Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-07-21
HIGH COST or WARNING
EMPHASIZED IN REPORT
Total Expense Incident to American
Revolution Less Than Burden
for Month IL Europe.
SONS OF REVOLUTION MEET
More Than 10000 Historical Rec.
ords Examined, Chiefly in Vir-
ginia, North Carolina and Massn-
chuSettS.

PORTLAND. ORE. July oo.-The
high cost Of warning. when the cam
paigns ce Washington arc COMPARED
to the European conflict. was empha-
sizci in the report Of the registrar
general Of the Sons of the American
Revolution at tho first days session Of
the socicty's twenty sixth annual con-
vention here.
Thomas Jefferson. he said, reviewing
the finances of the revolution. csti-
mated the cost Of the war at An aver
age OF Sl7,5o0,66o = year That sum
now is scarcely more than Great Brit
aims war cost for a single day. The
total cost of the revolution--approx
imatcly sl40.c0O.oO0, covering a period
OF eight ycars--is less than the total
cost OF the European war for month.
The committee on information Of
tho last year in promoting the educa-
ton of the alien population to the nd
vantaEcs OF American citizenship. With
various societies and municipalities
the society has co-opcratcd in cstab-
fishing courses i'm civil government
and other subjects tending to tho ON
lghtcnment OF thOs" of foreign birth.
The committee pointed out that OF III"
1000. 900 souls which pcoplcd IN" thir-
teen colonies. nnc-tifth could not speak
English. onc-half was Of other thnn
Anglo Saxon descent, and even now in
some Of tho States the proportion Of
forcign-born Is as great as 20 p"r
cent.
DETAILED EFFORTS
no EDUCATE ALIENS
Detailed efforts to educate aliens to
the allegiance and obligations OF
American citizenship were described.
Personal letters have been sent TO more
than 1900 Judges Of Federal and state
Courts having Jurisdiction over ma
turalization, urging that the ceremony
IT,. l.. II
be made solemn and impressive one.
II is suggested that on such occasions
the presiding judge or some citizen OF
high standing in ;hc community adj
dress tho prospective citizens upon the
importance OF the act OF transferring
allegiance from one nation to another
and tho obligations which accompany
H. The committee expressly recon-
nended the promotion Of such meet
inEs as that held in Philadelphia on
May 10. last. when President Wilson
addressed several thousand recently
natural!zcd Americans and welcomed
them 70 the privilege Of American In
stitutions.
Much Ignorance the committee re
ported. had been found among school
children, and even adults. regarding
the Constitution Of tho United states.
In many parts of the country 1t was
: found that fundamental document was
no, FOR sale in ready form. Tho society
recently has distributed 100000 copies
20 night schools and settlements OF
aliens.
While much OF a statistical nature
has been preserved and handed down
relating TO the Continental armies. tho
little navy which carried the newest
flag TO tho seven seas has not Jared so
well careful study has been CON
Quoted. however. for the committee on
military and naval records by Rear
Admiral Chester, and his researches.
reported by the committee to-day.
show there were In the regular Con-
tinental navy sixty-four vessels.
mounting 1922 guns. while the volun-
teer private armed feet outnumbcrcd
II with 1850 vessels and $1,000 guns.
British vessels 10 the number OF I97
were captured, and with their cargOcs.
were valued at s2i 5000, 900 The Amer
iCan navy mustered then about 20, coo
men. and n ma jority OF the names OF
those heroes were not left for pos
ter!ty. The navy won 20 per cent OF
its engagements: the army won 40.
Researches now being prosecuted in
State archives and collections OF his
torical societies. as well as private
collections of manuscripts to make as
complete rs practicable a publication
by the government OF the Continental
army and navy muster roll More than
10000 records have been found so far
chiefly in Massa chusctts. Virginia and
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