The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-11-30
URGING 4 NAVAL RESERVE
Lieut.. Commanders Southerland Ad-
vises National Organization.
State MiIataas Not Under obIfgation-
to Answer the Pre~ideats Cell
in a Sudden Emergency

The annual report OF Lieat Couldr "
H. H. Switzerland. L. s X. in charge OF
naval militia affairs. shows that there
were SCI officers and $500 petty oficers
and enlisted men in the naval militia at
the beginning of the year. Owing TO the
declination of scme of the organizations
to take part in the summer cruises and
the inability OF the Navy Department to
assign practice ship 70 the Pacific Coast
the numbers that actually took part in the
course Of drill and instruction were only
126 officers and 1856 men.
Lieutenant Commander SoUtherland
urges the organization Of a national naval
reserve. He points OUT that Ia the event
of war, the naval militia. being composed
OF State organizations. IS under no obliga-
ton to answer call OF the President for
any naval service and the Navy Depart
ment would, therefore. be IN positicn in
which it found itself in 1855 with refer
ence to these State divisions. He men
ticBs other things showing the inability
OF the Government 70 eaIl-out the naval
militia ana continues;
I call your attention TO these facts 10
show the absolute necessity Tor the ere
alton, in addition to the naval militia
organizations. Of a Government or IA
tiOnaI reserve force which should be or
ganized under the prosisioE- OF Federal
law in such a manner as Z place IL en-
tirely under the control ofstas Navy De-
partment- This force must 9e under OBJ
legations 10 obey the call ef our Chief
Executive when war IS iz1ainent or Eas
been declared It's members should be
sufficiently trained under naval snPeryis-
ion to permit the Navy Department 70
have q general idea Of the qualifications
Of officers and men, The officers Should
hold commissions signed byF Fthe President,
while officers and men alike should re
ceiye such instructions on board a MAJ
of-war as viii enable them TO fit into
their places on board any naval vessel
without delay and with much less frie-
ton than would occur with green bands.
'sIt is to be understood that the pro-
posed national force is not in any way
to displaee the present naval militia
These are State organizations, enrolled
and controlled under State laws Il be-
hooves the Navy Department however, to
prepare 10 meet the sudden and compara-
lively great expansion of the personnel OF
the ffst line OF defence which viii be ab-
solutely necessary upon the outbreak OF
war. Such expansion cannot be met by
the State naval miIitias. stace those bod
les are being trained for an entirely dif-
ferent purpose.
1T must be understood that the sole
object Of the first naval reserve provided
for in the bill will be the manning of the
fleet. The tour of dHty is placed at the
minimum time; the vessels in commits
sion will have to be employed on this
service, as it viii be impossible. for many
years to come, to spare vessels for any
other than regular duty. OF TO enc
ploy our small enlisted force for any
other than actual service afoat. Under
the provisions Of this bill it IS il the
powe rof the Secretary Of the Navy to
detail naval reserve officer for long
er period of duty on board ship than two
weeks, if the officer SO desires