The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-02-02
MORE NAVAL MILITIA
GOV. TERRELL ASKED TO AUTHOR
IZE ORGANIZATION OF
ANOTHER SAVANNAH DIVISION.
LIEUTs. COLDING AND GIGNILLIAT
AT HEAD OF MOVEMENT.

PROVIDE Tor heOrgn n1zat1On ana
Re-equipment of Naval Militia.
One is n Sort of Naval ''Dick'' Bill.
Government Gun Boat Will be As
signed to Some Port in Georgia.
1t is probable that Savannah will
have, in the near future, another di-
vision of the naval militia. A request
has been made on Gov. Terrell by
Lieut..H. S. Colding and Lieut.. T. H.
Gignilliat, to be given authority to
raise another division, and it is prob
able that this request will be granted.
1t is the purpose of these gentlemen
should the authority be delegated them,
to raise division, which. like the one
which existed prior to the Spanish
American War In that war Georgia
was the only state in the Union, hav-
ing a naval militia which did not fur
nish her complement.
Lieut.. Colding has recently returned
from Washington, where he had a con-
ference with several of Georgia's rep
resentatives in Congress relative to the
passage of a bill which would have
about the same effect upon the naval
militia of the state as the Dick bill will
have upon the organized militia of the
state, and under the provisions of
which the naval militia will be thor
oughly equipped in conformity with the
naval reserves, under an appropriation
provided in a bill creating the naval
reserves, which, with the naval militia
bill, is now pending in Congress.
Will Raise Large Division.
81 think that the authority will be
granted" said Lieut.. Colding, in
speaking of the matter last night.
There is no question of the fact that
a large division could be raised here in
addition to the one now in existence.
The two bills which would mean so
much to the naval militia of the state,
are sure tc pass Congress and become
effective at an early date. Then the
division now located at Savannah will
be furnished, additional equipment,
and, if we are granted authority to
raise another, it would be well pro-
Vided for.
1.-The organization of another d.
vision of the naval militia would not
interfere with the enlistments in the
military organizations in the city,
since the class of men who join the
naval militia is different from the one
which enlists with the military The
request which we have made has been
sent to the adjutant general, and L
believe that the Governor will give us
the authority which we ask. 1t would
unquestionably help Savannah, and
would be in line with the present
movement to upbuild the city,"
An Old Time Showing.
Prior to the Spanish war there were
four divisions of the naval militia in
the state, one of which was located
at Brunswick and the other three at
Savannah. Two of the divisions at
Savannah have been mustered out of
service. A few years ago there were
10 members of the local body of naval
militia in a parade, and that, too, on
a day on which the weather conditions
were not propitious. 1t is the purpose
of the gentlemen who have made the
application to organize division
which will equal numerically and in
point of efficiency those heretofore in
existence.
The two bills which were a few
days ago introduced in both the upper
and lower houses of Congress have an
important relation to the organization
and maintenance of the naval militia.
The passage of the naval reserve bill
will mean the stationing of govern
ment gunboat at some port on the coast
of Georgia The organization of a
naval reserve is a radical step forward,
and will mean much to Savannah and
other seaport towns.
rhe Naval Militia Bill.
The act establishing a naval militia
and defining it's relations to the general
government was introduced in the
House by Representative Foss. 1t pro-
vides that of the organized militia, as
set forth in the act to- promote the EN-
cheney if the militia, such part of the
same as each state may elect shall con-
stitute the naval militia. 1t provides,
further, that all sections of the act
which define the relations between the
organized the militia and the United
States government, shall be applicable
to the naval militia. and the duties
therein named for the Secretary of
War shall. so far as the naval militia
is concerned. devolve upon the Secre-
tary of the Navy.
The Secretary of the Navy is author
lied, under its provisions, upon the re-
quest of the Governors of the several
states to appoint officers to inspect, in
struct and train the naval militia, and
formulate regulations with a view to
producing uniformity among the naval
militia of the several states, and ass1m-
Hating them to the standard of the
United States Navy. To this end it Is
provided that such appropriations as
are made by Congress for the benefit of
the naval militia of the several states,
shall be distributed between them ac-
cording to equitable proportions, to be
determined by the Secretary of the
Navy, and applied to the uses and ne
cessities of each organization.
BY a perusal of these provisions of
the bill it will be seen that the naval
militia VIII be benefited greatly, and
that such organizations as have not
now the full complement of equipment,
may get it from the appropriations of
the general government. In other
words, the bill is along the lines laid
out by the War Department for the
equipment and modernization of the
land and naval forces of the several
states.
Naval Reserve Vessels.
The other bill, providing for the en-
rollment and organization of United
States naval reserve will mean the APP
pointment of a number of new Offices
and that those who have heretofore
had experience will receive preference
for appointment as officers and petty
officers in the naval reserve. Any YES
sci in the port here, which is COM
manded by a commissioned officer of
the reserves and carrying not less than
one-fourth of the complement of naval
reserve, will be known as a naval re-
serve vessel and will fly distinctive
pennant.
Two hundred thousand dollars is APP
propriated by the general government,
under the provisions of the bill, for the