St. Paul daily globe., 1895-11-18
VOLUNTEER TARS.
NAVAL MILITIA RAPIDLY GROW
ING N\POPULARITY AND
VALUE,
BUT 1T NEEDS A BRACING UP.
SUGGESTIONS FOR INCREASING
ITS EFFICIENCY BY SECRE-
TARY M,ADOO.
IN THE LIFE-sAvING SERVICE
The Year Has Been Il Fortunate
One-COrps Shows Great Ina
prOVement.

w AShlNGIONy NOV. 1i.-ASSlSI-
ant Secretary McAdoo has trans
mitted to Secretary Herbert the re-
port of Lieut.. Niblack upon the oper-
ations of the naval militia during
the past year. In indorsing the re-
port, Mr.. McAdoo says that the or
ganiZations are growing rapidly in
favor and the interest of the public
in them is steadily increasing. This
organization, founded on patriotic
zeal, is entitled to every encourage
ment at the hands Of the govern
ment. Speaking of the results of his
own inspection of the various bat
talions last summer he says that
above all things they need national
encouragement and sufficient boats
to perfect themselves in drill.
Lieut.. Niblack's report shows that
New Jersey and Georgia were the
only new states to make returns
and share in the allotment of funds
during the year. Under the present
system of allotments an undue share
of the money goes to the older or
ganizations, which Lieut.. Niblack
suggests might be corrected by di-
viding only one-half of the total ap-
preparation among the militia pro-
rata, and then using the remaining
and those which have not yet re-
ceived the loan of a ship or boats
and arms. He shows that the sup
ply of ships for military purposes is
now exhausted and touching the eX-
perience of the California militia
on their last cruises aboard govern
ment vessels, he says that such short
cruises are of no real benefit to the
militia. Because Of the hot and
debilitating weather of the Southern
summers, he suggests that the time
of cruises of the North Carolina,
South Carolina and Georgia militia
should be changed to spring or fall.
HOW TO BRACE IT UP.
In the line of improvement of the
militia as a whole, Lieut.. Niblack
has many important recommended
tions to make. He says that there
has been considerable diminution in
the enthusiasm of the older organ
izations, due largely to uncertainty
as to the real purposes and aims of
the naval militia, as is indicated by
the number of designations. Unless
it is desired that the movement
should drift on in an uncertain and
hesitating way with possible ulti-
mate failure, a vigorous state and
national initiative should be at once
taken. The state laws should be
made uniform, and the navy de-
partment should be empowered to
bring three or four different state
organizations together in camp,
which, with a cooperating squad
ron of ships, would result in in
creased efficiency and give definite
ness of purpose. The appropriation
for the naval militia should be in
creased from $4,000 to $4,000 an
nually. AS boat work is of the ut
most Importance the battalions
should be provided with good navy
cutters, with all equipments neces-
sary, and to insure uniformity in
methods signaling outfits should be
provided. The outfits of the various
divisions should be standardized, and
to this end Lieut.. Niblack indicates
just what a suitable outfit should
consist of. Steps should be taken
to organize a naval reserve of Off
GERS, seamen and ships under nation
al auspices. In this eX-officers of the
navy and former enlisted men, naval
militiamen who have served a spe-
Gifted term, and sea-faring men gen
orally can make up the personnel,
and yachts and merchant steamers
the material.