The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-12-02
The Increase OF the Army and the Marine
Corps.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
The posture OF Affairs the West, especially tho
,ude Of Brigham Young and his followers and hs Indian
allies renders the necessity nm increase Of our army
apparent TO ALL The present Secretary Of War under.
stood 10 be in favor Of augmentation Of the regular
force standard commensurate with the extent Of our
territory.
With vast line Of coast greatly increased by the
annexation of Texas and California and the occupson Of
Oregon artlerythe proper arm for its defencchas
remained to numerical strength nearly where was
left the reduction OF the army The close Of the war
Of 1872 In consequence Of It's being Withdrawn for duty
infantry elsewhere Of the important fort.
hcstons, this vicinity, abandoned or in
charge Of only; and, without sufficient force TO
keep them repair will eventually he restored probs-
bly, greater cost than would have suiced for the
tenance 81 proper Earrisons.
While the efficiency % the artillery offensive arm
glorous Illustrated Al Vera Cruz and In every battle
Held during the Mexican war from the opening onade
at Palo Alto to the uumpha entry Of troops into the
national capital, u seems strange thai greater enort
should not have been made the part ofour
10 foster and provide for its future usefulness Artillery
troops he Al all times available infantry bat the
latter be easily transformed into the former
owing ~ tho greater skin and practice required In the
proper Of cannon aud the fact that all aterymcn
nrc first narncted 10 the manual OF small arms and the
exercises Of foot soldiers.
one the eG-ctual ways OF adding the value os
the artillery well a. 10 promote the efficiency Of the
marine corps, would ne N incorporate the tvo We
should longer follow the old eDes European systems
growing wants of our country. With an additional
Der q regiments Of artillery, one could always
he made available for - sea service We viii few
OF the advantages which would result from such
rangCmcnt
In the place. tho corps would to cxst
In its anomalous position. neither sshr- soldiers
being somew hat Ike the amphibous animal described by
the neran' Snowman, A. one what cant live land
and dies ia the water hybrid race whose galantry as
individuals has alone enabled them a corps 20 bear
up against the rude attacks Of dogs and and
crabs" As graduates Of tho Military Academy 1T West
Point with all the advantages Of professional education
they or their substitutes would henceorth compare "a
voraoy with any body o mon IN the world and would no
longer be deprived ~ that training and mental dsc pine
which the nation has provided for all other q her military
c'cers, even for those o. the navy as IN the school
Gently established at Annapolis Educated fully in I'll that
pertains t0 the science 0i and with knowledge ~
two ~ tho modern languages taught West Point
their services a corps Of observation abroad would
be invaluable N the government Detailed on foreign
service they could 10 made continually TO perform com.
pieley and satisfactorily. duties which nocns
sary mpcreoty accomplished by tho boards q officers,
which, from time time ordered into the
details Of some military matter IN European countries,
where they dependent for their entirely upon
the courtesy Of the authorities in admitting and recoe
nzng them ~ Their thus organized capacity " Is DIM
cult 20 estimate the amount ~ useful information which
who being frequently changed each regiment was de-
tailed IN ie turn. would be stimulated % inquiry BIZ
novelty as well a. by professional pride and patriotism
II h easily seen that In the Of tho employment ~
the crews N shire squa1rons ashore. how effective
would be small force Of and officers Instructed
proposed and familiar III the service of light or fca
batteries or a scge train when IN possession az an
encmy's terrltoryas tho case during the war with
Hexcothey would always anuclcus upon which
10 form bodies OF skull troops and with officers compe.
tent 10 instruct Them mounted men, n required
The army and navy thus brought close and daily
tact, the efficiency Of both would he increased, and
united service In reality Learning 10 value and
respect and 10 depend upon each other the petty ical.
ouses which are nov sometimes found and the disposition
mot always ohecked) 10 dsparage one another would
disappear and the greatest step towards progress
and army and navy relsrm" be accomplished.
We hone that Congress and the proper heads Of depart
mets will give the the earliest The
marine corIs Z already organized regiment and the
only obstacle 10 the way Of The desired change perhaps
the stan existing al Washington, but who should and
would not really suffer by L. The officers most interested
are favor ~ H.