The times., 1897-08-08


says:
August 4, 1897.
"sir In accordance with your tnstruc-
tions, after visiting the War College anu
torpedo station, at Newport, L went To
Mackinac and cruised to Detroit with the
First aud Third Divisions of the Michigan
State Naval Brigade. l then went TO
Chicago and inspected the First battalion
Of the Illinois Naval Force, meeting also
the officers oi the Second Battalion, which
is situated along the Mississippi River. |
thence proceeded to Sandusky to inspect
and review the Ohio Naval Militia, and
closed my trip by an inspection OF both
battalous of the New York Naval Militia
at the end of their cruise at Gravesend
Bay, Lcpg Island.
/ spent lGost OF my time with the militia
of the Great Lakes, because the militia
of the seacoRst have naturally received
more attention in the past, so that their
capabilities are better known, and not
only wished tu see fol- myself exactly
what the naval bodies on the Great Lakes
were doing, but also desired to show them
that the department appreciated their en-
ergetic and disinterested service. The
special reports upon the efficiency of each
separate battalion will lie made in my an
nual report about December next; but there
are certain matters concerning which l
desire to report 1T present.
The different bodies of naval militia
show, of course, very unequal develop
ment toward the proper standard OF pro-
ficiency Some have been only recently
organized; others, for various reasons, have
made less rapid progress than they should.
Nevertheless, as a whole, ] was very
greatly impressed by the progress the
naval militia have made. They displa yed
noteworthy zeal, energy, perseverance and
intelligence, ana as a result they already
form body of men who would play an
important part in the defense Of the country
if we were TO become involvedin war with
any foreign power OF course, the back
bone Of this defense, so far as the high
seas and our coast works are concerned
must always be the regular navy.
Fortunately we now have at least the
| beginning of a navy such as this coun-
| try needs in order that it may take the
! position 10 which il is entitled among the
nations of the earth; and, though our
! Navy fails far short Of what 1t should be
in point OF numbers, especially OF battle
ships and torpedo boats, yet the ships we
have are as good OF their kind as are to
be found anywhere (and this is especially
true, I would parenthetically remark of
! our armor), and the officers and men who
man tnem need not fear a comparison
| with the officers and men OF any foreign
navy. Nevertheless. good though our ships
are, and eXceliently though they are
| handled by the officers and crews, who
man them, both ships and men are too
| few for our needs. In men we are par
ticularly short. In the event of war We
should not be able to man all of our ships.
not to speak of manning the auxiliary
cruisers which we would desire to put
in commission
THE raridity with which modern wars
are decided renders it imperative to have
men wto can be ready for immediate use,
and outside of the regular Navy these men
are only to be found liz the naval militia
of the various States 1t is TO be hoped
that In the future we shall be able to
organize IA genuine naval reserve apart
from the naval militia. but at present il is
the lattet who themselves furnish the only
available organized reserve, and not the
least valuable of the services they would
perform in the event of sudden outbreak
OF war, would be acting as a nucleus round
which Immediately to assemble tie mer
needed.
I'VE must, of course, beware of fexpectine
too much from the naval militia: but aft
my tour Of inspection, and after Iistenine
carefully to the reports made to me, an
convinced that good many persons fal
into the opposite error and expect too
little. As above mentioned the differen
naval militia organizations have made
unequal progress, and this is probably
more or less inevidence. There are alway
certain men no enter such bodies sim
ply with the idea of having a good timt
| or acquiring some cheap personal glory
Where these men predominant the organ
iZation is sure TO be poor. may mention
however, that evil tendencies Of this kint
Will not long exist unchecked in any OF
ganIZation, for the department. will de
cline to lend It's aid to any body of Daya
; militia which does not make 1t eviden
that 1t intends to do downright har,
; work and fit itself for actual service il
time of war.
"on the other hand, If body of nava
, militia be able to get at its head some first
class man who is 2 graduate Of Anna polls
/ If it puts under him as commissioned Off
4
men who have worked their way up fror
grade to grade, year after year, aud VIII
/ have fitted themselves for the highe
positions by the zeal and the painsta kin
{ care with which they have performe,
, their duties in the lower places; and If tn
iandsrnen, Ordinary seamen and seamen z
In resolutc, TO do real work and to lear
/ their duties SO that they can perform ther
as Well as the regulars aboard our wa
vessels, taking pride in their performa nC
accordingly as they are really difficult
such an organization will in course Of tim
| reach point where it could he employe
Immediately and bodily in the event Of wal
Most Of the naval militia are now /
condition to render immediate services {
a very valuable kind in what may be calle
the second line of defense. They coul
operate sgIal sta tions help handle to
pedoes and mines, officer and man auXI
l iary cruisers, and assist In the defans
of points which were not covered by til
army. There are numbers of advance base
which do not come under the presen
scheme OF army coast defense, and whic
would have to be defended, at any ra!
during the first weeks Of war, by bodif
of naval militia; while the knowledge the
5 get by their incessant practice in boats {
e the local waters would be Invaluable
r Furthermore, the highest and best traine
l bodies could be used ON board the reguls
4 ships OF war. and this applies to the militi
Of the lakes as well as to the militia