The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-01-04
Question Promises to Cause
No Little Interest in
Congress.
MUCH OPPOSITION
IN SEAMEN'S RANKS
Their Protest Is Voiced by Official
Of the Navy De
paTtment-

The agitation over the question Of
establishing a naval reserve is stirring
Up no little interest in the Navy De
rartment, and VIII no doubt be much
felt in Congress before the winter IS
far advanced
Assistant Secretary Of the Navy Beck
man Winthrop lately spoke out Tor a
naval reserve OF IO.n39 men before the
House Naval Affairs CUumittee- and
there VIII be q bin urged on Congress
70 make provision for such a reserve.
Contrary 20 what might be supposed,
there IS much opposition among the
ranks Of experienced seameu TO the
naval reserve idea unless IL IS most
carefully restricted The "seafarin'
man doesn't Ike the f5ea Of a naval
reserve made I'D OF folks who never
shifted salt water and don't know the
difference between a havser and mar
in spike He doesn't want a naval re-
serve made up4of amateurs
In the eyes OF experienced seamen. there
Il q wide gap between the naval militia
as now constituted and the right sort
OF naval reserve II may be expected
that violent opposition 70 any plan OF
making the naval militia a naval re-
serve will crop out when Congress
takes I'D the question
Ssamen's Objection
An official OF the Navy Department
who his given study 20 the subject. and
Who has seen much sea experience him
self. today voiced his objections to a
naval reserve unless Il was made I'd
as are the naval reserves Of England
and Germany. OF ssa-Eo{ng men His
opinion IS representative OF the opinions
Of sea-EOinE men quite generally
1t viii be vel 70 note said he, the
failure TO diTereutfate between the two
forces. q naval reserve and the naval
militia
The measure which established the
naval militia provided for the enrolment
or Sea-1arlnE men and others connected
with ships But The a-raugemeuL OF
drills weekly prevented sea-E0lng men
joining and the result is an organization
OF men or entirely different training,
men VINO know little OK ships and the
sea- Differed by their fellows equally
without experience and generally
chosen because OF social and financial
considerations
Little Real Practice.
The drills amount 10 little. especially
that OF the manual OF arms. which IS as
useless at sea as cavalry exercise. AT
The end Of a three years tenn OF en-
lstment the men VIII have had, with
two hours q week and two weeks
u
days instruction, Of which tventy-six
were in port lied up TO dock
The lowest certificate OF license IS
sued By steamboat inspectors OF the
British board Of trade calls fo- four
years al sea. standing watch and watch.
day and night The men Of the naval
militia DO not get sufficient experience
70 give them any standing ~ Whatever
VIII the sea-EciuE fraternity Their
a1s-A WVLlA EEIl=-rTT1Er.-.T ne thar ID
lEncSmen- Roosevelt said that by train
-hg tley were marines and should be
GseQ ID mat capacity
On the other hand. q naval reserve
5lch as that OF England 1r many OF
L9e continental countries TS couuoraF
y E1e best men OF large merchant
s9IF1ces- EnE-a1d has given commits
slons 70 l-5oc deck officers and 100 en-
Elneer5. besides rating 10 $500 men all
oL WON are proficient In their resDec-
I'VE eLnptCyr-eDt5 and need only twelve
weeks instruction IN lines peculiar 10
me navy in three years, and this In
suit the convenience and available time
n port OF the individual
Private Training Ships
'~The training Of officers Is considered
- important that the international Me-
chant MsriIs and the North German
LAoy6s each maintain their own zo-4s-e
rigged ships at sea for the purpose. THe
Cunaru, White star and many other
Ines take no Officer who has not had
experience IN sail In fact an unlimited
license Tor the British Board OF Trade
requires this Thea average officer IN
the American merchant marine y-or7I7
consider II an insult II asked il he be-
longed 70 the naval militia and a com
pliDent 81 asked II he had belonged 10
the British naval reserve 1t Is un-
reasonable TO expect professional men or
even those before the mast TO class
themselves with amateurs-H
This official insisted further that II
there was 10 be an American naval re-
serve q should be built Up from the sea
going men on American merchant shius-
He would pay subsidies 20 vessels car
TyIuE reserve officers and crews and
prOvidel for training IN sailing ships.
which he contends is the best school OF
tho sailor.