The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-11-24

THE TROUBLE IN THE RANKS OF
THE NAVAL MILITIA.

The Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Wants an End Brought to the
Strained Relations, and the Bat
TALON Organized-He VIII BE Here
While the Torpedo F1OtiIla Is
Here. and VIII Look Into the Mat
ter Then--The Dupont, Porter and
Cushing to Arrive This Afternoon.
The torpedo boats Dupont, Porter and
Gushing will arrive In this city this after
noon and will tie up alongside the Geor-
gia Lumber Company's wharf at the foot
of Bull street. They will remain here
about a week before proceeding on their
tour to the south.
After their arrival Assistant Secretary
Theodore Roosevelt of the navy depart
ment is expected almost any day. 1t is
not known on just what day he Will
come, but the Savannah Naval Reserves
anticipate a visit from him, and 1t is un
derstood they are ready to be called out
in short order.
Mr.. Roosevelts visit may develop some
interesting features. 1t is said that part
of his mission here will be to look into
the matter of the difficulty that has arisen
between the Brunswick and the Savannah
Naval Reserves and bring about some set
Element of it. After leaving Savannah he
will also visit Brunswick and, it is under
stood, that he intends to see to it that
the strained relations are done away with.
Just by what method Mr.. Roosevelt will
bring about this result is not known.
When Lieut.. H. S. Colding was in Wash
ington Some months ago he had a con-
ference with Secretary Roosevelt, and
that was one of the topics discussed. The
secretary informed him at that time that
1t was his intention to bring the matter
to settlement for the good of the service.
The difficulty between the Brunswick
and Savannah divisions is still fresh In
the minds of those who keep posted on
military affairs. The command Of the
battalion was conceded to Brunswick by
Savannah, since Brunswick had the Oldest
division, but Savannah claimed title to
the two officers next in rank to which
Brunswick entered a strenuous objection.
Consequently there were two tickets voted
for i}5 the election, and several votes were
contested. The result was that no officers
of the battalion were ever declared elect
ed, and the status of the Savannah and
Brunswick divisions remained the same
as before the attempt to organize the bat
TALON
This situation of affairs is said to have
been quite displeasing to MIR. Roosevelt,
with whom the volunteer naval militia
has been a special hobby. It is natural,
therefore, that he should seek to bring
about a settlement of the difficulty. and,
holding the position he does he will no
doubt be able to do it. 1t is the hope of
every one interested in the reserves that
the matter will be amicably adjusted and
that the battalion will be organized on
the proper footing.
The naval militia Of Savannah and
Brunswick, it is understood, will be
placed under stricter government super
vision in the future. Capt. Oscar ]. Brown,
inspector general of the state volunteer
militia, has received notification from
Washington that the lighthouse inspector
from Charleston would be ordered to these
points at an early date to assume the
duties of inspector. 1t is said that this
means the naval militia will have to con-
form to stricter regulations, the object
being to improve the service by a more
rigid discipline.
The torpedo boats will undoubtedly be
objects of much interest on their arrival.
1t Is only within the last few years that
the government has paid much attention
to the construction of this class of craft,
and they are among the most interesting
engines of warfare. The fiotilla is In COM
mand of Lieut. Commander Kimball
whose flagship is the Dupont, and he with
no doubt give the public every oppor-
tunity for inspecting these interesting
vessels.