Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-01-08

While there are prospects that the
annual cruises of the Naval Reserve
will be held this Summer, there also
is the possibility that during the next
fiscal year, which begins on July l,
next, that the number of drills allowed
the feet Reserve might be cut down.
1t was pointed out that in the esti-
mates sent to Congress there has been
made a reduction in the amount of
money for drills.
However, reduction in the money
sought for drills does not necessarily
mean a cut-down in the number. but
the reduction in appropriation might
be taken care OF by reducing the num-
Der of men in each fleet division. or
by reducing the classes of men in each
rating. The petty officers receive more
pay than the seamen and firemen and
the cut could be made in this way.
However, the proposed language in
the estimates would take out the pro-
vision in the present act providing for
mot to exceed 48 drills per annum,''
so that it would read pay and allow
ances for officers and enlisted men for
the performance of drills
The members Of the Reserved now
drill once week, except for the period
they are on the annual cruises, but it
Is possible that If the funds are cut
these will be cut down, and no
effort will be made to cut the number
of rated men, as, it was pointed out by
Naval Reserve officers, these are the
backbone of the service, the men who
have been highly trained. These men,
it was said, would be more important
than the new seamen. Further, most
Of the men in the higher ratings are
those who not only have seen long
service, with many annual cruises in
the Naval Reserve, but men who saw
actual service on ships of the active
feet during the World War.
The members of the local Reserve
are looking forward to return Of the
annual practice cruises this Summer
The cruises were dispensed with last
Summer as an economy move and feet
Reserve organizations throughout the
country were required to take all of
their training in armories.
The law requires officers and men to
take two weeks of training aboard a
cruising vessel each year and if they
do not do it Of their own accord they
are usually transferred from the fleet
to the Volunteer Reserve, in which lat
ter class they do not receive any pay.
However, because of the state of the
governmental finances, the cruises were
called of last Summer.
Although the regularly ordered cruises
were suspended, nevertheless the Navy
provided opportunity for a
limited number of both officers and men
to take cruises without pay aboard
ships of the fleet. Further opportunity
Is to be given the members of the
Naval Reserve to take one of these
cruises IN Eiohr1laru and March
In this connection Lieut.. w. F. Hinck-
ley U. S. N, inspector-instructor as
signed to the local Reserve battalion,
has sent the following letter to the
commanding officer of the organization,
Lieut. Harold E. Richardson:
THE commandment is in receipt of a
letter from the commander, Destroyer
Squadron 10, which states that the U. S.
S. Golf will be at the Navy Yard,
from February 10 to Febru-
airy %, 1888. 1t is directed that the
LIST Battalion hold its scheduled drills
on board that vessel during the period
in question. 1t is hoped that officers
and men will avail themselves of the
opportunity TO visit the vessel at times
other than regular drill periods.
From February % to March 20, 1888,
the Golf will cruise to various Southern
ports, the tentative schedule being
Miami, Jacksonville, Charleston George
town, S. c., and Norfolk. There will
be vacancies for few fleet officers and
20 enlisted men who desire to take this
cruise without pay. Those who do so
will have to pay their own transporta-
ton from Norfolk, Va, to Washington,
D. c., at the expiration of the trip. In
view of the limited accommodations, the
squadron commander states that he de-
sires only carefully selected men who
will not only benefit by the training, but
will be of assistance to the ship as well.
At least Is per cent of the men taken
should be petty officers and firemen,
first class. distributed equally between