The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-11-30
NAVAL MILITIA
100000 FOR A WITH
WATER FORCE.
Aid Promised by Washington i'm Same
Proportion as That Allowed
for Guard.

The naval militia is to be put upon the
same basis as the land militia, so far as
government appropriations are concerned.
This news comes as n source OF great
satisfaction to local naval militia Officers,
who have thus far been compelled to
maintain their organizations with but
small aid from the government
Trueman II. Newberry, Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy, has just sent ont a cir
cular letter TO all OF the States which
maintain naval forces. to the effect that
the sum OF 100000 will be included in the
naval estimates for the next fiscal year
for arms, aecoutrements, signal and
medical outfits. boats, their equipment and
maintenance, fuel and clothing and the
printing or purchase Of necessary books OF
instruction for the naval militia of the
various States. Territories and the District
OF Columbia, under such regulations as
the Secretary OF the Navy may prescribe"
This sum OF 100000 was decided upon
as the proper amount for the reason that
IL is about the same proportionate sum
as is regularly appropriated annually for
maintaining the land militia forces of the
several States, the amount appropriated
for maintenance of the land militia for
the current year being $4,000 900, which
with a total strength of 105, 2lS, allows
about $40 per capita. The same proportion
OF $10S ,000-just 5000 more than will be
asked for.
The item repairs to ships has been
omitted from the estimate TO be submitted
to the incoming Congress, and that of
medical outfits" has been added. The
bureaus of construction and repairs, equip
ment and steam engineers have been di-
rected to include In the amounts of their
estimates for repairs 70 ships 100000 and
$500 to SCI, coo, respectively, for necessary
work during the year on vessels loaned to
the various States for use by the naval
militia. With the cost of these repairs
thus borne by the appropriations of the
several bureaus to which they pertain, 1t
is believed that 100000 in place of 10000,
the amount of last years appropriation,
ought to be sufficient for the several pur-
poses named in the amended estimate.
The Navy Department at Washington
purposes to inaugurate as soon as possible
a simple and uniform system, according to
which the several States having naval
militia may hereafter render accounts for
the government naval property committed
to their care. and such accounts when es-
tablished ma be so maintained as to yield
a maximum of usefulness with a minimum
OF paper, work and trouble to all con-
cerned.
AS the first step In that direction, every
naval militia organization has been direct
ed to determine the exact amount and
condition of property now on hand and to
ascertain, where practicable, what has be-
come OF those articles which are missing.
Special forms were furnished each organi-
cation upon which to make reports which
were to be forwarded to the paymaster-
general OF the navy.
The Naval Reserve Of New Jersey took O
complete inventory OF all property in its
care last week. and the special forms all
filled out have already been returned to
Washington. Combined with this special
work for the Navy Department, the COM
handing officer Of the naval forces of the
State ordered the annual inspection.
Usually the inspection does not take place
mil late in January.
The department hopes that the bill to
established a naval militia and define its
relations TO tho general government, -
which passed the House at the last ses-
sion Of Congress and failed to pass the
Senate. will be reintroduced and will be
passed at the next session, so that the
Navy Department may be enabled TO ex-
ercise a closer supervision and control
over naval militia, to adopt a standard
oIRanizs ton, a systematic scheme OF drill
and instruction and 70 pay officers and
men for their time when called out for
duty or drill by the Navy Department