The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-08-23
A WELL DISCIPLINED FORCE.
Another Week win Gee EsyA Auxiliary
Fleet ou, Of Commission

NEW YORK August 22.-The United
States auxiliary naval force. which a
week ago consisted ~ forty-one vessels
In commission. says the Washington cor
respondent Of the Tribune, was reduced
TO twenty-five vessels yesterday and by
the end Of next week Il will nave disap-
peared altogether until another war shall
call II into service.
A. a result OF the experience gained by
the combination OF the auxiliary force
and the coast line signal system. II will
be possible. II a foreign invasion OF this
country Il hereafter contemplated. to pro-
VIDE speedily Tor the mobilization Of an
effective system OF defense.
when Captain John r. Bartlett was put
In command OF the auxiliary naval force
on July 3. he proceeded energetlcally to
get all It's vessels promptly into commits
sion. and 20 organize the force which was
intended by the trainers OF the Joint reso-
luton which created II. The force was
distributed in nine districts, six on the
Atlantic coast. two on the Gulf and one
on the Pacific and the complete organlza-
ton was perfected In a single month.
Under the original plan. the assistants
TO the clef In thhe various districts were
10 be officers from the local naval mill
tias who had entered the United States
vessels and the vessels In each district
were to be manned by the men OF the
naval militia OF that district. who had
been mustered into the auxiliary naval
forces. This plan was carried out fully.
Captain Bartlett has had as his chief
uf stan. Lleutent Herbert l.. Satterlee.
United States navy and these two officers
have had the supervision and direction or
the torty-one vessels comprising the aux
thary fleet, their officers and crews aggre-
eating over % officers and 1000 men.
The ilrst district extended from the
most eastern point OF Maine to Hampton
harbor. n. II.
The second district is commanded by
Lieutenant John W. Weeks, United
States navy with headquarters al Bos-
ton. II extends from Hampton harbor,
y. H.. TO Newport, r. |.
In the third district. Lieutenant Com
mander j. W Miller. United States navy.
with headquarters In New York city. His
district extends from Newport TO Sea-
bright, y. J.
In the fourth district Lieutenant John
S, Muckle. United States navy is in COM
mand. with headquarters at Philadelphia.
The fourth district extends from Sea-
bright to Metonkln Inlet Va.
In the NTH district. which extends from
Metonkn Inlet to New River Inlet. y. C.,
ale commanding officer Is Lieutenant l.
Il. Emerson. U. S, A.
The headquarters of the district are at
Baltimors.
The sixth district, the limits of which
are New River Inlet, on the north and
Jupiter Inlet, Ala, ON the south. Lieuten-
ant George l.. Morton. L. S. A., is in COM
mand with headquarters at Port Royal,
5. Z.
The seventh district runs from Jupiter
Inlet, Fla, TO Perdido Entrance, the ex-
treme westerly limit OF Florida. Pensaco-
Ia is the headquarters and the officer In
charge is Lieutenant ]. c. Sutherland. L.
s n.
In the eighth district, which extends
from Perido Entrance to the most west
erly point OF IeN0S, the commanding Of
ticer is Lieutenant J, w. BostwiCk, L. 5.
n.
The whole Pacific coast of the United
States comprises the ninth district, which
is under the command of Lieutenant Will
lam Il, Gum U, S. N, with headquarters
at San Francisco.
Lieutenant Gums command consists of
the revenue cutters Corwin, Grant, Perry
and Rush, and the tugs Active, Iroquols
and Nigilant the yachts Sylvia and Vi
kns.
The rapidity with which the force has
been reduced since the suspension OF hos
tilities is considered proof of its thorough
discipline and excellent management and
shows how valuable the naval militia sys-
tenn has become in the few years of It's
existence.