The age-herald., 1898-03-30

parture for Montgomery yesterday after noon had not received such a commun1ca- ton from the head of the navy depart ment.
 R. G. Mallett, who has been mentioned in connection with the organization of the reserve, and who is familiar with the work ings of such organizations denies that he is any way officially connected with the movement other than that he spoke to the governor upon the subject and found him favorable to the organization. The governor said he would communicate with MT. Mall lett at once if he found such document awaiting him in Montgomery.
 MT. Mallett was seen by an Age-Herald reporter yesterday and said:
 "The matter has been very properly and perhaps quite widely discussed, and its ad- visibility Is generally admitted; but until the governor has taken action in the prem ises nothing can be done toward the en- rollment of volunteers.
 ."It may be well to say here that the or ganization of this branch of the state mil itia was first agitated during the fall and winter of 1885. A communication was ad- dressed to the navy department at Wash ington by the gentlemen interested in the plan, and in response thereto the honorable secretary of the navy, MT. Herbert, gave his hearty Endorsement of the movement and such assurances of government recog- milton and aid as the premises warranted. Owing. however, to absence from the state for a long period of the orfginators, the matter was dropped at this stage"
 'It was proposed to recruit the battalion from the cities of Birmingham Montgom- cry and Mobile for the reason that their geographical position would enable the force to mobilize at the port on very short notice Shoubd occasion require, and at the inception of the idea the service would have numbered among its members two n pf ao1te had vice afioat in the United States navy under comparatively modern conditions, Messrs. Peyton Bibb, of Montgomery and Thomas orthington, of Birmingham. Both are perfectly competent to drill the organiza- tion into a state of efficiency without call ing upon the general government for an instructor. These gentlemen have now left the state, but in the event of war, would doubtless respond to the governors call"
 'There are but few states in the union today upon whose shores the salt waves break that are not measurably protected by a we'll organized and efficient naval re- serve. Indeed the marine defense of the chief city of the nation has been entrusted to the New York naval reserve and 1t IS to be noted that 1t Is the first branch of the national guard that has been called into active service by the general government in the present. emergency
 '"rhe popularity and importance of this service is demonstrated by its rapid dn- crease in numbers in the past few years It has spread to the great lakes and the United States government Is at present re- cruitfng largely from the volunteers of that section to obtain the complement of men needed to place the vessels now in commits sion on @ war footing"
 Some idea of the numerical strength of these fresh water naval reserves may be obtained when it IS statd that 2,0OO men 1nat h. out seriously crippdng their home defense When we reflect that the cruiser Columbia recently sailed for the rendezvous at Hamp- ton Roads 200 men short of her complement on a, war footing, and the monitor Terror ordered to Key West lacked l6O men, the necessity of these naval nurseries is at once apparent"
 .'Why spend millions in building war sbins if we must depend upon foreigners to man and fight them? Alabama mas put a short stretch of sea coast, yet on that coast lies one of her chief cities, her only port of entry and at this juncture, with the possibility of foreign invasion of her water Ways a naval reserve, with its torpeuo corps would prove most valuable auxai- iary to our own navy by maintaining a marine patrol of the coast and protecting the inside channels"
 It is not therefore exaggeration to say that the need of such an adjunct to the militia of Alabama Is imperative and 1t IS thought Governor Johnston will at once recognize this necessity and take immed- fate steps to authorize the recruiting of the Alabama naval reserves.
 Birmingham alone can be relied upon to supply at least fifty men and to bring the battalion up to a strength of say 2oo men. would be an easy matter in the cities of Montgomery and Mobile. While seafaring men may not be indigenous to the soil of old Jefferson, there is no question as to the pluck and endurance of her material when transplanted."