The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-01-21
Ships for tho Naval Reserve.

Congressman CUMMINGS has introduced a
bill which authorizes the Secretary OF the
Navy to furnish to any State. on the appli-
cation OF Its Governor. vessel not re-
quired for general service, that It may be
used by regularly organized naval militia
for drill and instruction.
Practically such vessels are now furnished
by the Secretary. Last summer. for ex-
ample. the old monitor Nantucket was as
signed to the North Carolina Naval Reserve.
and was sent from Brooklyn to Wilmington
for that purpose; while for the New York
reserve the sailing ship New Hampshire
was used. Aquestion has been raised. how
ever. as to the authority for such assign
ments. and 1t Is found desirable to procure
specific legislation from Congress.
The naval militia has already become a
large organization. which should furnish a
valuable source OF reliance for the regular
navy. 1t is regularly established in Massa-
chusetts. Rhode Island. New York. Penn
sylvania, Maryland. North Carolina, South
Carolina. and Illinois. while Michigan and
Connecticut have laws providing for such
bodies. 1t numbered, at the date OF Secre-
tary HERBERT's annual report. 2.976 men.
The public interest in it Is increasing.
The Secretary has announced that. IL cir
cumstances permit. cruises will be carried
out this year on a more extensive scale than
last summer. and he points out that "our
long and exposed seacoast and the difficult
ties attending the enlistment OF sailors from
our merchant marine make this organiza-
ton OF national Importance" He promises
to do all he can under existing laws to
foster and encourage 1t.
The great necessity found by the inspect
ing officers last summer was that Of giving
the naval militia more service on ship
board. Drill In the armory ashore will not
take the place OF cruising. nor does the speed
with which a cannon can be dragged across
country In Long Island. as In one OF last
summers mauGuvres. show the efficiency
OF the men az gunners. When Board OF
naval officers reported on the cruise Of the
Rochester naval reserve aboard the San
Francisco they praised their spirit and In
telligence. but said neither officers nor
men had any knowledge OF the duties
pertaining to the naval profession and they
were landsmen in the strictest inter-
probation OF the word" The officers were
mot conversant with the naval drills. and
were therefore unable to instruct tho men,"
and they did not learn to do so during
their cruise. Yet the Board reported that
the officers improved in knowledge. and
that the men were very intelligent and
could soon form an excellent fighting force
on board ship" The same criticisms were
applied to the Philadelphia militia. of whom
1t was said that the officers and men. with
a single exception. had had no experience
in drills and duties on shpboard. and
gained little information during the cruise.
Still it. was found that both these bodies
could be depended upon. in an emergency
for service in harbor defence vessels.
1t is clear. therefore. that tho great need
Of the naval militia Is practical service
aioat. While tho vessels Of the home
squadron will undoubtedly DO used for their
instruction as FAR as possible. herea fter as
hitherto. yet 1t is desirable that the MI
litia should have vessels OF their own. so
that their drills on shipboard may be more
frequent, and that they may sooner become
habituated to the du L and routine OF
life atioat, The bill OF Mr. CUMMINGS ia
proper one for this purpose. aud probably
1t will be enacted by Congress.