The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-14
THE NAVAL MILITIA.
The Secretary of the Navy l. TryiBE
10 Increase Interest init.

y es-l- E--E- March 44--lEECrEla appears
20 he s1-vhs- backward in taxing zd-
vantage % -Ez government ai5 oTere5
% t1e ra-lo1s states 10 the formation q
q naval militia. While az The navy 1e-
partmezt yesterday your correspondent
had an Interesting conversation with As
zis-znt Secretary 3lcAdoo ana Lieut. y.
p s-h-etze o. this SUBJECT II appears
that Sor-h and south Carolina have en-
tered into the naval militia project with
greater e-th1slsn than any o-her south
ern states The Georgia legislature
passed a law some tine ago Authorizing
the formation o. naval militia ba,-zlions
1ut a. the present writing the navy de-
psrruelt has not been advised that any
o---ers OF zen have been mustered Into
rrL- branch 70 the STATE service.
Lieut. Sc1le-ze. who IS in charge o. the
naval militia branch Of the service. says
be mas had some ccrrespon1elcs wiki GER
tan citizens ~ Savannah. who are inter
este1 iu this matter. and he hopes they
viii take immediate steps 20 avail them
selves q the provisions q TIE sc-. which
would e-t9le that state 20 share iu the
appropriation of 500 20 encourage the
formation o. the naval militia. The OBJ
1ec- o. the national appropriation is 70
arm and equip the naval militia. Under
the present regulations IL is Impossible
20 promptly and properly arm and equip
newly organized forces especially when
they are small. 81 BE- usual lu the begin
ming of such organizations. OF course,
little can ~ Gone by the national gov
eminent unless the state or municipal
aid De- extended in the matter Of uniforms
ana q1arrers- VITA a view 20 further
promote the efficiency 81 the naval militia
the navy department Is enabled 70 loan
such vessels. boats and ship equipments
a. are not required for the general serF-
ice 10 the governors Of states having or
gained naval militia. Thus far only FIVE
q the twelve states that have organized
a naval reserve under this act have been
supplied with vessels. l. is proposed 70
thus use old wooden ships that are un-
ftted for further national service At
present South Carolina, Massachusetts
and New Hampshire are struggling 20
get possession Of the first old vessels that
goes out Of commission. There are sew
eral OF The old monitors out Of commits
sion that are available. but none Of the
states, excepting North Carolina, seems
willing % accept them. so long as there
- d prospect Of getting one Of the old
ships
The New England states are taking a
great Interest Ia the naval militia busl-
-.Es1f ana LAeg are eHen4lAE large sums
OF money IN the organization Of their re-
spective forces. New York has expended
over $4,000 in equipping her naval mill
tia and Connecticut. Pennsylvania and
Massachusetts are equally enegetic In the
building up Of this branch Of their local
defense. The navy department officials
are disposed 70 render all the assistance
10 those states willing 10 help Them
selves. IN this connection, and 70 that
end Secretary Herbert in mis- last aunual
report adopted the recommendation Of
Lieut.. Schuetze. that the national appro-
priation be 50 distributed that the newly
organized forces receive a proportionateIy
larger amount than those states which
have for three years received large al
lottments and whose militia is practically
armed and equipped IN the meaning Of
the law. Such course would serve to
encourage the prospective organizations
in other states. With the view Of increas-
ing interest IN this matter the Secretary Of
the Navy has recently promulgated an
interesting special order.