The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-01
A PRACTICE SHIP Wanted.
GEN. BALLAIyE ASKS THAT ONE
MAY BE ASSIGNED HERE.
ne @ires the Reasons Why the Naval
Reserve should he Organized In
state, and the Navy Department
Will Assist In Every Way Possible.

cure roosevelt assistant secretary of the
navy, Is in receipt OF letter from j. e.
6aAaine. adJutant general OF the state OF
washing ton. asking 10 be advised of the
action necessary for the organization OF
naval reserve in the state of Washing
ton, connrmatory to national regulations;
ana also OF the probability OF having
practice ship assigned by the navy de-
partment for the use Of sucn reserve in
the event Of organization In his letter
10 the assistant secretary Of the navy
Adjs.-Gen. BaIialne says:
In case OF war with foreign power,
Puget sound would be the base OF fight
ing, governed In severity and results by
the enemy's strength on water and the
degree OF our own preparation TO meet
IT. The ports Of Puget sound have grown
WITHIN the last four years from insg-
nincance 10 absolute supremacy on the
Pacific coast in the magnitude of their
foreign commerce. The development OF
Alaska is adding immeasurahly 10 the
volume OF shipping from the Puget sound
district There is the further consider
alton that an agricultural area in East
ern Washington and Oregon and North
ern Idaho, which this year produced a
grain crop alone worth S. 0o1.0a0 or $780,
eoo0o, looks TO Puget sound for an out
let TO the markets of the world.
blockade of these ports. or an inadequate
protection of the entrance to them In
time OF war. must have depressing ef-
fect upon the price Of all products of that
region. and possibly destroying a COM
merce on which many thousands are de-
pendent for livelihood Constant and
rapid expansion of these interests in
creases the demand for measures of de-
Tense.
OF course, that is only the local phase
or the subject. In the broader spirit
OF national welfare argument or COM
ment is unnecessary | will only remind
you that the British have built and are
iast equipping one Of the strongest naval
stations in the world. directly across the
straits of Fuca from the port of entry
to Puget sound. and their guns are every
minute pointing in our direction. Four
to ten cruisers and men-of-war are kept
at that station ready for action any day
of the year
While fighting ships are essential to our
SAFETY, yet emergencies may arise and
quite likely will arise, when they would he
rendered ineffective. except for a discip-
lined reserve TO draw upon for manning
them. There is an abundance OF material
here for firsr-class marines. Thousa n6s Of
hardy. intelligent, patriotic Americans are
engaged on Puget sound and the waters ad-
Jacent to 1t, and many thousands more OF
Ike quality are available. 1t would be an
easy matter to enlist any desired number
of them for training. Only the opportunity
Is wanting"
Secretary Roosevelt will undoubtedly FUR
nish the adjutant general with all the de-
sired information and will aid him in every
possible way TO build up naval reserve In
the state of Washington, for 1t Is a pet
scheme of Mr.. Roosevelt to extend the re-
serve to as many states as possible: but il
is not 50 certain that any kind of yes
sci can be detailed TO Puget sound to act
as a practice ship for the reserve at the
present time. The navy has no particular
vessel available on the Pacific coast for this
purpose. but there Is a possibility that
hastieship may be stationed on Puget sound
in the near future. owing TO the strategic
Importance of the locality. and this vessel
might be made available for temporary
training of the naval reserve, should one
be established in the state of Washington.
Original pensions have been granted to
Johnson c. Hewitt. Tacoma: Isaac Nc
Cracker, Spokane: George Linsey, Ever
ett Patrick Fitzgerald. Peola.
Widows pensions have been granted 10
Susanna Il. Arnold. Waitshurg; Mary Ma
son. Summer: Amy Il. Croft. Rockford and
Sarah J. Gather. Ilwaco.
An additional pension has been issued to
Ambrose A. Foster of South Bend. and an
increase of pension 10 August Toussaint.
an inmate of the Soldiers Home al Orting.
The pension Of Henry W. Fenton. of Sc
attic. which was stopped during the Loeb
rsn regime, has been restored and certitl-
cate ressued for the benefit of his minor
children. Mr. Fenton himself having died
before this act of tardy justice was done.
An exactly similar case is that of Alfred
Slack of Centralia. who also did not live
to know that his pension had been restored.
William H. Willard. of Bay View, who is
50 years old is an applicant for an increase
of pension. The fact Of his advanced age
having been brought 10 the attention of
Commissioner Evans by Representative
Lewis. recently. his claim was Immediately
listed for final disposition.
The pension claim OF Joseph Reber, OF
Sidney. Wash. has also been placed on the
list for early disposition.
Alfred Holder. OF Seattle, and John III.
Wiley. OF North Yakima, have been or
dared for examination before the board OF
pension surgeons in their respective cities.
George p Cannon. OF Pullman. Wash,
who has been writing 10 various members
OF the Washington delegation 70 help him
get his pension. has beer notified by the
commissioner that additional evidence is
needed TO warrant the granting OF an In
creased pension The members Of the
delegation have also been notified that re-
peated calls have been made upon Nj.
Gammons 10 furnish this evidence bat
that no heed has been paid thereto
Additional evidence is desired by the
pension bureau before acting upon TIE
claim OF Mrs Margaret A. Blankenship.
of Chehalis Wash. for pension - the
widow Of Alamander c. Rl3nkt nsh!p
Charles Green. an inmate Of the soldiers
Home at 0rting concerning whom Repre-
sentative Lewis recently made some m
oBiries by letter. has been notified that he
has fled no evidence s.ncs the rejection ~
his pension claim TWO years ago ~ war
rant it's betrc reopeued My Green served
in the war under the name Of David Selix.
Mrs Belle netrnar has been appointed
POS mistress At sara. Clarke county. In
place 81 7 ". Custard. Tesignre.
Commissions have heeu --sled 10 the fol
iovging-narreti pos. masters uGon ne Ming
az satisf fct0ry bonds: Thomas = Horn.
Bridgeport, WASH. AlhanGs n Quint- Fl
daIgo CITY. Arthur NJ Biackmgn SiIa-
hcrnsh The latter Is q presidential e0In-
mission and bears t4ate q C'ct1beT s.
.'Skagwav'' IL thc official spelling d.
ciaea upon by the posfoffsce department
for the ue;y pssfoffice In ALASKA. six miles
from Dyea William :. 3 Tnpson has been
commissioned posfmas.Fr ~ Sksgway.
Or F II. Var Eaten has been appointed
a member az tba board n pension exam
FrFE~~v,sezs N4sk