Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1917-03-13
~ m - a. ~ "a
RUSH RECRUITING
OF COAST |'''|| PATROL
Owners Of Yachts Along Our
Shores Responding.
WILL EMPLOY FISHERMEN

InicIS iney VIII 10 I"P'SJeS "
Defense Against Submarines-Num-
Der of Enrolled Boats Is Now 1900
on Atlantic Coast.
A call has been sent out by Rear Ad-
miral Usher, commandant OF the,
Brooklyn navy yard, for volunteers
from among the crews of fishing boats
that operate along the Atlantic coast
to join the sea wasp patrol squadron
in defense OF the American coast
against German submarines.
An opportunity will be afforded the
fishermen to capture bigger fish In de-
Tense Of their country than have ever
been entangled in nets or taken by
bait and line. The fishermen. who
are acquainted with every inlet and
bay along the coast will be among the
most valuable men recruited for the
coast defense
Enrolment in the coast defense arm
is going ON at the Brooklyn navy yard
under Captain Patten, Rear Admiral
Usher's aide. From the energetic
measures taken to get the 10000 men
and 1000 patrol boats required to pro-
tect the coast of the Third naval diyi-
sion, which extends from Montauk
to Barnegat and embraces New York,
It appears that the vigorous appeal by
Assistant Secretary of the Navy Roose-
welt recent. made before the New
York Yacht club was the result of
tot .,,:@l %bo o1r,oiO3Sf ~ ZION
for the progressive element.
Urgency of Call.
In spite Of the naval militia cruise
last fall and the enrolling Of motor
boat owners little had actually been
done to organize the sea wasp defense.
Many private yachtsmen and motor
boat owners are now preparing in re-
sponse to Mr.. Roosevelt's appeal to put
their craft into commission at once.
The measures being taken reveal an
entirely different attitude on the part
of the navy administration from that
of few weeks ago, when motOrDoat
organizations that appealed to the gov
ernment for instructions as to what
to do were told that they would not
be needed for the present, but should
hold themselves in readiness for call
from the government. 4
officers of the civilian motorboat
owners organizations say that prac-
tically every yachtsman in the New
York district has already enrolled HIM
self or signiied his intention to do SO.
TO the same extent the power boat
men have agreed to turn over their
boats to the government in one or
three ways. 1t is said that scores OF
well to do yachtsmen in the New York
and Newport districts have prepared
to turn their boats over to the govern
ment absolutely free of charge. Many
owners have agreed to sell at half the
value Of their craft.
The naval coast defense forces are
at present under the commandants of
the naval stations at Boston, Newport,
New York, Philadelphia, Norfolk,
Charleston, Key West. New Orleans.
Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle.
Civilians who have devoted themselves
to the coast defense problem while the
navy administration has been reluc-
tant to cooperate and who are now
redoubling their efforts in response to
Mr.. Roosevelt's appeal regret that the
forces have not Nor the sake of efli-
cheney been organized under central
co-crdinating bureau.
Eighteen Hundred Boats Enrolled.
There are 1880 motorboats on the
Atlantic coast enrolled in the civilian
coast defense organization. Only a
small proportion of these would be
adequate for the heavy work to. be
done outside rivers and harbors. The
work already done will count vastly
in the long run, but in the light of Mr..
Roosevelts declaration that the sea
wasps may beNeeded ut any minute
the actual condition Of the motOrboat
coast defense today is of interest. Ac-
corling to prominent civilians interest
ed in organizing this branch of the
naval defense there is just one boat In
the New York district that is now
ready for duty. That is the Chinga-
chcook, patrol boat No. 10, at the Brook
lyn navy yard. This boat is a sister
to the many boats built by Greenport
(N. ". shipbuilding firm for the Rus
sian government.
The Chingachcook Is now equipped
with a three pound gun aft and ma
chine gun forward. The machine gun
is one Of the old style and 1iZzled last
year when tried in maneuvers.
A censts of the men on the Atlantic
coast ado luately trained for service
with the s,a wasps would give total
of thirty-tSe. These men got their
experience in last years maneuvers
and could man three or four boats If
the boats were available today. These
thirty-five men are all enrolled in the
Newport coast defense division This
division has twelve fast boats that
could go into service within twenty
four hours If properly armed.
Will Go Easy Next Time.
While emphasizing a point during a