Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-11-03
MAKING CIVILIAN
SAILORS
CONTINUED From Editorial Page. ]
By Frederic ]. Haskin

rlous states had grown to strength of
about 1000. When volunteers were
called for from among these organiza-
tions there were more than 1000 men
who responded, this being possible on
account of the return of many men
who had left the service.
There were S56 volunteer naval Of
ficers in the Spanish American War
who had been trained in the naval
militia. These officers and men per-
formed very important service. Many
of them went direct to the fighting
ships of the fleet. Many others served
in the coast guard and signal corps.
Numbers of yachts and other vessels
were converted into war craft and
cruiSed up and down the coasts These
vessels were usually manned by ma
val militiamen with single officer
from the regular service. There were
ten monitors in this auxiliary naval
force, besides ten yachts. five tugs and
Al other vessels. Their patrol of the
coasts and mine fields was an effective
protection.
This showing in the Spanish Ameri-
can War placed the naval militia on
its feet The following year there
this service. The federal government
was loaning naval officers for their
drilling. and asking appropriations
from which to provide them with uni
forms. guns and ammunition.
This year the Navy Department has
total of S450,000 that it is author
lied to spend on the naval militia
This is considerably augmented by
State funds which are still appro-
priated for the aid OF these establish
ments.
Full Equipment
Federal money is used, in the first
place, for the purchase of uniforms.
Nnn1 fes 1n1 ktrfHI
lar army rife and 100 rounds of am
munition. Officers are given revol-
vers and ammunition for practice.
Then every naval reserve armory must
have its loading machines. These
contrivances are dummies which rep
resent the big guns aboard ship. These
big guns require crews of different
sizes ranging from three to twenty.
Their loading is a matter of team
work and requires a great deal of
drilling before the crews become pro-
ficient.
But the final event of the year, for
which the federal government now
pays, is the annual cruise. Every or
ganization in every State has few
weeks aboard ship each year. While
officers and privates are on this cruise
they receive the same compensation
that is paid to men of similar rank
in the regular army. IL their service
iSIuiiS Go any lTaNSi, LHey llhSWlSe re-
ceive transportation such as naval Of
ficers and men are given.
A still more interesting phase of the
naval militia work is the development
of the aero corps. The Aero Club of
America has arranged to cooperate
directly with different States and fur
nish volunteer aviators, mechanicians
and machines. New York already has
its corps established. The District of
Columbia has commissioned an avia-
ton officer. who is an active fiier, and
he is starting the development of n
corps. Cleveland and Chicago like
wise will soon have men able to take
to the air and furnish the eyes that
have now become so necessary i'm war.
AS the United States is particularly
lacking in aviators. it is held that this
branch of the naval militia will be of
specially valuable service in time Of
mead