The evening times., 1898-12-01

SoiiIlSl snOuld Apply To the Cfhc@IS and
men of the Naval Reserve wkie actually
under the annual course of drill and in
struction prescribed 10y the Seer, tary of
the Navy.
Auxiliary Naval Forces.
From information received from COM
petent officers along parts of our coast
line, ii is believed that the above general
scheme for the organization of a United
States Naval Reserve. or something near
ly akin TO it, can be put into successful
operation at an annual cost TO the Gov
ernnent not exceeding so per man
Concerning the enrolhnent of the other
nautical branches OF the Government. II
must be remembered that they now occu-
py positions which lit each one of them
for one particular line of service in time
of war.
The Revenue Cutter Service, through
the Efforts Of iis rrrsefft' efficient head.
is today prepared 10 act as an auxiliary
TO the navy in any scheme Of defense.
Its vessels are armed and its officers and
men organized, instructed and dril.ed very
much as in the naval service. In future
wars this service will perform its proper
duties-those of coast guard navy-and
be supplemented by an auxiliary coast de-
feuse fleet.
That part of the lighthouse establish
ment which is afiaat will become a part
/ Of the auxiliary coast defense feet and
+ that part which is shore keeping. together
! with the entire Life Saving Service, will
naturally and Immediately take up the
: duties of a coast Notwithstanding
! duties OF u Coast. Signal Service, in con-
: nection with the Weather Bureau system
4 An annual course of instruction and drill
! for these services is a matter of easy ac-
complishmenL
! Upon the breaking cut of war the en-
tire Naval Reserve herein suggested
would thus be Immediately available for
duty on regular naval vessels. II the
number enrolled should he in excess OF
the requirements The remainder could be
utilized I'm coast defense.
The report gives full details for the car
ryiug out of the above scheme for the
enrolment and organization Of United
States Naval Reserve provided auIhoriza-
ton is secured from Congress. y second
naval reserve is provided for 10 consist
of reserves VINO nave reached the age of
80 years or who have served five years
continuously
What the service VIII Cost.
Any commissioned officer of the United
! States Naval Reserve who is in command
f; Of an American merchant vessel or yacht,
! may, while so commanding. fly a dis
/ tiactive flag to he known as the naval
/ reserve flag, the color shape, and size of
which shall be prescribed by the Secreta-
! ~ OF The Navy.
The Congress should provide that all
! laws which apply TO officers, petty Off
! GERS and enlisted men of the regular
1 navy should also apply TO the officers,
petty officers. and men of the United
! States Naval Reserves during the time
/ that they are taking the annual course of
instruction and drill prescribed by the
/ Secretary of the Navy.
II viii be advisable TO t.ict the
! general enrolment the first year to a
! limit which viii come well within the
| appropriation.
1t is believed that the benefit to the
naval service and TO the country from a
measure such as is outlined above will
soon become so apparent as to induce the
Congress to grant pecuniary reward
| for additional length OF service In the
Naval Reserve.
| II is considered that continuous an
nual appropriation of s. 900 will b. sutfi-
| cient to provide for a force of naval re-
serves to aggregate = 900 men at the end
| of three years
Referring to the Maryland Naval Re
| serve the report states that the naval
| militia Of this State at the outbreak Of
the war consisted of twenty officers and
geo men. and its commanding officer was
! authorized by the governor to incr ase
! this number as occasion demanded. The
total mustered into the United States
/ naval service was twenty-four officers
| and s25 petty officers and enlisted men
| who were assigned to the war vessels
| Dixie, Apache. monitor Ajax. Lancaster
| Katahd.n. Dale Restless Elfida, Mime
| aDolis and DOLPHIN,