New Britain herald., 1915-01-26
CONNECTICUT NAVAL
 MILITIA RANKS FIRST
Most Efficient of al Organizations
 on Naval Cruises.


 by officers of the United States navy OF the naval militia cruises of 1914, just issued Captain c. $. Williams Of the l.. $. $. Rhode Island. on which the Connecticut, Rhode Island Maine, Missouri. New Jersey District of Columbia, North Carolina and Pennsylvania militia made cruises says that the Connecticut militia was the most efficient of all and pays tribute to Commander H. J. Hill, Jr, it's commanding officer. The reports of other officers on board the Rhode Island also rate the Connecticut or ganizat ton highly.
 Speaking of the Connecticut Naval Militia in his report Captain Williams says: This organization was, in my opinion, the most efficient of all. The
 discipline and clea nliness was very good. The enlisted personnel. as q whole, is ready to muster into the service, though probably not all at their respective ratings. The com handing officer is a very efficient officer possessing to a marked degree the natural qualities desirable in naval officer. The other officers ap- peared as a rule to be ambitious. ener- getic and in1bued with military spirit" F#
 Praise From Other Officers.
 Not only does Captain Williams thus praise the Connecticut citizen tars. but the reports of the other officers of the United States navy on the cruise are in the same vein. Says Lieutenant H. l.. Pence. after characterizing the Missouri militia as so small as to be lost in the shuffle: with respect to the other organizat tions I would rank them in all around efficiency as fol- lows: Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island. Maine, District of Columbia, North Carolina
 "As regards the qualifications of the officers to perform the duties of their grade, none were qualified. The nearest approach to this condition was the commanding officer of the Connecticut Naval Militia. I believe l him qualified for a. commission of 1 lieutenant commander in the regular l service. I believe that an officer of 1 the naval militia should at least be l competent to hold a com omission in 1 the naval militia which is not more l than one rank above what he would 1 hold in the regular service. The ideal l condition would be for him to have equal rank and that condition should ] be striven for. In this connection 1 would like to suggest that an officer school of some kind would be a valu- able adjunct to the state militias."
 In his report he also praises Com mander Hill on his navigating ability. He says: ''In the two recent cruises was assigned to instruct the ad- vanced class in navigation. During he second cruise I had three out of the four commanding officers, and about two officers of the lower grades. Of the latter commanding officers, only one, the commanding officers of the Connecticut detachment, is qualified navigator. He is the only officer coming under my observation in any of the attachments who is qualified for deep sea navigation On the second cruise to which Lieu tenant Pence refers were the Con- necticut, Rhode Island, Maine and Missouri attachments. The other de- tachments were on a separate cruise.
 Desirable Addition to Navy.
 In the reports on the engineering forces on the appearance of the men and on gunnery, there IS also much praise for Connecticut from the l1n1tGd | acers of this (the Connecticut) or Lieutenant c. T. Meyers of the engineering force, says. were too numerous in proportion to the total engineering force. The engineer ing force of this organization is eff fcient and was by far the best of any of those in the cruise. Two warrant officers hold unlimited licenses for ocean going ships and one warrant 1 officer holds a license for 5000 tons or less. I believe the engineering force of this organization would be a very desirable addition to the navy in time of war; The Connecticut de- tachment had on the cruise three chief machinists mates, two ma chinist's mates of the first class, one m chinist's mate of the second class, four firemen of the first class, two firemen of the second class, eleven coal-passers and four engineer off, cers In regard to the appearance of the men Lieutenant Meyers says: ''rThe Connecticut and Missouri or eanizations presented a remarkably neat and orderly appearance.'
 Interested in Gunnery.
 Lieutenant w. R. VanAuken, in his report on gunnery, says: "The officers and men (of the Connecticut detach-