The times., 1899-11-13


erland, in charge of the Naval Militia,
has submitted his annual report, 10
the Secretary Of the Navy The report
sets forth that early last year, and for
the first time, extensive preparations were
made for giving the different State or
ganizations tour OF sea duty, as nearly
as possible under regular navy conditions.
The result was highly satisfactory, the
men showing great interest in their work.
On July 1, 1S99 there were 1872 officers
and 6,3O2 petty officers and enlisted men
in the service.
The strength of the service in every
State and the amount of money allotted
to each State follows California. So Off
GERS, ass men, 81 S36 40; Connecticut, II
officers. 1877 men. $1,661.7O; District Of
Columbia IA officers. 193 men. 81. .7l5.O1;
Florida, 26 officers, 265 men 81 35AS1;
Georgia Is officers, 176 men. 81 $685.;
Illinois, 80 officers. 775 men S6.SS6. 70;
Louisiana, 10 officers, 1873 men, 50. .003 40;
Maryland. Is officers, 2OO men, $1.717.22;
Massachusetts, As officers, 614 men. So,
456.04; Michigan, 10 officers, 1913 men, 81,
1851; New Jersey 80 officers. S51 men,
So 1901: New York 50 officers, 932 men,
$o2S1.S1; North Carolina % officers 262
men, 81, ,32S.15; Ohio, % officers, $50 men,
81, 932, 40; Oregon, l3 officers LOS Hen, s.
1875; Pennsylvania, IS officers, POI men,
$1.7S6.10; Rhode Island Is officers. 1876
men, 81, 1,741.67; South Carolina, % officers.
260 men, $2,310.S8; Virginia, Is officers,
POS men, $1,S4S.30.
The Navy Department. it is said. desir-
shipboard assigned the Prairie, Michigan,
and Badger to the use of the militia and
cruises of eight days were given the vari-
Gus State organizations. All the States
accepted the offer of cruises except Florida
and Louisiana, local health conditions pre-
venting the organizations in those States
from accepting.
The number of men who took part in the
cruises were 224 officers and 3 ia petty
officers and men, distributed as follows:
California, 26 officers, $50 men; Connect
cut II officers, 153 men; District of Co
lumbia. 10 officers. 152 men; Georgia, 4
officers, A men; Illinois, 81 officers 375
men; Maryland, 16 officers, 1872 men, Mass
achusetts, % officers, 457 men; Michigan,
Is officers, 15S men; New Jersey, 1t Off
GERS, 1874 men; New York, II officers, z96
men; North Carolina, officers. 80 men;
Ohio, Z officers, Isl men; Oregon, II Off
Ntios 4NO Ilitli, GAillSN ~ dLlidI bllCGISs
los men, Rhode Island s officers, 10 men,
and Virginia, l officer and Is men.
While at sea the men were drilled in sig
mailing. pistol practice, tactics, sword ex-
eTcise, setting-up exercise, great guns, and
navigation.
Commenting on the cruise Of the District
of Columbia naval militia, the report says:
Ten officers, fl petty officers, and Ill
enlisted men took advantage of the de-
the Prairie. OF the enlisted force 13 petty
officers and - enlisted men had seen pre-
vious service at sea. The Naval Militia
of the District of Columbia organized Iur-
suant to the act Of Congress approved May
H. 1899, had thus far seen no service as
an organization, other than In breaking
open and clearing the channel in the Po-
tOmac River with the United States
steamer Fern during the blizzard of Feb
ruary, 1899. This service was rendered at
the request of the Commissioners Of the
District
'On April 6, 1899, it was, by the direction
of the President ordered to participate
in the funeral ceremonies attending the
burial at Arlington of certain of the Off
GERS and men who lost their lives in Cuba
and Porto Rico during the recent war
The report of the board of officers states:
That the professional ability Of the en-
lioNeh lOAGG 10 IAN lut EtllCi dl RiiN olt4 ue
is very good, and the discipline poor.
The marks assigned to the various drills
are: Signals, fair; pistols, fair; Infantry
tactice, poor; sword exercise, o; setung-up
exercise. good; great gun, fair; nayiga-
ton. fair"
The following is a list of vessels and the
States they are loaned to for the use of
the naval militia: st. Louis. Pennsyl-
vania; ShearwateT, Pennsylvania; Hun
sey; Stranger Louisiana; New Hampshire,
New York; Aileen. New York; Elfrida,
Connecticut; Fern District of Columbia;
Sylvia, Maryland; Siren Virginia: Hornet
North Carolina; Minnesota, Massachusetts:
Inca, Massachusetts; Yantc, Michigan;
Dale Maryland, Marion, California; Pinta,
California.
The report concludes with the follow
ing suggestions:
The passage Of the personnel bill, which
provided that the term of service of enlist
ed men OF the Navy should hereafter be
four years, causes me TO believe that il
would be wise to make the naval reserve
period of enrolment four years instead OF
five as originally recommended I also be-
Iieve that some provision should be made
by law by which the naval reserve officer
should be promoted in war time with the
regular officer with whom he holds the
same date of commission.
IF any bill providing for the enrolment
and organization of g national naval re-
serve becomes a law, l would recommend
that steps then be taken looking to the or
ganizatiOn of a permanent coast signal SER
vice from the retired list of the Navy, the
employees of the light house establishment,
and the employees of the life-saving service.
These employees, several thousand in num-
Der, are more than sufficient for this SER
vice, and. under the direction of a naval
officer. and with the cooperation of the
Treasury Department and the principal
telegraph companies could, with a com
paratively small appropriation, have an an
nual drill Of but few days which would
suffice to teach them enough to make them
competent to take up their duties upon the
outbreak Of war Immediately prior to the
beginning of hostilities. with each light
house district in charge Of n retired officer
with separate field of operations. with
a retired naval officer in general charge
at the Navy Department, and with the nee
essary paraphernalia at the nearest navy
yard ready for use, this necessary adjunct
to war operations could be put in working
order within twenty-four hours.
Besides the available personnel men
toned above may be added the officers
and men of the national naval reserve,
who, through age or physical disability,
cannot properly perform duty at sea"