The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-03-03
NAVAL MILITIA.
The Total Number of Officers
and Men is 4,445.
Illinois Leads With 523, and Mass
achussetts Follows With All.
A Bill introduced in the House Providing
for the Relief of the Maine Victims
Contract Awarded for Carrying Mail
Between Seattle and Circle City.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 25.-The navy de-
partment Thursday gave out the fig
ures showing the strength of the naval
militia up to date. This shows a total
of 4,4i5 officers and enlisted men.
which is gratifying increase from
3,7O3 shown by the last report. The
number of officers and men by states is
as follows:
California, $50; Connecticut, 1865;
Florida. 1SG: Georgia. 225; Illinois, 523;
louisiana 262: Maryland 24O; Massa-
chusctts, AL; Michigan. 1893: New Jer-
sey, 3G4; New York. 472: North Caro-
lima. $50: Ohio, 216: Pennsy sylvania, 21G;
Rhode sand, 1870; South Carolina, 1872;
Virginia. II. Total, 4,445.
Aside from the forces shown in the
above list, new brigades are in process
of formation. which promises to swell
the total to much larger figures at an
early day. The organization of this
auxiliary arm of the naval service is
under the immediate direction of
Lieut. Gibbons. u. S. N, whose energy
has accomplished much in securing
state organizat ton and in the harmon
izing OF the bodies into one compact
force. capable in emergency of cooper.
ating with the regular navy In his
last report Mr.. Roosevelt said the
state naval militia, in the
event OF a sudden emergency could be
utilized at once for manning the small
er national cruisers. 1t could be de-
pended upon mainly, he said, as a Sec
ond line of defense and also be used in
placing mines and the esta tablishment
OF signal station for coast defense.
The appropriation of S50 600 made by
congress to aid in work of the naval
militia will be apportioned among the
states in few days
Representative Boutelle, of Maine,
chairman OF the house committee on
naval affairs. introduced q bill late
Thursday afternoon providing for the
relief of the victims of the United
States battlcship Maine. 1t follows
generally the lines of the Samoan dis
aster relief bill of 1890 and is the result
OF several days conferences in COM
mittee. and embodies the view of the
administration. Chairman Boutelle
had a conference with President Nc
kinley Thursday, at which he went
over with him the proposed legislation
and later submitted the measure at an
informal meeting of some of the COM
mittee. 1t will be referred back to the
committee, Immediately acted upon
there and its.passage by congEebs ex-
pedited.
The post office department Thursday
awarded to p. c. Richardson, of Seat
tie, Wash, contract for carrying the
mails during the open season of 1898
between Seattle, via st. Michaels,
Alaska, to Circle City, via the Yukon
river and return. He will make six
trips during the season, leaving Seat
tie about June 10 and 25, and the same
dates in July and August. The COM
pensation is to be $295 per round trip.
Chairman Hit, of the foreign af
fairs committee, who bas been confined
to his home by bad cold, was in his
place at the house Thursday for the
first time in week He declined to
make any statement regarding Cuban
matters saying he had no Information
not in possession of the public. 1t is
| learned that the Cuban correspondence
which the house called for probably
will not be transmitted TO the house
| until some defiitc conclusion is reach :
ed as to the cause of the destruction of
| the Maine.