The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-24
NAVAL RESERVES LEFT OUT.
EXCLUDED BY COUNCIL FROM THE
POLICE APPROPRIATION.

The Reasons For Doing So Practical
~ the Same as Those Given by the
Last COunciI-An Order Issued by
the Adjutnnt General Placing the
Naval Reserve on the Same Foot
ing as the Military Companies.
A Claim That the Navy Department
May Not Look Kindly Upon Savan-
nah on Account of the Sighting of
the Naval Militia.
The naval reserve is left again on the
city's police reserve appropriation. When
the Myers council turned the naval reserve
down and declined to include it with the
other white military companies in the
police reserve appropriation, for various
reasons, the members of the naval reserves
felt confident that if the new council re-
tanned the item in next years budget they
would certainly be included.
1t developed yesterday that such is not
the case. The police reserve appropria-
ton for next year is the same as for this
year. $3.50, and is for white military
companies" This leaves the naval militia
on the outside.
The reasons for the exclusion of
the reserves from the appropria-
ton appear to be practically
the same as those which governed the last
council. 1t is held that the appropriation
is as much a recognition of past services
a remuneration for services which the
military hold themselves in readiness to
perform.
THE idea.' said one member of the
council in discussing the matter, seems
to be that the white military companies
are old, established organizations, and that
it is the policy of the city to aid in main
tanning these organizations, their value to
the city having been proven in the past.
There is also the apprehension that if we
should include any recent organizations
that we might be compelled to recognize
all of them in the same manner, including
negro companies as well as white. The
question was raised, whether the naval
militia were subject to the call of the may
or in case of emergency, but this has been
settled by a recent order from the adjutant
generals office, placing the naval militia
on the same footing as other commands an
this respect. 1t was also urged
that the naval reserve receive much more
military companies receive from the war
department"
1t is understood that the committee of
the whole was not unanimous in it's action,
and it is possible that the subject will
come up for discussion at the next meet
ing of council
The order from the adjutant generals
office just referred to is as follows:
State of Georgia, Adjutant Generals
Office Atlanta, Dec. q, 1S97.-General Or
ders No 8: Under section 1246, Code of
1895, which prescribes that the duties of
officers and enlisted men of the naval bat
talon, Georgia Volunteers, shall be such
as they may be ordered to perform by the
commander-in-chief;i it is hereby ordered
that the members of said battalion shall
perform such duties in aid of the civil
authorities as are now prescribed by law
for other organizations of the forces of
the state. BY order of the governor.
Oscar ]. Brown,
Acting Adjutant General,
The order was received by Lieut. H. S.
Colding, of the Second division, Tuesday
copy of the order was also sent Mayor
Meldrim from Atlanta.
A number of the naval militia in dis
cussing the matter yesterday, said: THE
members of council and the citizens gener-
ally should bear in mind that the naval
militia is being encouraged by the navy
department in every manner possible, and
that Assistant secretary Roosevelt takes
a special interest in this branch of the
department. In sighting the local naval
militia council may unwittingly offend the
navy department. the department of the
national government which it is to Sa-
vannah's interest to be in favor
with. The warships have several times
visited this port, and will doubtless do so
again, but the request of the officers of
the naval militia to this effect will GER
tainly have its weight with the govern
ment. The naval officers like to visit Sa-
vannah, and the desire of affording the
naval militia some experience on real war
ships will furnish a good pretext for a
call here when they are in these waters.
Otherwise they are more likely to remain
at Port Royal. where there is more room
for the big ships. The torpedo
flotilla visited here recently and
remained a week for the benefit |
of the naval militia, the officers of the
fotilla being directed to report directly |
to the commanding officer of the naval |
militia on arrival here. The navy is q
very powerful department, and 1t stands |
Savannah in good stead to be on good |
terms with II. The officers of the naval |
militia have the confidence of the officials |
Of the department and there is no better |
way of reaching the good graces of the |
latter than through it's local representa- |
tives of the naval militia"