The sun., 1897-11-24
ron TEE xAvA1 REsrnYa.
Assistant secretary Roosevelt Wishes ts un-
crease Hts Enicieucy.

crease Hts EmcieucJ.
WASHINGTON, Nov 23.-The stir caused In
naval militia circles by the structures of Com
mnndor r. M. Dickens OF tho navy on tho present |
reserve systems gives considerable interest to
comments insdo by Assistant Secretary Rooso-
welt In a letter to the Secretary OF the Navy,
transmitting various reports Of the operations
Of the several naval militia organizations In the
last year. Mr.. Roosevelt received tho written
views of Commander Dickens some timo ago,
and decided not to have anything to say about
them in an official way. He is convinced of the
great utility OF tho militia organizations. and
indicates in his letter to the Secretary that he
believes tho reserve idea is a success.
Mr.. Roosevelt says in his letter that ho has
paid particular heed to the development of tho
naval militia.
"It must bo remembered" ho remarks, that
the naval militia arc in no sense proper substi.
tutes for an efflcient naval to consist Of
seafaring men under direct control OF the na.
tional authorities. The department believes
that such q reserve should bo constituted. but 1t
would bc expensive, and hitherto tho expense
has been tho insuperablo obstacle In securing
action from Congress. In the absence of such
reserve the naval militia offer the only means Of
procuring what is in any way substitute for
It; and. moreover. they have particular and
very important functions which belong to them
alone.
"The department has but very small sum
TO devote to their maintenance and care. and
this sum becomes smaller for each division from
year to year, inasmuch as the number Of orRani.
cations is continually on the increase. Tho dc.
partment is therefore not able to drill and super
wise these organizations as 1t would like to. and
they must be left largely to their own good
sense energy. and initiatives. In consequence
thcre is great variety IN the condition OF eff
b Tbero % are three o' or % fon" Of these orsanza.
tions which, in the event Of sudden emer-
at f4T s on tns
cannot generally be the case with the majority
of tho organizations. They must be depended
should be attended, to ~ such second line.
tho establishment Of sIpnal stations for coast
defence. The department should request that
0e IN Ro
submarine outfit 80 as to allow Of training
them for this purpose. The Department. has
also been maturing plans for the signal stations
for the coast defence, and very slight expendi.
! ture of money. with the cooperation OF the
| Treasury department. Will put this on salts
| "The organizations are continually request.
they, can best of all be instructed by actual
| service on regular war vessels, or under the
Gf naval officers and in
serious drain upon the resources Of the navy to
provide for the annual drills Of the different or.
campments have hitherto invariably fallen
through, owing to the inability of the States to
"lt Is much to be wished that Congress will
authorize. In the first place. the substitution for
The s old paddie.wh,ee@l list steamer Michigan on the
the petse type to be devoted largely to cr9s.
| overseeing them, and, furthermore. to the build
ing of one similar small cruiser on the Pacific
and two on the Atlantic to be used for this
possible to bring the naval militia organizations
to q very high standard of efficiency. and the
able at any for any Of the resuloe naval
| uses In an emergency.
cheney, as well ns in the number. Of these naval
militia organizations, both on the Atlantic and
Pacilic, on the great @ lakes, and even in the Mis-
Use. The eports by the different regular officers
who have taken part in their encampments give
Organizations in time Of war The department
has earnestly endeavored to encourage this
# would be well
Lieut.. j. II. Gibbons of the navy. who hai
teresing; things about the various oreaniza
He wants provision made for three Light
drauEht gunboate. two for the Atlantic sea
tho naval militia. This will overcome thu
embarrassment of the Navy Department ir
the instruction of small bodies of the militia
Lieut.. Gibbons says these vessels would no
only be OF great service in drilling the nava
militia. but could perform valuable reconnois
sance work in carr, ing out the plans of the wal
Roosevelt agrees with Lieut. Gibbons that the
experiment OF lending old monitors to some o
the State organizations has not been satisfac
tory. In concluding his report Lieut.. Gibbon!
says:
"As the field of usefulness OF the naval milti,
becomes more clearly defined. and these or
ganizations continue to grow in number anC
in pu bile favor. their services will be valuabl,
in assisting the general Government to perfec
q scheme for the enrolment of true naval re
serve made up of the seafaring classes. AS I
preliminary step to this end the cooperation o
the naval militia has been asked in establishing
const signal stations + r naval defence The life
saving stations being under Government con
troll. shout DO properly equipped signal sta
tons. and the men, with the consent Of tn
Treasury Department. enrolled as part Of th
national naval reserve"