The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-26
NAVAL RESERVES ARE READY.
They Know Nothing of Amy orders
From the President Though.

They Know Nothing of Amy Orders
From the President Though.
Lieut.. II. S. Colding of the Second Dl-
vision of the Naval Reserves, has heard
nothing from Washington about orders to
be issued, or having been issued. to the
reserves along the coasts to hold them
selves in readiness for the call of the
government. The dispatches to the after
noon papers yesterday announced that
such orders had been Issued
Every ableboded man is subject TO
the call of the President If he sees fit to
issue it," Lieut.. Codlng said. ut Is
ridiculous for military organizations to
hold meetings and adopt resolutions offer
ing their services in cese troops should be
needed The President does not consider
the matter in that light he does not in
tend to wait for commands to send him
tenders OF service in case they are need
ed There Is a much quicker way, and
that Is for him 10 order the troops out.
The President would feel very insecure
in any position he might assume II he
felt the support of the volunteer organi-
cations OF the country would only be
Forthcoming after they had been assem-
bled for the adoption of such resolutions.
When a soldier takes the oath In enlistlng
he places himself subject TO orders, and
there the matter ends. He is simply to
obey, and If the Presidents call comes,
he must respond
Orders to the Naval Reserves of savan-
nah to hold themselves in readiness would
be superfuous. Lieut.. Colding says the
men are always In readiness and can be
assembled on very short notice. They are
very well equipped, only one part OF
their Requirement, blanket bags, being
lacking. Every man In the reserves Is
provided with haversack a canteen and
a clothes bag. Lee rifles are the effective
magazine arms used.
one OF the leading officers of the volun-
! teer forces of the city, speaking of The
levying of troops in the event they are
needed, said there are four ways in which
| the ranks may be filled. The nrst is by
| Inc ordinary method of recruiting observed
IN the regular army in time of peace This
| would be sufficient, IL is thought If war
should be declared, to bring the army up
to several hundred thousand men. The
war might be of such short duration as
to make resort to any other form of Sc
curing troops, with the exception, of
course, Of using the volunteer forces. I'M
necessary
A second method Is for the President to
| issue his call for volunteers. When the
recruiting officers failed to get enough
men, this call might be issued. This
! would mean that men were needed ana
that the government was asking patriots
not already enlisted to come to the help
of their country.
The President has a third method omen
for him in a demand upon the Governors
| OF the states for the forces of volunteers
under their command. 1t is about this
| that there is some difference of opinion
| Some maintain the President has no right
to order the volunteer troops of the STATE
out of its borders while others say they
are without question at his command. They
claim the mere fact of the government
! making its special appropriation of sew
eral hundred thousand dollars year for
the maintenance of the volunteer forces
goes to show that they would be expected
10 comply with orders received from the
| President The consensus Of opinion
among military officers seems to be that
the question, II one exists in reality, would
never be raised; that the troops would
respond to any call without hesitation.
| Col. A. II. Lawton of the First Regiment.
Infantry. says the demand of the Presi-
dent upon the Governors OF the states
would undoubtedly be acceded to In every
instance and the orders Of the Governors
would be enough to settle the question.
| The last resort of a country in time of
war to secure troops Is 10 put conscript
| squads az work. These squads go Through
the country drafting men Of
military ages into the army.
1t Is hardly likely that any such
method would ever become necessary IN q
country Of the size and population Of this
unless a war should be very unpopular.
The patriotism Of the people is such rs
TO make IL probable that enough men
could be secured by the other means emu
merated to make The last recourse unnec-
essary.
| A Savannah officer Of high rank sug-
gests the best step the government could
| take In case of war would be to give some
of The generals of the Confederate army
commissions, with their old rank, In the
service Of the United States. This would
cause thousands OF Southerners to flock
to their standards, and would be the most
popular measure with the people of this
section that could be adopted. why" he
said, IF they should put Gen. Gordon At
the head of a division, there would be
10000 Southern troops enllste in IL in a
day It would be the same thing with
| Gen. Fitzhugh Lee"