The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-21
4 DIG AT NAVAL MILITIA.
ooMw1yDER DICKENS Would RE-
WIND THEM TO COAST WORE

-
Ars vet Let Them Make Summer Clushousss
ar the Cruisers-geuid Recruit Them rrorn
1onrshorenen rag Captains and the Idhe
-yo place FOR Them on the Warships IN war
Commander Francis w. Dickens, U. 8. NJ.
assistant chief of the Bureau Of Navigation, has
submitted to Theodore Roosevelt, Assistant
Secretary of the Navy, ut the %latter's request, q
roport ON the naval militia which is likely to
make somo talk. He says In part:
Naval vessels have been loaned to the differ
ent States having naval, militia organizations,
sualciont for the nautical or ship.life training Of
these organizations, butthoc custom has gradually
obtained Of diyerting, In addition, the vessels
during the summer months, especially In July
and August, which months, for Obvious reasons.
natural consequence has been that tho training
OF the officers and men OF our national vessels and
the fleet maneuvres have been seriously inter
engaged in those drills of our coast, as at that
season the best weather for mnneuvring 10 to
This suggests the question. which Is the bet
ter policy for our country. the training of naval
militia, which is, In fact. the navy OF a State,
The policy heretofore pursued, II carried
to a Gonsiusion: as ,sou he State nsyiSs In, IN,
sfsas n IN ns% domina mDui and RftsSS e national %Sk na .nS
would become a disorganized force. This sug-
costs tho. question, Would the services of the
SINVG nHV1tS 10 " buoukh diu III tIf1b " WaE
to warrant a continuance of such q poliey.i
think that It is generally conceded that
they would be part TT Of the interior 10 lines S OF DE-,
coast defenders, and as such would. / think, in
actual warfare be more in connection with the
were sure such would DO the. case. 1t
should be in the direction of their con;
Quoting operations on the coast as scouts. signal
men. boatmen. improvising torpedoes. making
torpedo. attacks in small boats or tugs. laying
along shore. including Iniets, rivers. &c -
Such being the case, IT would appear, think.
that the men selected for this work should DO
tug and small coasting steamer captains and
mates. artis ms and firemen. yachtsmen, mas
traders. fishermen. and others.
l do not think that l am wrong when ! state
that the vessels assigned to the different states
sort Of clubhouse for the naval militismen,
they much preferring to go on board our
Ing 'f therefore, I ' Would spm suggest that their
the coast as 1 have indicated. ! would also
militia battalions erect an armory on the shore,
where boats and equipments of all kinds DO kept.
ed drills. which could be made use Of the en-
tire year. This method has already been adopted
at Newport and Bristol, r.. I, and without know;
militia organizations for this year. I cannot
doubt that those at Newport and Bristol are as
ESSm, c6n as 5hSss he Sf,sE s sssso o,r sssiSaea to 70
provided with an arnory l would withdraw the
vessels assigned to them as unnecessary.
in my opinion the naval militia in time Of war
would. as such. have no place, and would, not
f HTist i] on Enr na Wfabout Eei isss. T Such w Of the 9e
would be in an Individual capacity. and
Members Of the crew, would be. the force
Of the naval militia being. correspondingly re.
fnced; l even ep predict Pre- nt, that m mGst Of p the ott1seFs
those who happen to DO graduates of the Naval
Academy, and I believe nearly all of them are
and apply for commissions in the regular SER
vice. as naturally their inclination would be to
60 where greater opportunities would be Of
quent rewards, as expressed in the words
death. capture. glory or promotion.
the naval militia, I think steps should BIO taken
by the department to prevent those officers being
assigned to our ships in time Of war on the com.
States. Those coming into the navy should have
commissions as determined by the President.
ing possibly what took place in the army during
the civil war;; that is. n large number of ,polit-
ical Generals being forced into general service by
Governors of States. Already some officers have
been appointed into the naval militia having the
rank Of E Commander tt and ev sno, as
he noted that there. is at least one retired
naval officer commissioned in the naval militia;
and II 1t should become necessary Tor the de-
to give an order to such an officer In
time Of peace, owing to existing law In regard
to retired officers, 1t might prove to DO an en-
In conclusion the department knows that the
of the Bureau of Navigation, as ex-
pressed in the United States naval regulations,
have no jurisdiction over the naval militia, but
Is charged with the movements Of the vessels in
and the personnel of the service, and
is therefore anxious that the vessels of our squad
rons shall be free to be presented to the depart
ment for any duty required of them in general
service work; but should the department adopt
the policy of our vessels being diverted as here.
tofore. to assist in the training of the naval
1t simply becomes the duty of this
to do its utmost under the department
to make a success of such n policy.