The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-29
NAVAL MILITIA BATTALION.
Little Prospect Of It's establishment at
This Time.
TEE ORGANIZATIONS ELSEWHERE.
The system In Operation In Many other
States Including Mar,land, The Caro-
linas and Georgia what Assistant
Secretary McAdoo Says About
the Nasal militia.

TIE Legislature during tho last session
enacted a. llW establishing "a battalion of
Naval Militia in this state That law
provided for the organization or "a naFai
battalion oi Virginia volunteers TO toN-
fIst of f0ui companies. The officers ~
the battalion were t0 Doe one commander
ono Nruforauf-commandc and one ieu-
tenant. to Doe known as navigator Each
company was 20 have one lieutenant. one
1HUfI. lieutenant. two trsiguf and iluih
forty f1 sixty men. The petty Officers
were to Dee TWO hCatswair's mates, TWO
glnrcrs mates. two quaftcrmhsitfs, ana
two c0Nswalns for each company, Whlie
the staff Officers OF tle battalion were I'd
Doe am nliutaut, one ordnance oincer
ono uaymasier and one surgeon. The
law also provides tho followiug
The organization OF thc naval haiial-
SON and ns system of discipline and cN-
erclse shall conform as nearly as may
Dc f0 that of the navy of thc initei
States If shall ho governed hv tln laws
and regulations ass now provided Tor Cove
8rnlut fHe Virginia volunteers ae lar ass
the Same may be applicable. The Cow
eruor as tlc commnnlcr-iin-chiof. shall
have the power fo alter divide anncN.
consolidate. OF dIsland the battalion whom
he thinks fhat The efficiency of the state
forces Will he increased thereby. Die
shall also have the power Goo make such
rules and regulations ass may Doe deom-
ed proper for the use government ana
instruction OF thc battalion. These rules
and regulations. must. of course as iai
as practicable conform with those eor-
crn'nc fhe United States Navy The uni-
form OF the battalion and the insignia
and eIguaUon of grade and rank ahah
lo fixed hy the commandments
RANKS OF THE OFFICERS
THE rauh OF the officers shall Doc as
follows. Commander Go correspond with
ucufonant-colOncl. Neutcnant-commander
with major. lieutenant with captain, lu-
u0r Lieutenant with first lieutenant en-
sign with second lieutenant The Govern
or r. authorized 10 make the necessary
arrangements for carrying ont tine pro-
visions of This act as soon as tho Federal
Government is ready 90 supply arms and
equipments and the necessary material
and opportunities for naval instruction
nnd drli THE Governor may also apply
% tho President or Secretary of thc Navy
for the detail OF commissioned ana petty
officers of the navy TO act as inspectors
and instructors in the art of NAVAL war
fare Tile duty of The naval battalion
may he performed aiioat in the vessels
of the United States.
Tho law was enacted through the ok
crtion of Mr. ". a. Fcntrese. who then
represented Portsmouth in the House of
Delegates. and 10 was expected that an
effort would soon Doe made TO organize
naval battalion Zoo the cities of Nor
folk and Portsmouth However, up 20
he present Time the law has remained a
faoro dead letter ON the statute book.
and no effort has been made 90 carry
out its provisions in The near future.
The Governor. iu his message to the pros-
emit legislature also remained silent on
the subject. and there seems to Doe little
prospect of the establishing of a. naval
battalion in Virginia at the present ume.
NAVAL MILITIA elsewhere
Organizations Of Naval Militia are n
proeout in existence 500 the following
States. Massachusetts, Rhode Island.
Connecticut. New York. Now Jersey,
pennsylvania. Maryland. North Carolina,
South Carolina. Georgia. california, iii-
Dois. Michigan. Assistant Secretary or
Che Navy. VIM. McAdoo in h.. report 10
Focrctarv Herbert. has the following to
ray in regard 90 the operations oi the
Naval Militia during the past year.
20 ho organizations are CROWNS rapidly
and the public Interest in them i- stead
ifv increasing They arc founded entire
lv GA tle patriotic zeal of the citizens in
the various state organizations ana are
entitled to every possible cuclufafrm'nt
40 the hands of the National Govern
mont
During The past summer. ] have made
an inspection of certain Ct tho divls ions
and latialicng OF Naval Militia in North
and South Carolina Maryland. lcnnayl-
Nanio Ncw York. Connecticut, Rhode
Island. and Mas achusetfe. accompanied
ly Lieut. A. r.. Nihack. T.. S. a.. Who is
attached fo this ofice. and was thus
given an opportunity to inspect these ORE
rani1atiCIs az their homes. and enabled
.|| Dbl. N...| Dr.
possibilities and wants. ITO make them
at au Efficient q is absolutely nCcesea-
Iv that they Doe kept in close touch with
this department. ana Doc aided, encoufaE-
ca. and instructed in evofy pos IDLE way.
I'm so Jar 1s they fIrrosimaie 90 % naval
force. thfy are removed from the usual
conditions oft land militia end cannot
find the proper sympathy and encourage
meut in iIc circumstances surrounding
the latter This Department has done
everything possible within the limits of
the law Co help these organizations. and
fukcs crelt pride in their present
strength and efficiency. just 40 present
thcy need. above AN things sufficient
boats 90 perfect themselves boz boat work
Tho report of the Assistant Secretary is
accompanied hy that OF Lieutenant a. y.
Nhiack. T.. S. ~, which. among others,
contains the folowing statements
"'rhc naval appropriation act approved
July 2i. iSli, contained the following
clause.
"Nual Nuua-Fof arms and equip
monfa connected Herewith. and for Tine
printing of necessary books of insiruc-
ton. for Naval Militia of Nauous States,
under such regulations as the Secretary
or the Navy may prescribe. >-1Vt0'
Tho allotment of This appropriation
was made under date of March @. 1895.
and the special circular on this subject
ISSUED hy The Department contained thc
following rllasraph.
"FNe hundred dollars OF the appro-
prlauOn for Naval Militia viii ho raserv-
ed for the purpose of providing books OF
instruction for the Naval militia. These
books will Dec distributed among the vac
Tious organizations in such manner az
the Secretary of The Navy may FROM
time 90 time direct
"This fnn3 is stin reserved Tor eXpon-
dlture. awaiting the publication of new
editions of the most important technical
books needed by the Naval Militia. as
the older editions are exhausted.
REPORTS FROM VARIOUS STATES
The returns from the various States
g. March j. 1865. of the strength of the
Naval Militia exclusive OF commissioned
officers. were received FROM the govern
ors Of thirteen States. as basis of the
allotment of the appropriation for 1898,
as follows.
Petty officers
Name of State and ralf Allotment
Massachusetts. f'9 s3,ln rs
Rhode Island. 100 900 %
Connecticut. N 6i1 fi