The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1917-04-09
RUSH RECRUITING
OF COAST PATROL
Owners Of Yachts Along Our
Shores Responding,
WILL EMPLOY FISHERMEN
Because of Familiarity With Bays and
lnlets They VIII Be Employed For
Defense Against Submarines-Num-
Der OF Enrolled Boats Is Now 1900
on Atlantic Coast.

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 hoats
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 han 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 divt
sion, which extends from Montauk
to Barnegat and embraces New York.
IL appears that the vigorous appeal by
Assistant Secretary OF the Navy Roose-
welt recently made before the New
York Yacht club was the result or a
victory within the navy administration
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 beea
lone 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 a few weeks ago. when m%otorboat
organizations that appealed to the gov
eminent for instructions as TO what
/, to do were told that they would not
: be needed for the present, but should
, hold themselves I'm readiness for a call
from the government.
I Officers of the civilian motorboat
owners organizations say that prac-
tically every yachtsman in the New
York district has already enrolled him
self or signified his intention TO do SO.
:. To the same extent the power boat
men have agreed to turn over their
boats to the government in II OF
three ways. 1t Is said that scores of
well to do yachtsmen I'm 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 commandments OF
: the ma val stations at Boston, Newport,
. New York, Philadelphia, Norfolk,
Charleston, Key West, New Orleans
Chicago, San Francisco and Seattle
. Civilians who have devoted themselves
a TO the coast defense problem while the
j. navy administration has been reluc.
If tant to cooperate and who are now
20 %redoubling their efforts in response Il
is Mr.. Roosevelt's appeal regret that the
forces have not for the sake of ell
lie cheney been organized under a centra
j. co-ordinating bureau.
Eighteen Hundred Boats Enrolled.
! There are 1900 motorboats on the
i Atlantic coast enrolled in the civilian
coast defense organization. Only q
i. small proportion of these would bs
adequate for the heavy work TO bt
IT. done outside rivers and harbors. Tht
n work already done will count vastly
Ia In the long run, but In the light OF Mr.
" Roosevelt's declaration that the SET
wasps may be needed at any minute
the actual condition OF the motorboai
coast defense today Is OF interest. Ac
cording to prominent civilians interest
ed In organizing this branch OF tn,
naval defense there is just one boat IL
the New York district that is nov
I'll ready for duty. That is the Chinga
a chcook, patrol boat No. 10, at the Brook
OF Ign navy yard. This boat is a siste
to the many boats built by a Greenpor
IN. Y) s~hipbuilding firm for the Rus
sian government.
The Chi~ngachcook Is now equippet
with a three pound gun aft and a ma
~ chine gun forward. The machine GU
- is one of the old style and fzzled las
year when tried In aneuv
:" A census of the men on the Atlanti
cast adequately trained for servic
We with the sea wasps would give a tota
~ Of thirty-five. These men got thei
experience in last years maneuver
and could man three or four boats |
= the boats were available today. Thes
is thirty five men are all enrolled in th
err. Newport coast defense division. Thi
tn, division has twelve fast hoats tim
dy -, - - -.,h- -.
lot couiu 20 mto serNice "iIhih twenty
ms four hours If properly armed.
re.