Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-08
epRkrARY rlacr's Lxrrra.

eRRErARY TaAcrs Lkrrca-
On the 1sth Of May, iese, Secretary Tracy
| addressed q letter to Senator Allison, chair
man OF the senate committee on sppropri
| atoms. calling his attention 20 the importance
| OF providing for the issue of arms and other
| stores TO what he referred TO the recently
organized naval militia Of the country" His
| letter is an important contribution TO the lit
erature of the development of the volun-
teer navy. He said: One of the most
vital defects in our present naval system
is the want OF an organized militia. trained
that in case Of necessity il will be prepared 70
supply the demands Of the naval service. The
number of seanen now allowed by law 10 500.
Most ~ them are necessarily scattered in yari-
Gus parts OF the world. They would not be
available AZ al IN an emergency nor would they
be sufficiently numerous TO form more than the
nucleus OF an active force.
Az the outbreak Of the civil war there were
only 2ee sesmen ON the Atlantic coast at the
oisposat OF the government for the crews OF the
ships hitting out. Largely in consequence of
tins naval operations during the first SIX months
were delayed and obstructed. The necessities
OF war afterwsrd increased the force 20 50 600.
Most OF the crews were destitute OF naval train
ing. and to obtain even these il was necessary
TO pay heavy bountles.
The want OF a supply of men In reserve
places the navy At great disadvantage as COM
pared Stth the army. which has ALWAYS behind
IL a well-trained militia, which makes its real
numerical strength. Without this it would be
afeebis instrument OF national defense. The
navy needs its reserves as much as the army
ana they should he composed not only of
trained seamen- but of trained naval seamen.
The development of the militia IL in the in
terest OF a true economy. Its cost to the gen.
eral government hes only in arms and equip
ments for training. The remainder OF the
expense 10 voluntarily borne by the states.
Compared with the cost Of a regular force of
the same size this expense is 1.-THE more than
nominal, as the periods of active employment
are confined to what lie required for training
purposes alone
HE Secretary recommended an appropris-
ton OF $50, 600 for the aid of the militia that
might be organized in the various states. but
the committee, in acceding to his request for a
| starting amount cut the figure down to az. 900,
which was Appropriated and which became
available on the first of the present fiscal year
"A bill Was introduced in the House on the
l2th OF June. ESQ. making an appropriation OF
So.ooo Tor the establishment OF the naval mill
| TIA Ia the various states, TO be spportioned ac-
cordlng to tine number of representatives Of
each state in Congress This bill failed OF pas
sage through the agreement on the provision
In the naval appropriation act, to winch refer
encs was just made.
AGITATION IN THE STATES.
That ends the Legislative history Of the case.
While all this was being done in Congress
there was a tremendous agitation going on out
side in boards of trade and other organizations
In the large seaport cities Of the country, urg-
ing that something be done for the permanent
establishment of well-organized naval militia.
When 1t was seen that Congress was disposed to
take hold Of the question in n fostering manner,
the states began TO act themselves through their
legislatures, and laws were passed in several
instances providing for organizations of bat
talions and companies Massachusetts was the
first TO act legisiatively on the subject Dur
ing the session of 1883 an act was passed Ito
eatablsh n hat f.li 10 ha lsl $,< L.
volunteer militia 1t was to consist OF four
companies, as was suggested for the District of
Columbia, and it was to be \ part of the militia
force Of the state Then came New York,
which passed an act June IA, 1889. to
what was practically the same effect
1t provided for the enlistment as
part Of the already organized militia but in a
separate system, Of the same classes Of indiyid-
| uals mentioned in the Whitthorne bill. They
were to be organized into three battalions of
| naval reserve artillery. and q battalion of four
companies to comprise the torpedo corps of the
militia of the state
Rhode Island was the next to enact a law for
the organization of such a force, but her estab-
hshment. like herself, was designed TO be but
little one in size, though a giant in system
| 1t provided for but two companies one as an
| artillery reserve and the other as torpedo
| company. The act was based directly upon
that of the state Of New York, and contained
the same provision as to the supplying of arms
California is the last one that has passed a
law on the subject and her act was approved
March 81, lS9lSe4t il similar to the others
mentioned and provides for battalion of four
| companies.
Besides these laws bills were drawn m and
presented 20 the legislatures of New Hamp
shire and Pennsylvania, but owing to the pres
| sure OF other matters action on them was de-
| ferred until the next sessions. II is more than
probable, however, that laws will be passed
TINS winter IN not only those states, but in YER
| mont, Maryland and North Caroline as well as
other states that are not SO certain as those
named.
In North Carolina there is already good
deal OF enthusiasm on the part of the public
and there has been a great many applications
for enlistment, although there is yet no state
law regulating the matter. The same condition
| OF things exists in Vermont
THE FOUR PIONEER STATES.
As the laws Of the four pioneer states stand
today the organized naval militia is limited TO a
| force of 002 men, follows: New York, l. 800;
| California, 33S: Massachusetts,, 23S, and Rhode
Island. l26. The limit has not been reached.
however, though it is expected that by the LIST
Of October it will be fully attained. The force
! in New York now numbers 206 and is increas-
| ing all the time. That in Massachusetts is at
the top notch and the ranks Of the battalion
are full. Rhode Island has but two torpedo
boat crews and her entire force numbers but
81, while California is now undergoing the first
| organization.
The government, in the meantime, has not
| been wasting time, but il has done its share
| toward putting the new bodies on a working
basis A circular issued from the Navy
| Department on June 20 setting in motion the
machinery of distributing the SOS. 900 appro-
priated by Congress for the purpose of supply
ing the militia with arms and equipments.
! 1t is expected that all of the money will be
put out this year and that additional appro-
| priation will be obtained from Congress at the
next session for the continuance of the work
thus well begun. 1t is the hope of the naval
authorities that larger amount will be granted.
for it is probable that BY another year there will
have been other enactments of laws by states
now without any naval militia forces, and
that those that have organized will be enlarg-
ing. and in fact, the prospect is that within
twelve months there will be a surprising
advance made in this line. Fifty thousand dol