The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-28
A NEW BOAT FOR
NAVAL RESERVES
A Practice Ship Cor Shallow
Sounds.
TIFF "d0RNE iDT00IARoF
The "dORNEi" TOOLAR . E
a PRACTICE CRUISE DOWN TO
CHARLESTON.
IT WILL BE MADE NEXT SATURDAY
Some Repairs Are Necessary For the Hornet
and the Question is Who Shall Pay for
Them, The State of North Carolina
or United State Government.

The Wilmington brigade Of Naval Re
serves will make practice cruise from
Wilmington 10 Charleston next Saturday
on the Hornet "lhey intended gong last
Saturday but postponed the trip on ac-
count of the storm that ragged along the
Atlantic coast Saturday and Saturday
night.
The cruise will occupy three or four
days. Those who go on the cruise wll
pay the cost of it. This cost will be for
rations and COAL and will be perh. ps
50 or SIS apiece. The Wilmington DIVISION
now IS strong, the largest of al the
divisions, will go, as will also most OF
the Southport division and some from
each of the other divisions. 1t is an
entirely yolunSary cruise. Next summer
there will be two cruises, ON which II IS
the plan TO take all the naval militia.
These cruises viii extend as far North
as New York.
The Hornet" is fine vessel and IS
lent to this State upon a pledge that
the vessels condition shall be kept as
good as when she was received, reasona-
be wear and tear excepted. Last year
the Navy Department expended $4,000
on her, mainly for boiler repairs.
Commander George l.. Morton, of the
Naval Reserves, who was here Monday,
He says there are now seven divisions Of
Reserves in the State with a member
ship Of SOP.
The divisions now are: Wilmington,
Southport, Mt Olive. kinston, Newbern.
Elizabeth City and Windsor.
The Mt. Olive and Windsor divisions
have been organized within the past
year.
Capt. Morton viii 20 to Washington
soon 70 try 10 secure another practice
ship. As was stated IN this paper sew
eral days ago the Naval Reserves are
pet;tiOning the Secretary Of the Navy
for the Loan OF a yacht TO be used for
practical seamanship by the Second bat
talon Of the Naval Brigade. The ''Hor-
net" the practice ship Of the brigade Al
Wilmington, is said TO draw too much
water for our sounds, and that one is
needed drawing not more than ~ feet
of water. The battalion is well drilled
in infantry. but it does not get the prac-
teal seamanship that is needed 10
make il as efficient AS ii should be.
Capt Morton says there was recently al
inspection of the Hornet" at Whining
ton that showed UP well for the Nava!
militia. The only defects reported were
as 70 the condition Of the decks-defects
not due in any way 10 the Reserves.
The pitch in the seams was cracked
during the Spanish war by the firing Of
cannon on beard and the corking is
coming out SO that the water goes
through, rotting the deck and injuIIng
the iron work below. This will have 70
be repaired.
The question now is who will pay
Cor the repairs-the State or the United
States?
The Secretary OF State has requested
the State to have the work done under
the terms OF the contract by which the
Ship is loaned to the Reserves, namely.
that the State shall keep the vessel sin
the same order and condition rs when II
Nas received"
TO this order Capt Morton has ex-
cepted on the ground that the vessel was
received in bad condition. that the seams
were broken open during the war while
the vessel was in active service, and thar
his report made last February-a month
after the Hornet went to Wilmington
will show this In that report Capt!
Morton called attention TO the open
seams in the deck and submitted estj-
mates for recorking and pitching them.
His estimate was somewhere betweel!
$500 and 5000.
He thinks the Secretary Of State Will,
upon investigation order the repairs
made at Government expense. If nos.
why of course. the State must do it.