Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1896-01-16
SINGLE COPY FIVE CENTS
NUMBER %

camped at the state camp ground. sea
Girt, from July Is to Aug. 3. The en-
campment was by regiments, each regf-
ment occupying the camp ground for one
week. The cavalry troop was encamped
with the First regiment, and tile Ratlfng
gun company with the Second regiment.
The encampment was successful III all
respects Discipline was maintained, and
the idea that the encampment should be d
school for the soldier" thoroughly carried
I out. The efficiency Of the national guard
In all departments, and particularly that
OF rife practice, under Brigadier General
4 Bird W Spencer, T. marked and commend
able
In my former messages l have alluded
TO the desirabilitv, perhaps necessity, Ok
| extending the boundaries of the carnn
ground am still Of opinion that such
extension should be made. Ny reasons
therefor are fully stated in my previous
messages, to which / beg to refer you with
out repetition here.
During the year armories have been
completed at Jersey City and Paterson.
Both OF them are substantial structures
and well adapted to the purposes FOR which
they we're erected. Other armories are
projected for Newark, Trenton and Cam
den, as the finances Of the state may war
rant IL seems to be generally agreed that
armories are most efficient agencies In pro
noting the morale and general utility Ok
the national guard.
The Naval Reserve.
Since my last message the naval reserve
Of New Jersey has been organized under
and in pursuance Of legislative acts, ap-
proved Feb. IL, 1895, and Feb. 90 1895.
The reserve has been uniformed, equipped
and mustered into the service of The state.
This force may be regarded as an ad-
junct OF the national guard. Ii il prirna-
rily intended for coast and harbur defense.
but may be called into active service for
the same purposes and in the same manner
as the national guard
The reserve consists of two battalions.
designated respectively az the battalion OF
the east and the battalion Or the west.
Battalions are composed Of divisions, and
division Of the naval reserve corresponds
to company Of infantry Of the national
guard. The battalion Of the east com
prises two divisions, located at Newark
and Jersey City. The battalion Of the west
consists OF three divisions, located at Tren-
ton, Camden and Haddonfeld.
The total number of officers "a 2a and
or petty officers and seamen. 245
There IL no doubt that emergencies may
arise when the naval reserve would prove
very potent In preserving the peace or the
state or protecting the lives and property
of its citizens. This branch Of the service
10 now organized iii IS Of the states and II
nurtured and fostered by the federal gov
ernment In many ways. An appropriation
OF $25, 600 Is annually made and divided
pro rata among the reserves Or the differ
ent states. 1t is probable that the amount
Of this appropriation will hereafter be in
creased.
1t Is the practice OF the general govern
ment also to loan or transfer vessels to the
states possessing naval reserves. The Unit
ed States ship Portsmouth and the monitor
Ajax have thus been transferred to the
state Of New Jersey; the Portsmouth be-
ing in dock at Hoboken and the Ajax
moored of Camden. These vessels, with
their guns. rigging and equipment, repre-
sent large sums of money, and obviate the
necessity of expenditure by the state for
armories and drill halls for the naval re-
serve.
The state is responsible for the proper
care and maintenance of these vessels, and
provision should be made therefor. The
appropriation for the naval reserve for the
current year Is $3, 600. That amount was
fixed when the organization was in for
NATIVE state and its needs not well under
stood. The appropriation will probably
have to be considerably increased to meet
fully the requirements Of the organization.
For fuller and more specific details con
cerning the national guard and the naval
reserve I respectfully refer your honorable
bodies to the reports Of the adjutant gen
sral and the quartermaster general, and
the different reports, statements and pa
pers thereto appended.
Home For Disabled Soldiers.
The New Jersey Home For Disabled Sol
diers Is located at Kearney, III the county
Of Hudson. 1t has been in existence 30
years, and during that period has afforded
care and relief to lis, 4g2 benefciaries. The
number Of inmates at present H. 49T- The
appropriation bill az last year reduced the
annual appropriation for the home from
$36, 900 to $50, 600. The treasurer OF the
institution states in bis report that q bal
ance Of S7S, ,619.17, standing to the credit
Of the home, was carried into the state
treasury This balance was created, he in
sists, not through extravagant state appro-
priations, but by reason of the federal gov
ernment assuming part of the expenses uf
the care and maintenance Of the inmates.
1t may be that the existing appropriation
should be enlarged. III 80, it should be
done, in order that the bencficent and
charitable work Of the institution may not
be impaired or crippled.
BY joint resolution No. 2, approved
March ia, 1895, it is recired, Whereas, it
appears that there are within this state a
number Of needy and deserving veterans OF
the late war who would like to take i'd
vantage Of the comforts offered by the
Home For Disabled Soldiers maintained
by the people Of this state, but who cannot
do % without exposing their wives to want
and suffering, ETC., and providing for the
appointment OF a commission, to serve
without compensation, to prepare plan
for the erection and maintenance Of q suit
able home or homes for such cases a. are
above referred TO.
The authorized commission was duly
appointed, and have made their report a. Of
the date OF Dec. i, 1895. They report that
after a thorough review Of the subject,
they sought to accomplish the object OF
their appointment through correspondence,
inasmuch a. no expenditure OF any kind
was provided for. Accordingly, they gath
cred such statistical and other information
regarding the proposed institutions a.
could be obtained from correspondence
with officials, printed reports, etc.
Several Of the states already maintain
such establishments, either separately OK
lid connection with soldiers homes. Other
states are moving in the matter In the
same direction. The commission conclude
their report by stating that they have thus
far collected all the Information 1t WAS
within their limited power to obtain, and
suggesting that the commission be con
tinued for another year, and that an Rp-
preparation not exceeding 81 600 be made
to dcfray the necessary expenses Of prose
cutting the work for which the commission
was appointed It is apparent that pro
vision should be made for reimbursing the
commissioners their personal 0utlRys and
expenditures and the necessary costs and
charges Of properly performing and dis
charging the duties imposed upon them.
state Pensions
The adiutant general reports that the
stnse pension roll for veterans OF the war
Of 1912 includes four persons, the same as
last year.
Under the provisions of the law grant
ing pensions to soldiers OF the national
guard who have been injured in the line
OF duty, and to widows of soldiers who
have been killed in the performance OK
military service in this state, the roll now
inclrdpS two soldiers and three widows rf