The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-24
VISIT OF TORPEDO VESSELS.
NAVAL RESERVES TO BE INVITED
TO GO ON BOARD.

Practical Experience in the Work.
ing of TOrpedoes to he Given the
Reserves Ii They Avail Them
selves of the oppOrtunity-CharIe
ton Reserves Failed TO Accept the
Invitation-AssistRn Secretary
Roosevelt May Come TO Savannah.
Washington, Nov. 2S.-While the torpedo
fleet is in Savannah harbor the command
ing officer is authorized by the Secretary
of the Navy to invite the members OF
the Georgia naval militia to visit the ves-
sells and acquire some practical expert
ence relative to torpedoes. In view of
the Interest manifested by the Savannah
reserves during the summer encampment,
the department believes they will be quick
to avail themselves of this opportunity
While the fleet was in Charleston SINH
lar invitation was extended to the Palmet-
to reserves, but they failed to take ad-
vantage of the invitation, and 1t Is said
they displayed an Indifference on the sub
ject.
Lieut.. Gibbon, in charge of the naval
militia branch of the service, in his an
nual report, submitted to Secretary Long,
thus explains the lack of interest In North
and South Carolina:. 1.-The North Caro-,
lima and South Carolina organizations did
not have tour of duty, largely due to
lack of state support. The detailed report
of these drills made by a board of OIL
GERS on the ships that took part therein
or by officers that accompanied the or
ganizations, is appended. In arranging
for the annual tours of duty of the naval
militia the usual difficulties were met with.
1t was originally intended to have Joint
encampments of the naval militia, three
or four states forming a group, and en-
camping at some strategic point where
vessels of the navy could he in attend
ance. Owing to the lack of cooperation
from the state authorities this plan had
to be abandoned; and as each state se-
lected its own dates, the department was
put to great inconvenience In making sat-
isfactory assignments of naval vessels,
Vessels of the cruiser type and torpedo
boats are best fitted for the instruction
of the naval militia in the duties that they
will probably perform in time of war, but
as the cruisers are almost cons tantly en-
ployed on regular service, they are not
available
Referring to Georgia, Lieut.. Gibbon says:
"The naval militia of Georgia were In
camp on st. Simon's Island from July Is
to July q. The United States steamship
Wilmington was In attendance. The drills
included target practice with the main and
secondary batteries, and firing from boats
with 1-pounders. Two officers and twelve
men from the Savannah divisions and a
like number from the Brunswick divisions
made valuable boat reconnoissances, the
former of St Simon's Island and the latter
of Jekyl Island. On July q, when camp
was broken, the Savannah division were
embarked on board the Wilmington and
transported to Savannah"
He appended the text of the report on
the Georgia reserves, which was publish
ed in the Morning News last summer. No
recommendation is made by the secretary
relative to transferring the monitor Pas
sale from Brunswick to Savannah. The
monitor will remain at Brunswick for the
present.
Assistant Secretary Roosevelt proposes
to visit Savannah while the torpedo fleet
is there, but he may be delayed by depart
mental business and not reach Savannah
until the ships of the North Atlantic
squadron reach there in February.