Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1853-12-23

tenn of lortiGcatons This the Secretary sug-
gcsts is not the case, and remarks thai how.
ever it may he hcncclorth viewed the ar,na-
mcnt for important posts IN Texas and ON the
Pacific coast, should he sent at the earliest
period possible After speaking ut length
concerning Increased requirements for the
transportation of stores. it is estimated that
4,OOO recruits will he required for the service
| ot the ensuing wear. 1t is thought that Mt
the present rate of pay, it will he difficult.
while other cmploymcnts offer higher rewards.
to secure the requisite number of men, all
though it is of the utmost Importance that
they should he had. and that the full number
OF rank and file should ho maintained. 1t is
shown ny an examination of the statistics of
tho army from 1876 to the commencement of
the war with Mexico, that the average cXccsn
OF the legal OVER the actua strength of the
army was Is per cent. of the latter that the
average loss by drscrtion has been l2} per
cent; by discharges for debility and other
causes. : per cent; and by deaths only four
per ccnt.-or that the total loss. Independent
! of discharges by expiration Of service, has
been 2;9 per cent. of the entire strength OF
the army. Since the termination of the war
with Mexico, the excess of the legal over the
actual strength has horn ~ rrr crnt tn.
q 'rgcs Tor debility and otter cauS :. : per
cont; Ivy deaths / per cent: or n total loss,
Independent of discharges hy rNlir.tion OF
service, of - per cent. y part q, ~ ''. ."~-
'lpu is due to the discovery OF g., .l , ..,,-
o.uit. The same cause influenced II n,,n-
Der OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS. Thrlralnr,l'. 'uri,
the last five years was l. per- c."t. u
ring the three years immrd'
the war with Mexico. it W. ,- i.,. ...
the numhrr Of disc, arg ....
service. These results a.. .... ...
to two principal causes.
1.-The disparity between tlr ..... ....
Soldier and the value of labor in civil liz.
1.-The fact that length of service carries
with it no reward, either in increased pay,
rank or privilege,
Both these causes are the fruitful sources
of dissatisfaction and dcsrrtion. and they pre-
vent the rc-cnlstmcnt of the most valuable
mon. Thus in an army of III, 900 men, which
is about the actual strength of our military
establishment, as at present organized. there
Will he annually, under existing circum-
stances, of pay and service, 300 discharges
by expiration of enlistment 726 discharges for
disability. Nc.. 80 deaths. and HOO dcSrr-
tons; or 3,Sll vacancies annually, of which
only 2l0 are filled hy rc-cnlstmcnts The
actual annual loss in the army to he supplied
Ivy the enlistment If how men will therefore
he 3.1J4 Or, in other words, more than
one third Of the Army must every year he re-
cruitc1 and transferred from the dcpots to
their regiments. In view Of these experiences.
the Secretary recommends the adoption of
Snrh measures as will prevent DESERT ms and
keep the ranks full. Among such, he sug
g'sts--
An increase or-ccnt. of the present pay
Of the soldier,
An additional increase for each sueccs
sivc period of five yoara, 50 long ny he shall
remain in the army.
3-lrovSipns for the promotion of the
lowest grade of commissioned officers Of such
Of the npn-rommissioncd officers Of the army
as may he found qualified for, and, by their
conduct, character and service, entitled to
such advancement.
1t is also Sugg ,stcd that the sollcr homo
rally discharged, who shall rc-enlist within
one month thereafter. shall be entitled to -
per month in addition to the ordinary pay OF
his grade for the first period of five years,
and il further increase of 81 per month for
each successive period and that those now
IN the army vino have served more than one
period of five years shall be entitled to the
provisions named above and, also. that those
vino received Il certificate of merit for services
in Mexico shall have the additional - per
month.
With ii number Of other recommendations
calculated to render the army more efficient
and capable of enduring the hardships of
active service. the Secretary proceeds t.
speak of the necessity of encouraging rcgu-
larty and uniformity in the militia and in
connection with this su 1jcct, he recommends
providing the militia with the proper books
for tactical instructions The condition Of
the Military Academy i4 lavQrably spoken of,
and the Academic term is, by the Board, re-
commended to be increas ID to five years