The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-14
$3.50.
Entrances, 18th ST., 10th st. and 9th Ave
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SITIL RESERyES' TROUBLES.
what Is BcinK said OF Them by Those In a
battalion.

Speaking OF the recent troubles in the First
Naval Battalion. IA member who Is in a position
TO know whereof he speaks said:s
There has been more or less discomfort and
friction between officers. but the general ell.
cheney Of the battalion. at least so far as the men
are concerned. has not suffered. and Il is but fair
10 say that the battalion. quartercd on a disman-
tied old hulk. is about as well drilled and disci.
plincd AS can be expected. Now. under the
Military Code OF the state the Lieutcnnnt.Com
mander is made the executive officer and he
has direct charge Of the drill and instruction.
and Licutcnant-C Commander Kent has accord.
ingly done all the drill work.
Tho result Is that Commander Miller. while
an able and valuable officer in other directions.
Is not n good drill master. and whenever he has
taken hold the result has been more or less dis
astrous. Commander Kent would
get up n drill programme, then some kicker
would go to Commander Miller and suggest a
change, and this would he made over the head
OF Kent, and then he and Miller would have a
run.in. Sometimes Commander Miller would
interfere in "A drill programme on his own option
and made a big mess OF 1t. Thus it went, and
frequently. in trying to please everybody, mat.
tors would he made worse.
"Then the staff officers have proved a bone OF
contention. They were all gentlemen personal
ly. but they performed no duty, with, perhaps.
the exception OF tho surgeon. Just look at tho
facts. Lieut.. Greene, on account OF business
taking him out of the city. sent in his r~esigna.
ton two years ago. but Commodore Miller did
not want TO lose him. so he made him 'navi-
gator and as Greene Is In Schenectady he does
not come aboard ship moro than three times q
year. Then Paymaster Agar went 10 California
and was gone over u year; lie wanted TO resign,
az he could not perform the duty he wanted TO.
but Miller would not have him go out, and his
resignation was held. Then Lieut.. Weeks found
his business demanded that he resign, and
he did 80, but Miller would not loose him.
so he found u place for him on the
engineer officer and Lieut.. Weeks was made
navigator Thus officers who could perform
no duty were kept ON tho stAtf, and there was
considerable discomfort over this by progressive
officers who were not antisied with this action
Of tho commanders. The position OF navigator
| and engineer officer are important ones and
should be hlled by officers who can get time to
perform the duties. Although the Military Code,
paragraph 2s2, states there shall he instruction
In engineering, we have never had any, because
he lives in Schenectady. This is another cause
OF dissatisfaction.
Personally, Commander Miller il very popu.
lar and highly esteemed; but some of his
methods, as VIII he seen, lead to friction md
discomfort which might easily he avoided. Tn.
from natural causes. Lieut.. HcnwiCk put in his
resignation for business reasons. and Lieut.
Forshcw will, II Is expected, soon do 80 for tho
same reason. He aud Renwlvk have both de-
sirod 10 resign, but Commander Miller has re-
pCatcaly persuaded them to hold over, and they
amount Of work. The battalion H. comuoscd OF
n fine body Of mon. who are all right, and per
hnps tho little bile that hGS come to tho surface
will do good. ] hope So