be shifted to other
waters. md the Now York naval militia will
participate In tho drills and maneuvres OF
the white squadron. The arrangements of
time and place have been made for this
purpose by the Navy Department and tho
State authorities, and there is every reason
to expect that the New York battalion will
profit greatly.
Apart from any disputed questions turn
Ing ON tho statutes under which one or an
other Of the various State organizations is
acting. there can be no doubt as to the gen.
oral value OF the naval militia move
ment. 1t need not be surprising, and cer-
tainly should not DO discouraging, II defects
in form or In spirit should be found In It's
first efforts at establishment. 1t may even
like the land militia, have to 90 through
processes OF remodelling and reorganiza-
tion. But now that 1t has been started. ex-
perlence will show the sort of men and
methods it needs: while 80 important is the
duty it seeks to perform that there can be
little doubt OF Its permanence and growth.
The leading maritime nations maintain In
ono form or another their naval reserves.
In France the whole merchant marine
10 regarded as such: and since all sea-
faring men there are liable to be called upon
for service In the regular army. bounties for
fishermen and pensions or other means of
support for tho aged and disabled are
matters OF course. In England there has
long been not only an organization analo-
gous to our now naval reserve. but auxiliary
bodies Of coast guards and heavy artillery.
mon. intended particularly for shore de-
fence. Tho British naval reserve proper,
made up OF watermen and others used TO
life aboard ship. exacts prolonged
tour Of annual duty. and Is pro-
portionally expensive. Tho original prof.
ect Lcror" Congress was to establish a
naval reserve OIL substantially tho samo
footing as tho English; but ono objection
sfter another was raised. and 1t soon became
evident that this plan would be strongly op-
posad. Thon tho happy idea occurred Of hsv-
s>stAepA%boaEd States orxsnlze small bodies