Regarding the Navy Plattsburg.

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

The Navy Department has authorized a naval training cruise for civilians which will begin on August 15, 1916, and last until September 12, 1916. The country is in need of a naval reserve of at least 100,000 men and, while some of these can be obtained from former officers or enlisted men of the service and others from the mercantile marine, the great majority must come from the ranks of civilians who are engaged in other than maritime pursuits. The course of training will be given on board reserve battleships of the fleet. These ships in reserve have reduced Navy complements on board and this will enable us to take about 500 civilians on each ship. The ships will start from various points along the Atlantic coast--Boston, Newport, New York, Philadelphia, Norfolk, and Charleston. Practically any person in good physical health and between the ages of 19 and 45 can enroll, and the cost of the cruise to each man will be about $30, which will cover the cost of his board and provide him with the necessary Navy outfit of clothes during the four weeks of the cruise.

Applicants who are accepted will be notified to report on board the ship to which they have been assigned at a given time and place, and the first few days will be devoted to familiarizing the men in a general way with what their duties will be, after which the ships will leave their respective naval districts and cruise for a period of about three weeks, taking part as a squadron unit in the big war game which is to be held off the coast by the Atlantic Fleet. The third week will be spent cruising along the coast, and the fourth week each ship returns to the port from which she started and will take part in conjunction with motor boats, coast artillery, etc., in problems of local defence.

Civilian committees are now working in Portland, Boston, Newport, New York, Philadelphia, and other places, and the various recruiting officers throughout the country have charge of the actual enrolment. The routine on board will be similar to that at Plattsburg. A portion of the day will be given up to the study of special subjects which will be largely optional, so that recruits who have aptitude for or knowledge of special subjects, such as navigation, signaling, radio work, steam or electrical engineering, etc., may have an opportunity to specialize, the object being to give everybody a general idea of what Navy routine and the problems of naval defence means. And it is our desire to get as representative a body of men as possible, who, after the cruise, it is believed will become enthusiastic advocates of preparedness and who will spread amongst the people of the country as a whole, who are practically entirely ignorant concerning military and naval matters, real information, about the Navy and what it stands for, and the recruits needs of the service. At the end of the cruise every man will be given a certificate showing the work which he has performed and that for which he would be best qualified in case of war. In addition to this, in case legislation now pending before Congress is enacted into law, opportunity will be given to each man to join, if he so desires, a regular Naval Reserve. F. D. ROOSEVELT, '04,   Assistant Secretary of the Navy.