Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-16
CLOSES WITH BANQUET
THE NAVAL MILITIA ASSOCIA-
TON ENTERTAINED.
Addresses by Lieut.. Commander Usher,
Gen. Harries and 0thers-Toast
to the President.

The special meeting OF the Naval Milltla
Association was brought to end very pleas
antly last night with q banquet at the New
Willard. when the out-of-town members OF
the association were the guests OF the local
officers. The dinner was of the most in
formal character The table was set in the
red parlor of the hotel. covers being laid
for about fifty guests. Red-shaded can
delabra shed a soft light on a long table
that was completely covered with American
beauty roses and tulips. No other flowers
were used in the scheme Of decoration
Commander Edwin Geer OF Baltimore
acted as toastmaster. After an excellent
menu had been served he announced the
first toast. THE President" which was
drunk standing. Lieutenant Commander
Usher. U. g. NJ. was called upon to re-
spond to the toast 1.-THE Navy" MI.
Usher said the navy was not talking or
ganization, but that 1t was ready and WILL
Ing to listen to advice when 1t came from
the naval militia The naval militia 10 q
comparatively new Idea, he said, but tho
department has realized its importance SUI
ficiently to give it great attention during
the past few years, and has reached the
conclusion that It Is q very good thing to
help along.
Gen. Harries' Theme.
The army and the national Guard were
the subjects assigned to General George II.
Hairless General Harries said he did not
know what a narrow escape he had from
following the sea as q profession untA
1893. when he was sent to Cuba on trans
port that seemed unified for any other
purpose. It had been both on the top ana
the bottom Of the Atlantic at various times.
he said, and had served In other capac1ueS
as common carrier for almost any kind OF
freight but human. Just before It was an
nexed by tho United States It had BEEN In
the collaborating trade IN Alaska For
this and other reasons Il was considered
lust about the thing to be pressed into
service as a troopship. and the district
regiment happened to be the first TO pc
given the opportunity OF using 1t as SUCH.
A large percentage Of the crew was drunk
when it pulled out of Its dock and another
large percentage was in irons for some al
legged offense. Under these conditions, Cen
eral Harries asserted, 1t became necessary
to take his regiment to man the ship.
One of his majors was in the engine
room and a captain was In the galley,
while another captain and company VI
soldiers were guarding the commlssary
everything aboard. Under these circum-
stances all the inherent traits of the sea-
men were developed In him. General Har-
res continued. and he knew at once now
close he must have come to being sea-
man.
General Harries spoke earnestly OF the
work the National Guard has planned to DO,
and said he hoped that under the new con-
ditions that will be created by the passage
of the bill the Naval Militia Association Is
advocating the naval militia will make the
same progress. He said the battalion here
had gone ahead under the most unfavor-
able circumstances and had done very good
work.
The Naval Militia
Capt. j. W. Miller of New York, COM
mander of the naval militia Of that state.
was asked to speak for the naval militia
Captain Miller is called the Father Of the
Naval Militia by his associates. He was
one Of the first organizers Of sea-going
militia, and his work has been Of the most
thorough sort. He is graduate OF the
Naval Academy at Annapolis. and served
for a number Of years in the regular navy.
Captain Miller told Of the work Of organi-
zation, and said he believed that more had
been accomplished at the meeting in this
city this time than in the past ten years OF
the existence of the organization. He com
mended the patriotism of the officers and
men, and said their conduct in 1898 had re-
f1ected great credit on them.
Other speakers were Lieutenant Com
mander A. B. Fry of New York, Com
mander King of Illinois, Capt. F. H. AveriIl
of Connecticut and Captain Gardiner Sims
of Massachusetts.