The record-union., 1898-12-02

WASHINGTON, Dec. 1.-Lieutenant
w. H. Sutherland, in charge of matters
pertaining to the naval militia, has
made report to the Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy upon the naval militia
during the war.
AT the beginning of the year an al
lotment of $4,000 was made to sew
erdl States having naval military or
ganizations, with total of 4,445 men,
The various States mustered into the
service during the war follow: Cali
fornia, 13 officers and 80 men; Con-
necticut, 10 officers and 1SS men,
Florida, 2 officers and 5S men, in the
coast signal service, 4 officers and 80
men; Illinois, 10 officers and 20 men,
Louisiana, 10 officers and pa mems
Maryland, "a officers and 425 mems
Massachusetts, SO officers and 3S4 men,
Michigan, IL officers and go men; New
Jersey, 24 officers and 373 men; New
York, 40 officers and S05 men; North
Carolina, 10 officers and 1S9 men,!
Pennsylvania, 10 officers and "a men;I
Rhode Island, s officers and 147 men;
South Carolina, 1S officers and 6 mates
and 1S7 men; Virginia, J officers and 90
men.
ginning of the war efforts have been
made for the building up of militia,
but nothing has been done but the
formation of few State organiza-
tions. The report continues:
1.-THE experience of this short war
has clearly demonstrated the imperative
necessity for the maintenance of ma
tional reserve, in the organization OF
Iyxr1ai aioI1 tnr.
be placed upon the merchant marine
alone. This experience has shown that
a considerable part of the merchant
marine will be drawn in the service of
the army in transport service, which, of
course, materially reduces the class
from which the navy would hope to get
| it's enlisted men.
1.-THE Navy Department was ham-
pered in it's efforts at rapid mobiliza-
ton by its lack of federal Jurisdiction
over these organizations, but in the end
succeeded in obtaining force of over
I 4 600 officers and men.
TOO much cannot be said of the pa
triotism displayed by majority of The
members of the organizations, many Of
whom, although they had never been
20 sea before the mast, knew that they
were to face not only the danger Of
war, but hardships to which they had
never been accustomed"
Lieutenant Sutherland says these
classes of naval militia should be en-
relied for five years, and in such classes
should be included those who have
served I'M the present war and all others
who are connected with sea service, and
not in the regular naval establishment.
These classes should take an annual
course of instruction and drill. The en-
rollment of the new organization could
be conducted by the officers of the
naval militia who served in the Spanish
war. A naval officer should be de-
tailed to conduct the drill of the ships
companies.
officers should be commissioned in the
naval reserve, after examination by
board of naval officers. The estimate
Of the cost of a naval reserve is placed
at $40 per man. At the breaking out or
the war the entire naval reserve would
be Immediately available. In the case
of the last war many in the State or
ganizations were rejected after a ply
sical examination, but this would be
avoided by a proper enrolment OF the
naval militia.
In conclusion, he states: Congress
should provide that all laws which ap-
ply to officers, petty officers and en-
listed men of the regular army should
also apply to the officers, petty officers
and men of the United States naval re-
serve during the time that they are TAX
ing the annual course of instruction
prescribed by the Secretary of the
Navy.
'It will be advisable to restrict the
general enrolment the first year to q
limit which will come well within the
appropriation.
TT is considered that a continuous
annual appropriation of 100000 will
be sufficient to provide for force OF
naval reserves to aggregate 1000 men
at the end of three years"