The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1897-08-12
ABOUT THE NAVAL MILITIA
REPORT OF ASSISTANT sECRE-
TARY OF THE NAVY ROOSEVELT
ON THE SUBJECT.
SURPRISED At THEIR EFFICIENCY
Some of the Companies He suspected
wouId he Fit to DO valuable
Work In the Regular Navy In
In Case of War.

Washington. Aug. S.-Assistant Sccrc-
tary of the Navy Roosevelt has submitted
the following report to Secretary Long on
the condition and navy efficiency which
he recently inspected:
Washington. Aug. ,, 1S9I-Thc Hon
orable the Secretary Of the Navy: III ac-
cordancc with your instructions, d1'"r
visiting the war college and torpedo sta
ton AZ Newport. | went to Macklnac,
and cruiscd 10 Detroit with the ilrSt ana
third divisions of the Michigan state ma
val brigade. then went TO Chicago ana
inspected the First battalion of the Hi
nois navy force, also the officers Of the
Second battalion which Is situated along
the Mississippi river. | then proceeded
10 Sandusky to inspect ana review the
Ohio naval military, and closed my lrlp
by an inspection of both battalons OF tac
New York naval militia AT the end OF
their cruise at Gravcscnd bay, Il. !.
spent most Of my time with the mill
tia of the great lakes, because the millilh
of the coast have naturally received
more attention in the past 50 that their
capabilities are better known. ana not
only wished Ia see for myself actually
what the naval bodies on the lakes were
doing. bnt also desired 10 show that this
department appreciated their energetic
anu ulNlHl'ItSl'h N'lNl''H'
The different companies of naval mill
tin are Of course unequal III development
toward the proper standard OF proficiency.
Some have been only recently organized;
others. for various reasons. have made
less rapid progress than they should.
Nevertheless. Ms II whole, ] was very
greatly impressed by the progress the
naval militia has made. They have dis
played noteworthy zeal energy, pcrSc-
vcrcncc and intelligence, aud a> II result
they already form body of men who
would play IN important part III the he
mand of the country If we were to be-
come involved in war with any foreign
p0wcr.\
or course the back bone OF this defense
50 far as the high seas and our coast
waters are concerned, must always he
the regular naval forces. Fortunately
we now have AT least the beginning Of
II navy such rs this country needs, in or
der that IL may take the position To which
ii is entitled among the nations of the
earth, and although our navy falls far
short of what il should be in point of
numbers, especially of battIcships and
torpedo boats, yet the ships are rs good
of their kind Ms are to he found any
where land this is especially true.
would parcnthctically remark, of our
armor), and the officers and men who
man them need not fear comparison with
the officers and men of any foreign ma
non. Nevertheless, great though our
ships are. and though they are ably
handled by their officers and crews.
both ships and men are too few for our
needs. In men we are particularly
short. In the event of war we should
he able to man all of the ships. not to
speak OF manning the auxiliary cruisers
which We would desire to put into com
mission. The rapidty with which mod
ern wars are decided renders il imprru-
tive 10 have men who can be ready for
immediate use, and outside of the regli-
lar navy these men are only 10 be found
in the naval militia of various states. 1t
Is TO he hoped in the future we shall he
able 10 organize n genuine naval reserve
apart from the militia; but at present it
is the latter who themselves furnish the
only organized reserve, and not the
least valuable of services. they would
perform in the event of the sudden out
break of war would be acting rs Il nu-
clcus around which Immediately to as
semblc the men needed.
We must of course, beware of expect
ing too much from the naval militia, hut
after my tour of inspection, and after
listening carefully To me reports made
Ia me by the naval officers best quail
fled to speak. ! am convinced that Il good
many persons fall into the opposite error
and expect too little.
There are always certain persons who
enter into such bodies with the idea of
having u good time, or for acquiring
some cheap present glory. No body of
naval militia can be of use if the officers
have sought their positions before hav-
ing learned through patient work. and
the men will generally show lazincss or
slackncss, and fail in the faithful per-
Torrance of the countless and often to-
dious duties necessary to the attainment
of the men of war. may mention
however. that evil tendencies of this
kind will not exist unchecked in any or
ganization, for the department will de
cline TO lend aid to any body of naval
militia which does not make il evidcn,
that II intends to do downright hard