The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-06
OUR NAVAL RESERVE FoRcE.

dispatch from New Haven says that
the commander of the Connecticut Naval
Reserves has completed list of over two
hundred vessels of various descriptions,
steam and sailing, which could be manned
by the State Naval Reserves and render
valuable service to the government in the
event Of war. If Connecticut could do that,
other New England States could do as
much or more. A few days ago it was an
ncunced that several of the largest manu-
facturers and capitalists in Providence, r.
l., had he'd an informal consultation and
agreed, in the event of a foreign war; to
raise by subscription money enough to
build and equip a war ship, to be manned
by the Naval Reserves of that State, and
to be used, under the direction of the ma
tional government, in protecting the cities
of Providence and Newport. At the same
time it was suggested that as a. means of
rapidly increasing the strength of the navy
each State in the Union Should present the
government a war ship, built and equipped
by itself exclusively. There is no probability
that situation will arise demanding such
action. but the suggestion is interesting as
illustrating American fertility of re-
sources. The suggestion is feasible enough.
and if an emergency should arise there is
not State in the Union that would not
willingly contribute its share towards a
navy that would far outclass all others,
with the possible exception of the British.
Not much is known in this section Of the
country of the naval militia, but IN the
event of a foreign war it would be heard
from. 1t is now organized in seventeen
States, including the Atlantic coast and
Gulf States, from Massachusetts, to Louisi-
ana, Michigan and Illinois on the lakes and
California on the Pacific. The total enlisted
force of officers and men is about four thou
sand-not host, but enough to man large
number of vessels, and all well qualified
by previous drilling for that kind of duty
as the state militia forces are for land
service. Under the law the duty of the nav
al militia in time of war would be to man
the coast and harbor defense vessels, thus
leaving free the regular force to carry on
offensive operations at sea. 1t would also
operate in boat squadrons with torpedoes
against any hostile fleet invading our
waters.
In this connection it is of interest to learn
that the Postmaster General is about to en-
ter into a ten years contract with the
American Mail Steamship Company for
carrying the mails between Boston and New
York and the West Indies. One of the con-
ditions of the contract is that the company
is to build four new steel twin-screw
steamships Of two thousand tons, capable
of making fifteen knots per hour, and each
rifled cannon of not less than six inches
calibre. This will not be a powerful arma-
ment but, considering the speed of the YES
sells, it will be no mean addition to the re-
serve force of the navy. Our resources in
this regard We're demonstrated in the civil
war. At the beginning of the war our little
navy was so scattered, by treachery that
we had only one vessel available for use on
the Atlantic coast. BY the LIST of July, four
months after Mr.. Lincoln's Inauguration,
there were forty-three armed vessels en-
Gagged in the blockade of Southern ports
and defense of the coast, and before the
close of 1861 we had in commission 1877. Dur
ing the four years the war continued 2OS
war vessels were constructed and fitted out
and AIS vessels were purchased and con-
ycrAed into war ships. There need not be
any doubt of our ability to prosecute a
naval