The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-24


the transfer of the Passaic to Savannah,
! from Lieut.. H. S. Colding the senior Off
! Ger OF the Savannah division. Lieut. Cold
ing's letter is couched IN such graceful and
courteous terms that there is no objection
to reproducing here:
second Division Naval Militia, Geor-
ga volunteers, Savannah, Ga, Aug. 1S,
ls9I.-Hon Theo. Roosevelt, Assistant Sec
rotary OF the Navy, Washington, D. G..
Slf: seeing by dispatch from Washing
ton that no steps have been taken by the
| navy department relative TO the report of
Commander Todd of the Wilmington, re-
commencing the transfer of the Passaic
from Brunswick to Savannah for use of
the naval militia, and that If the Savan-
| nah reserves want the use Of this vessel
they should make a formal application for
her l have this day. as the senior officer
OF the divisions located here, forwarded to
the office of the adjutant general of this
state formal request for the transfer
In doing this have no desire or inten-
ton Of antagonizing a sister city, but be-
lieve that the change viii benefit the naval
militia of Georgia by raising the standard
Of excellence here where the largest di-
visions are located and which can now, in
my opinion be very easily recruited to
their full strength
My reason for writing direct is because
OF the importance of the matter under con-
sideration and the necessity Of acting
promptly, and in order to avoid the nee
essary delay incident TO correspondence.
l shall forward to the adjutant generals
office with my application for this trans
fer a copy of this letter and will ask his
endorsement of my course In this matter
Trusting my request will be endorsed
by the state authorities and be transmitted
70 you promptly, and the necessary orders
will be issued as soon as practicable and
that you will notify me as soon as you
hear from the adjutant general of this
state, I remain, respectfully, etc"
Mr.. Roosevelt has not acted upon Lieut..
Colding's request, because he desires to
fully consider the subject in all its bear
ings. 1t is question in his mind whether
it would be wise to take the Passaic away
from Brunswick,fand thereby destroy that
division of the Georgia reserves. It is
not his purpose to punish the Brunswick
reserves to such an extent as 10 imperil
that organization. on the contrary, he
would rather do something more to en-
courage them and induce them TO improve
their standing in the service The criti-
cism of the board was made in good faith
and in the best interest of the service,
and the Brunswick division should accept
il in thar light. If they display the proper
spirit and show a disposition TO correct
some of the inefficiencieS complained of
by the board, Mr. Roosevelt holds that it
might be extreme punishment to deprive
them of the Passaic.
On the other hand, he believes that the
Savannah reserves are apprecia tive, am
bilious and filed with the right kind of
zeal and they are entitled to a practice
ship. While it Is not usual to allow one
state more than a single ship. for naval
militia service, the circumstances sur
rounding this case might justify a de-
parture from the general rule. Mr.. Roose-
Welt will look over the roster of ships aud
see if he can find an available craft for
Savannah. He has an idea that he can
find another monitor. Of the Passiac class,
for duty at Savannah.
The above dispatch from Washington is
a sufficient answer to the severe and I'M
doubleday unjust criticisms passed upon
Lieut.. Colding by members of the Bruins
wick Naval Reserves. The latter seem
inclined TO attribute the severe criticism
passed upon them by the naval board of
inspection to Lieut.. Colding as the senior
officer of the Savannah reserves, and the
fact that he had the audacity to follow up
the recommendation of Commander Todd
and request the transfer of the Passaic
to Savannah, has caused the Brunswick
ians TO empty all their vials of wrath up
on his head Little things, which. if true,
we're of the slightest importance, have
been twisted, warped and mag
nifed into crimes, from a mil
itary standpoint, and other
more serious charges are asserted upon
the authority of ar unnamed author,
member, it is stated, of the Brunswick
Naval Reserve. The Morning News did
not print the dispatch sent out from
Brunswick containing these charges, not
because 1t was a Savannah man that was
attacked, but because there appeared TO
be so little foundation for the charges.
The Brunswick Times, after printing ex-
tracts from the charges as published in
the Atlanta Constitution. makes the fol-
lowing sensible comment:
THE recital of these charges, so serious,
and made in such public manner, was the
subject of much comment in this city.
The general expression was that the Off
GER whoever he is, who made the charges
i'm print, had committed a serious blunder.
Even II the things charged against Lieut.
Colding are true, IL is argued that their
newspaper publicity can certainly do no
good, and is capable of doing a vast
amount of harm. 1t is calculated to widen
the breach now existing between the two
cities and their respective organizations,
and TO make their getting together in the
future a matter Of approximate impossi-
bility"
Lieut.. Coldng. when seen yesterday de-
clined to discuss the matter except TO en-
ter a general denial Of all the charges
81 have placed myself in the hands of
my attorney" he said land viii abide by
his advice You can rest assured the mat
ter Will not be allowed to rest where il is"
In a personal letter to Lieut. Colding
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt gives ex-
preston to his kindly feeling for the Sa-
vannah Naval Reserves. saying: Pray ex-
press 20 your Savannah divisions the graf
ihcation felt at learning the progress you
had made and expresses the hope OF see
ing the divisions himself at some future
time
PAVEMENT 70 he ALTERED.
nmcinIs of tha. AsnhnIt CnmnnnN