The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1897-09-16
A National Naval Reserve.

| Despite the liberal inducements offered
by government service atloat the nu mber
of American sailors seeking enlistment in
the navy falls far below the normal per-
centage which should be available in a
commercial nation possessing sources of
maritime supply equal to our own. No
organized effort has been spar ed to seek
recruits, notably such as ar native born
| young and fairly skilled in the rudiments
OF sea knowledge. Rendezvous have
| peen opened on the seaboard and along
the great lakes, and the inviting possibili.
Ties OF man o'-war life in wages promo
ton and retirement have been made
known through every available energy.
But so far the results are discouraginp.
and whatever may be the real reasons for
| hypothetical ones are as plenty as black
berries, the fact remains that the younp
American embarked in a sea career evil
| IDENTIFY prefers the mercantile to the ma
| tional marine.
| Such being the conditions in peace
what may be expected in war, and where
are to be found the crews which must
supplement the active nucleus now serv
ing behind the guns? Three means only
appear to be open in a country SO essen
TALLY unmilitary, though so intensely pat
rlotic, as the United States: First. vol
untary enlistment; second, draft or i'm
pressment; third, transfers from a pre- es-
tablished reserve.
Voluntary enlistment is American in
temper and in spirit, and it's certainty has
| become the shibboleth of those who airilv
put by the necessity of preparing in peace
for the demands of war. To a definite de-
gree it may be depended upon, notably in
the first thrilling ebullitons of patriotic
tervor; but it will not do to accept it as
the main supply when the class upon
which 1t counts is necessitous and ALWAYS
open to the temptations offered bv the
higher wages given during the war in the
merchant and transport services. I'm
pressment is unpopular, and should be
unpopular as administered durinp the
civil war; it is often cruel, and as RENE
dy of desperation always antagonistic to
our theories of personal liberty. An or
ganized reserve, then, remains as the onlv
reliable source. This, of course. with
the defects of its virtues. NAV possibly
weaken under sudden strain, NAV crack
and crumble, but it is reasonably sure TO
provide at the first shock men who know
gun from fence rail and who have
achieved sea legs steady enough to pass
ammunition and to man the secondary
batteries at battle quarters
Directly, nearly five hundred thousand
persons constitute our maritime popula-
tion-these including not only the men who
go a1loat but those engaged in trades tan
gent to maritime demands Under anv
system of enrolment two hundred thou
sand OF these should be available as a de-
tintiye, or passive, body, out of which an
organized and active reserve of fifty thou
sand men could be formed We need not
go tar atield or atloat to find the yery class
needed, for 1T exists to-day in our deep
water trading, coasting, whaling and cod
and seal fishing fleets. In addition. need
ed Drawn may be found among inshore and
bay fishermen, oystermen and river and
lake boatmen; pilots and yachtmen would
man capltally our torpedo fotllas, and
behind all these, the country could count
confidently upon the mechanics engaged
in ship and engine equipment shops and
lofts and in electrical supply factories and
central stations.
The main effort should be exerted in
the direction of those sea pursuits. such
as whaling, fishing and yachting. which
would be given up in the environment \of
war. Ships and shore stations should be
devoted to the instruction of the mercan-
tile engineers, fremen and coal heavens
and here the complexities of war vessels
might be studied protitably on the spot.
and the simpler work of merchant steam
ers might be complemented by active ex-
perience and service with torpedo boats
and high powered cruisers Man-o'-
war S. men who have served one or more
cruises and have received honorable dis
charges should be encouraged to join the
reserve, and capable merchant officers,
executive and engineer, should, as in Eng
land, receive commissions and be induced
to serve for period in cruising ships of
war.
Above all, the organization should be
national and to it should be transferred
the existing naval militia of the States.
New York Herald