Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-20
NAVAL MILITIA MEETSREPORT on GAS BILL
Members of Association Hold Gainger Measure to Save
Annual Session. 100000 Yearly.
CALL TO SEE PRESIDENT ENACTMENT Is URGED
Secretary Saee Tells Action House Bills Is Indefinitely
of Destroyer Postponed.
DESIRES Foss BILL PASSED SLIDING SCALE CONSIDERED
Wireless Station to Be Exact
Erected Here and me
Members of Association Hold
Annual Session.
CALL TO SEE PRESIDENT
Assistant Secretary Satterlee Tells
of New Destroyer.
DESIRES F0SS BILL PASSED
Lieut.. Commander Davis Describes
Wireless Station to Be
Erected Here.

n new type OF torpedo destroyer tHdl
can be hauled out of water and kept.
when out of commission. easily a
canoe. and of which bakers dozen can
be built for the price OF one of the
present type. was described today by
Herbert l.. Satterlee. assistant secretary
of the navy. in a talk to the members
of the National Naval Militia Associa-
ton in annual session at the New Willard
Hotel.
Mr.. SatterIee spoke of some of the needs
OF the naval militia and said that IL was
vital that the naval militia and the navy
become more closely allied: but his idea
of the new type of torpedo destroyer
aroused the greatest interest. According
to him the harbor and sound defenses
of the country would be tremendously i'm
creased in efficiency by the addition OF
fleet of gasoline propelled torpedo de-
stroyers which would have speed of at
least twenty-five knots an hour. These
mOtor-torpedo boats would be turned owe,
TO the naval militia to defend the harbors
and rivers and the other torpedo boats
could proceed to sea with the fleet in
time of war. They would cost about $50
GD apiece, whereas the price of steam
boats is $4,000.
The assistant secretary said it is diff
cult matter to obtain firemen and en-
gineers of sufficient experience and skill
TO handle the engines of the steam pro-
PEELED boats. but that with gasoline mo-
tors this problem would be made lighter
When not in actual service the boats
described by Mr.. Satterlee can be taken
out of water easily and upon re-entrance
into commission can be started off after
the enemy almost as easily as an auto.
mobile can be cranked.
Wants Foss Bill Passed.
Mr.. Satterlee is much interested in the
F'oss bill, which. If passed. will have the
effect OH the naval militia that the Dick
law has had on the National Guard. He
urged the members of the association tc
act together at the beginning of the next
session of Congress, SO that the early
passage of the bill may be assured He
also recommended a general board fol
the naval militia to consider the military
aspect of all questions affecting the nava
militia. At the close of his talk the
slider such board.
The Naval Militia Association. repre-
scented by delegates from nearly every
sea-coast state, will close its session
this evening with banquet at the New
Willard. The session this morning was
devoted to talks and papers on matters
Of interest to naval men.
Lieut. Commander Cleland Davis
U.S.N.. spoke Of the navys system of
wireless and said that the new high
power wireless station to be erected in
this city will be able to send messages
5000 miles. and would be a source OF
constant maritime information for any
ship equipped with apparatus on the
whole of the north Atlantic.
Commander Charles c. Marsh CSN
said the great need of the naval militia
is exactly the same training as the regu-
lars of the service get. so that the militia
and the navy can become one homoge-
neous body. He advocated the abolish
ment Of the state organizations and the
establishment OF national organization.
He also would like to see foreign cruises
a different one each year. always ending
with target practice.
The history of the naval militia was re-
counted by Capt. J. w. Miller of New
York, the oldest member of the associa-
ton.
Other Addresses and Papers.
Other addresses and papers were: THE
Naval Reserve of Foreign Nations" by
Commander Charles c. Rodgers, USN;
An Abstract of the Rulings of The
Hague Conference on the Conduct OF
Maritime War" by Commander Rodgers
THE Naval Militia for Coast Signaling.
as 1t Was Practically Carried Out During
the Spanish War; by Commander Henry
s. Colding. n. NJ. Georgia
''Desirability of Torpedo Boat Training
for Naval Militia by Commander Fred
H. Wagner. n. NJ. Maryland
Naval Militia Fleet Tactics on the In
land Seas, by Capt. c. F. Purdy, n. NJ,
Illinois.
The Argument for the Organization OF
Naval Militia I'm States Not Having the
Same by Lieut.. F. Van Week. n. NJ,
Maryland.
Duty on Board OF Naval Militia Steam
ers,' by Commander r. Il. Forshew n.
NJ. New York.
The members of the association were
received by the President at the White
House at $50 o'clock this afternoon.
At the meeting today Commander Henry
s. Golding of Georgia. vice president OF
the organization presided.