New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-24
THE NAVAL MILITIA PRAISED.
WARM COMMENTATOR FROM ASSISTANT
SECRETARY ROOSEVELT.


SECRETARY ROOSEVELT.
washington. Nov. % (speciaD. Naval Militia
A.s powerful advocate in Assistant Secretary
pnosovelt. in whose control Secretary Long has
iced the entire matter of determining the ntiiity
90 the State maritime volunteer ORGANIZATIONS Ill
,oeo Of unexpected war. giving him ample au'hor-
~ n promote the development OF this reserve
force If It appears to be feasible means OIL aux
iuarv National defence to starve II out OF exist
oa ebould thorough investigation fail to prove
,hot # 10 more than an ornamental, impracticap'e
odtinct to this countrys insufficient naVal po"ei
eoat Mr.. Roosevelt, after entering upon MS du-
,iae last March, promptly injected his indeiatlsa
HE irresistbly energetic personality into the tish
~ reaching the bottom Of the subject Visible
,orv Of the battalions during their summer eVoiu-
tions studying every phase of the system anu
rreeIv consulting the recognized AUTHORITIES amohs
naval tacticans strategical experts ana po"o?
uoulders with the result that to-day he IS hrmly
CONVINCED that the Naval Militia is an Invaluable
feature Of defence and its encouragement ana ue-
velopment are worthy OF inc IiH"''' ' ~ "
Navy Department -, -,
He has no patience with the techncai cri'icis','S
which have been made by certain oihcerS III inc
regular service against the reserve ORGANIZATIONS
evcept as such discussions are calculated to can
attention to defects in the system with view
~ remedying them. He believes the beginning
that has been made by most OF the Organizations
is a good one. and 1t is his aspiration 10 pace
the whole movement such OASIS that INC
Nation will have distinct FEELING Oh auu'I'o"'.
security from It's maintenance. In his anhuai
report on the operations of the Naval Militia TOT
the last wear submitting the reports OF the va
rious inspection officers after tesiifying TO the
zeal and efficiency of the New-York ONO III
nos and Michigan organizations which ne per-
sonaly visited. Mr.. Roosevelt continues:
The different State organizations are contin.
ualy asking Tor old vessels, and the Department
has finally tried the experiment OF sending the
n TO b 5e' sa aHfy t Of these uS old
has now become practically eNhausttu, ,, ne urdni
tors to the different organizations. but me results
have not 80 far been satisfactory as nlol1oiS ''
poor ships for cruising or for use as oarric rs;
oe S oi ~ ,be NavaI MiItIa II must be remem-
b br that the Naval Militia are in sense proper
substitutes for efficient naval reserve 10 con- On
sist of seafaring men under direct control OF tHe
National authorities. The Department believes ina,
such a reserve should be constituted Dut II "Uuia
be expensive. and hitherto the expense has been
the nsuperable obstacle in securing action IRON
Congress In the absence OF such reserve me NaNai
in any way a substitute for 1t; and, moreover tney
have particular and very important functions wn1cn
belong to them alone. The Department mas a Uui
a small sum 10 devote to their maintenance ana
care. and this sum becomes smaller ioF escn , G,-
vision from year 10 year. inasmucn as inc mum
Der OF organizations is continually on me H, &
The Department is, theTetore nor void Ike TO- and
they must be left largely to Their own s9ou s's'1
great variety in the condition OF efficiency reached
by the different Organizations: .,a,,o,.
There three or -FOUR or NttS' Oh b"'l"''''V,,
which In the event OF sudden emergency oo N
be utilized al once for manning the SIMMER .Nn
tional cruisers, but this OF course ch'"vt 81, ~
CARNATIONS They must be depended on w Pr,
marily as a second line Of defence Ihere are tTo
Important features which should be ATTENDED 70 ny
such a second line. one Is the placing oL m 90
the other the establishment OF signal stations 10.
coast defence The Department should rcqu,sl 'nht
there should be inserted in the provision lot mo
maintenance OF the Naval Militia the WORDS sun
marine mining outfits" rs to allow or training
them for this purpose The department mas " ~
been maturing plans for the slshaI s.h ti -,
money with the cooperation Of the treasury De
partment will put this on satisiactory 49, -
detail OF officers 10 instruct them, ana they can
best OF all be instructed BY actual service on reg,
uar war vessels or under the supervision Oh "'F''
officers and in conjunction with the sailors -
4, present 4! Is n very serious drain upon me re-
sources OF the Navy 20 provide Tor thc hHHu" ~
OF the different organizations ssh'C,y ~ 5 bS
fallen through owing 20 the inability OF the states
TO act together. II Is much 10 be Wis., 49, ~, IN
stItution for the old pahdlewheel steamer Mlchl-
gan on the lakes OF a small modern Sunboat, per
haps OF the Petrol type 20 be dcvotci Iarsc$ 20
overseenc them: and Furthermore. 70 the building
OF one similar small cruiser on the Paclhc ana s~o
on the Atlantic. TO be used for this same purpose.
the Naval Militia organizations 10 very hsh
standard Of efficiency. and me cruisers thcHaeN,s
OF course would be available AT any moment Tor
any OF the regular naval uses In an emergency.
There has been steady increase IN the eiii.iency.
as wei in the number. OF these Nayal MliiIa
organizations both the Atlantic and Paciic, on
The great lakes and even In the Mississippi Valley,
The m 1vement IL one or promise Inc reports 10y
the different regular officers who have taken part
In their encamprnents give good ground for belief
i'm the usefulness Of these organizations In time OF
The Department has earnestly end !, ,i
be we'll TO commend the above propositions 10 tho
especial attention OF Congress