The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-06-08
DISAPPOINTED TARS
New Jerseys Naval Militia
Receives a Serious
Setback.

The New Jersey Naval Reserve has unfor
tunately received a setback which will
oblige it to discontinue It's active work until
next year. By the act Of March 3, 1898,
Congress appropriated 'for arms and equip
ment connected Herewith for naval militia,
under such regulations as the Secretary OF
the Navy may prescribe, S25,
In distributing the money the Secretary OF
the Navy Formulated q set of resolution $
which require the Governor of each State
having a naval militia to make q return TO
the Navy Department., certifying to the
number of officers and men serving In the
naval militia. Upon, receipt OF these re-
turns, the regulations provide, the Score
tary shall proceed to distribute the money
among those States whose Governors have
made such returns according to the proper
ton which the number of men in such State
bears to the entire number of mon enlisted.
These returns are to be made by March 15 OF
each year.
NAVAL DEPARTMENT INTERESTED.
The Navy Department at Washington
takes a great interest in the matter of the
naval militia. and when it became known
that two battalions were to be organized IN
this State, Assistant Secretary McAdoo de-
termined to do all in his power to help along
the movement. He saw chat it would be i'm
possible for the bill authorizing the organ1-
ZlIlOu VI UlG 11lIllUl6 W IOGOAAlo q AoV " nO
required time and he secured a postponement
of the distribution for ten months.
Owing to the great press OF business upon
him, Governor Werts did not find time to
appoint the Naval Board provided for in the
act authorizing the organization OF the naval
militia in the State, and consequently the
organization was not completed SO that he
could make the required returns to the Sec
rotary of the Navy and New Jersey receive
her share of the appropriation. b State
already having reserves began to clamor for
their share of the money, and the distribu-
ton could not be delayed any longer.
In a letter to Congressman Fielder on the
was then acting Secretary Of the Navy,
SAYS
1.-THE Naval militia of New Jersey not hav-
ing been organized or uniformed SO that the
required returns could be made to this de-
partment as prescribed by the regulations
established by the Secretary of the Navy, 1T
cannot share in the appropriation for this
year ending June 30.
POSTPONED FOR NEW JERSEY.
s'The allotment of the appropriation was
designedly postponed by the Secretary of
the Navy until March, although heretofore
it has been made in October In order to
encourage newly formed bodies OF naval
militia and to allow them as much time as
possible to properly uniform themselves. |
ulNI6 lC2lSO ~ AhIoA JoN Us
the State of New Jersey having failed
to comply with the prescribed regulations
it's naval militia will lave to wait for its
equipment so far as the supplies of this de-
partment are concerned until the allotment
for the next fiscal year is made, when 1t is
the intention of the Secretary of the Navy
to direct his attention especially to those
bodies of the naval militia latest organized "
In referring to the request of George nj.
Christian, President of the Jersey City As
ISOLATION that 8 vessel of war be loaned to
Jersey City, Mr., McAdoo says
''There IS at present a bill before Congress
authorizing and empowering the Secretary
of the Navy TO loan vessels of war to the
States having a naval militia. Until this
bill, or q similar one is enacted into law this
| department will be unable to loan vessels or
their equipments to the States"
Jersey City has a fourishing organization
of seventy which has procured uniforms at
its own expense. 1t has been drilling with
| muskets once a week under instruction of
| Lieutenant Keim of Company f. Fourth
Regiment. The members will, however, be
unable to drill with cutlasses n in sea-
manship until the next appropriation is
distributed.