The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-03-23
NAVAL RESERVES TROUBLES.
The Situation in the Contest for on
GERS by an OIHcer.


Editor Morning News: It has been the
unbroken custom OF officers of the Third
division naval militia to keep out of the
public prints, having little desire for noto-
riety and feeling that it was best not to
aflict the public with our unfortunate in
ternal differences, but an article which
appears in your issue of this day Is so mis-
leading that we have thought it proper TO
ask you to state the facts as they really
are, giving them equal prominence as the
article above referred to.
There are four divisions of the naval
militia in the state of Georgia, each com
manded by lieutenant with the rank of
captain. The First and Fourth divisions
are located in Brunswick with Lieut.. F.
d. Aiken and Lieut. ]. sB. Wright, respec-
lively, commanding. The Second and Third
divisions. located in Savannah, are com
manded by Lieut.. H. s. Colding, and Lieut..
c. f. Broughton, respectively. Each of
these four officers hold positions of equal
rank, but the commission of Lieut.. Aiken
antedeting the Others entities him TO COM
mand whenever the divisions are thrown
together, and in his absence, Lieut. Cold
ing, having the next oldest commission, is
entitled to command.
There are three elective battalion Offices,
commander" 'lieutenant-commande F''
and navigator" These officers are elected
by the commissioned officers, of which
there are four in each division, and not
by the on-commissioned officers and sea-
men. At present these offices are vacant.
and in seeking the position of lieutenant
commander, Mr.. Coiding is not asking for
reelection" as stated in your article.
t. Tsr,- rrrfNl !, 90
attempt at election of battalion officers
and this need not be more than referred
TO here. Suffice it to say that Lieut. Aiken
was the candidate of the Brunswick Off
GERS and Lieut. Coldng of the Savannah
officers. The vote being a tie neither was
elected and since that time little effort
has been made to have another election.
Recently it was intimated that the Gov
ernor would soon order another election
and a proposition was made to vote SIM
ply for commander and lieutenant COM
mander, leaving the third Office that of
navigator, open for later election. 1t
has been agreed that we would waive, in
favor of Brunswick, our claims to the
office of commander, and in return have
received assurance from Brunswick Off
GERS that our candidate for lieutenant
commander will receive their support
In view of the bad feeling that has
suggestion was made, that for the sake
of harmony, those who had been candi-
dates at the last election should not offer
for the positions at the coming election.
At the solicitation of the junior commits
stoned officers of the Third division, and
upon receipt of unsolicited offers of sup
port from the Brunswick officers, Lieut.
Broughton consented to become a candi-
date for the position of lieutenant COM
mander. and without undue delay. not-
fled his brother officers of his intention
The only officers meeting held thus far
was adjourned pending nomination for
commander by the Brunswick officers
Within the near future we will meet TO
nominate a candidate for lieutenant COM
mander. and whether there be one or two
candidates in the field, we are in no dan
ger of losing the office, as there will be no
candidate for the position from Bruins
wick.
Ihere has been no agreement to submit
the selection of a lieutenant commander
TO the enlisted men, and if there has been
any election or counting of votes" we.
of the Third division, are ignorant of the
time, place or result.
In such a contest Lieut. Brouehton
would have little to fear, but fortunately
the state authorities have in their wisdom.
provided rules for our government in snch
contingencies, and upon the lines laid
down will this contest be determined.
These rules provide that only the commits
stoned officers are permitted 10 vote for
battalion officers. thus removing any sem
bance of a political campaign of candi,.
dates among the men, with all of its dis
agreeable and disorganiZing consequences
In the early days of the naval militia
in Savannah, Mr.. Broughton was elected
to the position of lieutenant, Junior grade.
and upon the resignation of Mr. Henry I.
Seemann, its first commanding officer. he
waived his right to the promotion and al
lowed Mr. Colding, then only an enlisted
man, TO go up. There are those OF Us who
think that he should not always be the one
to stand aside. An officer.