New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-06-18

TIME LIST Battalion Of the New YORK
Naval Militia will be officially twen-
Il tv years old on June p, and the
members of the organization are preparihe
TO celebrate the occasion with dinner d.
the Hotel Astor on the evening OF tha'
dav and a regatta on the Hudson the loi-
lowing day, followed by smoker III 'ne
evening on board the Granite state whoh
lies moored at 9th street ana the No' u,
River. and which is the headquarters OF
tho battalion in this city. IL Is eNpect'u
that between eight and nine hundred vet
Grams and former members will join in the
celebration. which really marks the ann
versary of the naval militia movement not
only i'm New York but in the United states
as well Among those invited are fresi-
dent Taft. Governor Dix and the secretary
of the Navy. .,..,
New York first thought of naval militia
during the year 1856, when naval reserve
movement was started hy Captain FhiHp
b Low. former naval officer; Aaron van
derbilt and Captain Henry Erben l. > ~
These men were largely instrumental IN
the drafting of bill. II. r. 1852, entitled
"'To Create a Naval Militia This bill did
not become a law, but subsequently lormed
the basis of organization for many OF
the states which afterward took up the
formation Of naval militia. The New
York LEGISLATURE was somewhat SLOW III
recognizing the ideas already set FORTH
but nevertheless a provisional battalion
was formed in New York city, ana by
hard work and considerable self-sacrihce
on the part Of the members its member
ship increased Drills were held IN halis
hired for the purpose. and through the
courtesy Of the Navy Department the MIN
nesota was lent to the battalion for the
purpose of holding drills during the sum-
mer Of 1890 The Minnesota was sold ~
the navy, however, and the provisional pat
TALON was without a place to assemble
Lieutenant Commander Low also retired
about this time. owing to i'll health.
In March. 1891. some enthusiastic yachts
men and former naval officers IN New
York. among whom were W. Butler Dun
can. IT.: Herbert l.. Satterlee, Theodore Z.
Zerega and August Belmont jr. organized
the New York Naval Reserve Association.
This organization thrived from the start,
and upon the retirement of Lieutenant
Commander Low, joined forces with the
provisional battalion under Lieutenant Com
mander Jacob W. Miller who as Captain
Miller at the present time commands the
naval militia Of the state. He is an An
napoHs graduate and has been in the navy
as an officer.
The new battalion gained recruits rap
IDLY. and finally on June %, 1891. New YORK
State recognized the command as part or
the organized militia of the state. and its
members were Mustered into the service OF
the state.
New York nov had a regularly organ
lied body of naval militia. ana with the
exception Of Massachusetts. the first in the
United States. The latter state had passed
a bill enrolling its battalion on March -
800. after New Yorks provisional battal-
ion had been formed. but prior to its OIL
cial recognition by the state. 1t Will thus
be seen that New York can lay claim To
having started the naval reserve IDEA with
her provisional battalion of fifteen ofhcers