, 1870-03-14

To fht Editor o} The CAtta3o TribuN,
In your editorial On 1.-THE Reduction Of the
Arn5,'' In your 1aa1e Of February 9, Jou make one
tIsteneut which desire to correct Tou say
that, "There are 70 Day = large ra0bcr OF volun-
reer [contract} futgeona sili In Tho Medical De-
farsreut Ct ,ne army" "TneJ. aud aH Ike on
Gers now on waiting orders' Of taeu oxn election,
enould be EuBtesed OUT" Toere 2te 10 volon-
tcer su1aetDAfnoN serJtEG IN the Gny-b1t many
contract surgeons. And what do Jou understand
by cont.ac, eurgeona: In your nulsuu de.standtng
Of the term lies the error. They are not commits
stoned olncers< and consequently cannot be
Mustered out i physician nnakes =
.tcontrart with Medical DIRECTOR, OF
the Surgeon General. to serve tAres month"; 0, IN
y, either desires 10 terminate the contract which
tine u at The option Of either party. They are
simply hired, as the Qaayte1,ralter hires me.
cnan.c. Why are snere " many" IN the serr1ce:
B{eAuae 1hefe are TO: regular commissioned sur
ceons enough to supply the need1 OF the army.
There are 80 posts tults1j} in the cou asry, and
nut 15o d11Geurs-couEress having. lass winter
{es-,es>, stopped I'll appointments to the Medical
Corps OF the army. As the: uoops nust have
ueGtta. attendance, "couHAct1" Du1s be made.
ard The exptIse 70 'ne e., Ssserpmeat ~ ~ mnsa
| al talent tom mettmes ontalped, for thoroughly
| eoncA,ed nan Etll 20: enter The army On 10 m
Tnerc are no rnedtcA. officers awaiting order4'
mt their o4n frQue1t." or o:ter H1te.-s1 tAc. It
| Is 1tflcu1t for kurEtoo VINO 1A4 tcfte1 on the
frcnr1ef for yek19 to get even "1c4ve" to WHIT
| n,s u,t1cs il ync Esst; there IS no one 70 take
! his piAee The government: has 10 ho.d over .
| Hcontr4ct," Tot At any tine be esu throw up.his
I" ocnfrxct- 4ud le3ve IN AZItASa or bis cost.
| n meotcslty, In nttte confusion do not nnA1 to
s4F that I'll do 30 fot theft efe many esunaa.e
/ rusn amor z them. aRTet Vita Joo IL regard 70
| me Par Department The WORT nnE done bJ the
ai1:y Naio4s In that department csn b done With
greater sdGnnt&ke to tne service By the QuAetcr-
| raster 1t each poat, monthly, or even dAiJ, a y
| tre custom Id tho ETttan Amy. My aao71d
! fney rot furnish money, II we'll as 1oo1 or
CO hibE- Then, ~ every post nua nave Quar-
| teEnA1ter or CoUNitsa1y. instead OF, - u now
dore, taktpE m utncer frou company 70 acS IN
| thkr capacity, thu2 injuruX tae aGciercJ Of that
cuupapy, the cG1eers now an "waittug orders II
might be detailed for such duty, thus absorbing 4
ls|Ke 1uub Ter Of tne &po- Tn.s Is done to I Ger.
taln eI'ent, put rot generally. Thus. u economy
IL TIE de4i1c Of CotRrest, Eooscr oot the Pay DE-
| pertinent, consolidate the Qua1te1tna&ter a1d
| CpU UulssA13 departments, ktop promotion IN the
| cavalry and aIslery uurl tnoae :. waiting ofdera ,
| sre absorbed, And soon there vii none rena.r
ultuplo3 Cd bat hs1r, q : rial nte<ss't9. resume
sppolosmenta IN the Medical C:rps But npa!!y
| fatk Why reduces tbe army 1t al: Il u nos nov
| are etough TO protect the fronoeTa- Had 1
ntep a. orr e1nlIed July, 1866, the e1pendltufo ol
$50, 100 IN MootatA for u1nit, and the seIT1ce o
| rffstrcept Of volunteer in kA1tAa tnotofsousl,
eIpretve, generally. ~ compared with reGulaT1
"ou'1 AZ ARxr OFFICE,
: Forr Fx77KkxH, March ], ls'n