The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-11-17
MILITARY NOTES.


The twelfth section Of tie Military law provides
that the National Guard. in time OF peace shan not
exceed the number OF 10000, non.commissionea
officers, musicians ana priyases which shall be re-
tanned from the present organization.
The lale Inspection shows the total number
present ana absent good, bad and Indifferent, OF
the First division to be little over TO- 600 men OF all
classes ana the number OF .1e Sec ond division 70 DO
about 1900 OF all classes, making the to'ai Oh pol
divisions 1900. There Ia both QiVlslohs aoou'
LOO commissioned oifcers, which deducted nSll.
the II, 400 would leave l2,a00 as the force Of
both divisions in ''non-commissioncd officers, musi-
clans and prvaies." The actual force present ut in-
specton In both divisions was, however, fraction
over 900 mea. The cities OF New York and Brooklyn
contain about elght-enths OF the actual whole force
Of the National Guard the country organizations
being chiefly on paper. Now, would the military
authorities please let the public know IL the force Of
the National Guard Is TO be retained ut 10000, as
ANNOUNCED In late orders. ana, the law requiring
that that number shall be retained from the present
organization, how any disbandments or consolida
tions can be made. National Guard OF the Whole
state ut the present hour being certainly inside Of
10000, non-commssiOned officers aud priyatcs? The
Governor certainly has the power to reduce the
force below 10000; but by ORDERS that number has
been fixed upon, ANA any reduction IN the some
times turbulent cltg OF New YORK should be often
and carefully considered before being acted upon.
In the country NO National Guard IS necessary mere
In New York the peace OF the city would not be
secure IN hour III It's absence
II Is stated from the very best authority thar no
proposition wnatever has ever been made IN The
seventh regiment to reduce The rate Land down
in the tactics Tor the motions or the manual
AZ arms from the ninctleth TO the sixty-seventn
and half part oil mlnIte. II tins be so
then there Is screw loose somewhere In one OF the
companies. Tan ii be denied That the communicate
OF one company was not told that he drilled his men
too fast The uriied Jeli according TO Opton tnat he
should reduce the rate to conform with that OF the
other companies, and tnat strict observation aud
calculation, watcn in hand showed That the average
rate Of the drilling OF tue ''oher companies wa,
the SlXty-seyen and hail. or at best sixty
ninth part OF mlnutes There Is one
thing certain, That the Seventh, whether 1t has
changed the rate Of the motions or during the
past Twelve years." goes through the manual alto
getier too slowly one OF the pest tactlcans IN che
army, ana Tor maBy years an instructor ut West
Point, noticed this SOWnes5 at the last Inspection
expressing gr2at surprise when he was told that the
rate he bcneid was The usual rate followed by the
Seventh. But who VIII decide when doctors dis.
agree?
Colonel Rockafelar has put his foot down firmly
and Is determined, possible to ferret out the last
young men who disgraced the UNIFORM OF the
seyenty-1rst the other night. And here leu 1t De
SAID that 1t Is not the duty Oh newspaper 10 draw
up an indictment against the individuals VINO forgot
themselves badly the occasion referred To ana
give taelr names and their personal appearance,
and the way they walked and talked and all that
IL was sufficient Tor the pa5Sefs by IN broadway taae
the men conducting themselves badly wore the uni
form OF q certain Wcll-knOwn regiment. Tney carea
not what companies they belonged TO or wnat the
mems names were. The knowledge OF all thai
would not make the disgrace any tue greater less
the officers OF the regInent should be the ones To
prosecute the blenders. 1t VIII certalay be dlfi-
cnt task to find out the guilty Ones for ''Ou,-
sdero VIII care to make himself prosecutor,
II he knew the parties. ii they are not found out IL
is to be- hoped that tie disgrace they have brought
upon the TAR name OF their regiment VIII be lesson
to them and to members OF other regiments to taKe
care in the future now they act In the streets In
Uniform. The press Argus-eycd and never sleeps,
and the men who "tak notes'' are ubiquitous.
Company q, SXty-nnth regiment had their an
nuai Dali last FRIDAY evening. The affair was very
pleasant One and the fair friends OF the members OF
the company turned out in fun ana blooming force
to lend eeot To tue occasion. The festivities did
break up until q late hour.
When Will officers Of the militia who allow their
names 10 be proposed for vacant commissions give up
the ridiculous habit, wnen elected or asAing Tor "a
week or ten days. to consider whether not they
VIII accept me iaea Is prep0sterous. Don't they
know very we'll when they allow their names to be
used that they may be elected as easily defeated
even though the chances lean towards defeat
WHAT good purpose is served by the hablts Ger.
tainly none that does the militia any good. 1t may
be that to have u ''deiegaton" or two made w OF
Major PompOsity's personal friends VINO ''ior u
week or ten days" beg the major not to decline an
Office which he has no idea OF declining, Is pleasant
thing n one Is over given to vanity. But do put an
end to 1T, gentlemen. iou are only laughed at for
your pains.