The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-03-13
ADMIRAL BROWN READY
REQUESTS TO BE GIVEN COMMAND
IN THE EVENT OF WAR.
Retired Officers Liable for Service
Indiana Militia Omcers Are Not
Going to Washington.

Admiral George Brown, who is not an ex-
admiral as several newspapers persist in
calling him, has written to the Navy De-
partment at Washington asking to be as
signed command in the event Of war with
Spain. Admiral Brown is still an officer
of the navy though on the retired list his
name is on the navy register, and, as stated
in the Journal yesterday. belongs to that
class of officers liable to be called on Cor
| service in case of hostilities. A statute ex..
plicitly states that retired officers are liable
to call in time of war, though not In time
of peace, and as Admiral Brown is still a
vigorous, active sailor and possessed of
all his faculties, besides ripe, sound
judgment it is more than probable he would
be called on by the department to take a
command. It is true, however, that NOM
ination, to be confirmed by the Senate,
must be made before a command can be
assigned a retired officer. Admiral Brown
said yesterday, in reply to a question, that
the country would not have to call very
hard to secure his services. He is ready
and willing to go to sea at once, if the de-
partment sees fit to use his services.
Members of the Indiana National Guard
are on the qui vive for marching orders.
A sergeant of one OF the companies said
yesterd ~ that his company had received
a tip to be ready for any emergency.
He said that the company had been divided
up into squads and the most rigid disci-
pine was being observed with regard to
keeping in touch with every member.
There is nothing unusual in captains of
companies giving pretty close attention to
the arms and equipments of their COM
panies,' said the commander of we'll
known organization of the National Guard
last night. while captains are looking up
their men pretty closely, it is only a matter
of personal pride on their part, SO that
they would not be found wanting were
call to come. There has been no order for
this sort of thing whatever. 1t is purely
voluntary. The sergeant you speak of is
doubtless in a company that ought to have
been divided up into squads long ago. I
know one company that has been so organ
lied since it's inception. The sergeants of
the various squads are required to keep
a close touch on their commands so that
every man could be rendezvoused in thirty
minutes if it were necessary OF course,
in these exciting times all sorts of rumorS
are out, but nothing official has been done
here, you can depend"
At the United States recruiting office at
this point. under the command of Lieut..
William Black, eighteen men have been en-
listed during the last week for service in
the army The recruits are sent to Co.
lumbas o., where they assigned to
duty. Lieut.. Black has sent notices to three
hundred postmasters to the effect that men
are needed for the army. There has been a
surprising number of responses, but only
the best men, between twenty-one and thir-
ty years of age, are enlisted.
Brigadier General Mckee, of the Indiana
National Guard, said last night that there
was no foundation for the report in an
afternoon paper, published yesterday, say
ing he, with Adjutant General Gore and
Colonel Harry B. Smith, were about to
leave for Washington to talk over the sub
ject of strengthening the equipment of the
National Guard. He said that he had no
idea where such a story originated.