Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-16
OCEAN TRAVEL FALLS OFF
Pleasure Seekers Frightened by the Talk of
War.
special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.
NEW YORK, April 10, 1898.
Things are at skies and sevens with the
passenger agents Of the big Atlantic liners.
The crack ships of the best-known lines
clear for their regular trips with empty
cabins and solemn-faced officers. The ex-
pected war with Spain is directly respon-
sible for this great decrease in the number
of voyagers. The spring and early summer
traffic, which is the most profitable season
OF the year for the steamboat people, has
been ruined. The Paris. of the American
line, q popular vessel with tourists, a year
ago today cleared for Southampton with
overcrowded cabins and more than go first
class passengers. Wednesday, when she
pulled out from her North river pier, there
were only twenty first-cabin passengers
on board.
Those who are on THAT ship" said q
veteran passenger agent, as he stood on the
per ana watched the Paris swing into the
channel, have to go abroad to meet BUSH
ness engagements. You can't drag ordi-
nary tourists on a ship these days They
VIII stop on land until satisfied that all
aaneer OF Spanish hold-up Is past. This
war talk will make beggars of us all.
why, the usual bookings for pleasure tray-
81, peglnning now and continuing until the
iast OF July, are practically wiped out. 1t
is simply awful
II, Inc official heads of all the important
nnes verified this assertion The agents of
the french and North German LIoyd ac-
kno"iedged that their companies felt the
traffic. Ao passenger
Manager Griscom of the American line
sald that the passenger business of his
company was for the time being hopelessly
oau. compared to that Of the same time
year ago the falling off was between as
and % per. cent. ~
look Tor no change for the better
said he. until this difficulty with Sna;n
inany adjusted. cannot say at pres
ent what our traffic ARRANGEMENTS viii he
In case of actual war" W
National Guard Has a ;r,exou.s
Will the National Guard willingly sur
render regimental distinctions and leave
the country, If need be. to carry IN nm
offensive war? Will objection be made m
serving directly under regular army in.
stead of their own officers? The 47tb Reei.
ment of Brooklyn has made a vigorous Dro.
test again st losing the distinctiyeness OF
Its Organization and to serving except un-
der Its own officers and much jmnortanoo
attaches In the present crisis to these oues
TONS
The assistant attorney general has held
thst there Is nothing to authorize the
ordering of the National Guard TO do serv-
Ice outside the country, SO long as thew
remain as militia. The National Guard Of
New York staEds ready to 20 wherever
oroered. put all the regiments insist that
they should be allowed to retain their
present form of organization and serve
under their own officers
Agitation on the subject has spread TO
every regiment of the New York militia,
not to speak of the dissatisfaction that
mas been created in the National Guard Of
other states since Washington dispatches
first told that the War Department was
considering the advisability of calling for
WWU men from the militia who might he
asked to serve either In any part of the
United States or Cuba. 1t is held by some
OF the highest officers in the New York
National Guard that the advices regarding
the prospective call for volunteers have
been misinterpreted. They say that the
intention Is not to ask men individually
to leave their local commands to enter tie
regular service. but rather to ask for or
CARNATIONS as a whole to enter the volun-
teer service.
Gen. James McLeer, In command OF the
I'd Brigade Of the New York militia, vie
went to the front in the gallant 14th regi-
ment of militia at the outbreak of the
civil war, and who gained the reputation
that he still bears of being one of the
bravest and most aggressive fighters that
was ever sent out Of New York state.
strongly favors the plan of allowing the
spirit.
Ready to Volunteer.
There II not a regiment, battery or
troop in New York today" said he, that
would rot volunteer as body for service
anywhere the government might want to
send it. Even II the Attorney Generals
opinion be correct as to the constitutional
inability Of the government to order the
militia outside the country, this need be
no obstacle.
If the militia regiments offer their serv-
Ices when regular volunteers are called for
and are mustered in as regular volunteers
the government can send them wherever 1t
pleases. But the National Guardsmen would
want to preserve their distinctive organlza-
lions.
This is quite natural The men who have
been trained together and whose organiza-
tons have individuality should not be sepa-
rated. Almost the same question presented
itself at the outbreak of the civil war. It
was not question as to service outside
state. The old 14th Militia, as 1t was
called then and still remains. offered its
services, and was mustered in as vol
Lnteer regiment. The designation the au-
s4th Volunteers. But after this regi-
ment had been baptized with fire at Bull
Run as the 14th and had lost many
Of its men 1t refused to take the designa-
ton S4th. The authorities respected this
desire to keep the old name, and although
the regiment may appear in some of the
records as the Saith, all our orders were d.
rected to the 14th New York.
II think officers and men should be al
lowed to fight together. Regular army
officers. Of course. will be placed in COM
Mand OF divisions, and this would be per-
fectly proper. but l think that the militia
officers should be allowed to keep their old
commands. The War Department viii
probably do this. do not think there will
be any breaking up Of organizations. All
this discussion was probably caused be-
cause there was not a proper understanding.
as to what was meant by a call for yoIun-
teers When the call does come 1t will be
for organizations and not for individually
Major schieaelln's Views.
Major Schuyler Schieffelin of General
Roes staff and inspector Of rife practice,
when asked II the militia would object to
serving under regular army officers, said:
There's not regiment Of National Guard
In the state but would march out under
command of regular army corporal II the
government ordered 1t. But do not think
the government will disturb our orranxa-
ton The efficiency Of the New York MI
itia as 1t stands today Ia even better than
that OF any command Of the game of1o a.