The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-27

and make way for generals who can adapt
| themselves 10 the present condition OF af-
fairs. We undertake to say for instance,
that Brcvct Maior-Geu. UProN or Brig
Gen. GLoRGE CnuoK. with 10000 men. can
do all the military service, OF whatever
name or nature. that Is now performed
| by our army of 5000 men, and do il bet
| ter. They would save fully thrco-hfths Of
| the present annual cost, and greatly in
| crease the efficiency OF the army
The reorganization OF tho army may he
accomplished so as to make IL II nucleus
| for a larger force than we now have in
service; and TO this end Congress need not
diminish the number of the regiments in
any arm. BY mastering out and discharg-
ing the inefficient, the number of men and
officers in each regiment should be brought
down so that the eutre force should not
exceed say ten thousand men. The twenty
five regiments OF infantry, reduced to $50
linen and oniccrsl each, would give
force of G,2j0 infantry; the ten regi-
ments OF cavalry, force of 1900 cav
airy; and the five regiments of artillery.
force of 1,2j0 artillery. These might be
meut, of fifty men and officers. The en-
gneer battalion might be reduced in
strength in the same way, thus reducing
the entire force, exclusive Of the stan
corps. to Il. go men and officers. The staff
corps, being composed of selected officers,
should not he materially reduced, but
should be weeded out, consolidated, andpu
on basis Of greater efficiency. Having
charge Of the general administration Of the
army, in times OF peace as well us OF war,
they should be maintained substantially
intact, SO that in case of war the Govern
ment might have at its command a trained
and efficient general stan equal to
any eXigeucy The pay department
should bc dispensed with entirely, and its
duties assigned to the quarternastcr's
department., 10y which they could be more
efficiently and economically performed;
aud the same shodld he done with the
commissary department.
In carrying out such a reorganization,
the great question is, what shall be done
with the superuumerary onicersY Tho an
swcr j. easy retire the superannuated aud
disabled, ana muster out the inefficient
with II years pay. The rest could be used
ms Indian agents. and "a engineers aud sur
veyors 10 replace the hundreds of civil en-
giueers aud surveyors now employed upon
public works and surveysin various pnrtsof
the country. All the graduates of West
Point are educate as engineers and survey
ors. aud even those WIZ are IN the linc can
readily adapt themselves TO such employ
meuts. When IL IL remembered that the
interior Department, Treasury Depart
ment. and War Department, are each
employing n large number OF civilians in
making surveys and explorations on tho
coast aud lakes, a. well as in the interior.
il will be seen that in the concentration OF
these services under one efficient and re-
sponsihlc management, and in the suhsti-
tuition OF trained and experienced army
officers, controlled 10y military disc pliue,
and sub ect to dismissal by sentence OF
courts martial, there IS not only great
room for securing increased economy but
increased efficiency in these departments
of the public service. Why should the
coast survey and lighthouse system be
under the Treasury Department. and the
lake survey under the War Department?
Why should the War Department and the
Interior Department be conducting "A sep
aTate system of surveys and explorations
In the far West7 Why should the en-
gineer department put up buildings for
the army, and the Supervising Architect of
the Treasury for the civil departments Of
the Government These are all questions
which should be considered and disposed
OF in reorganzng the army. We do not
doubt that S2O,0O0O00 can be annually
saved 10 the country by such reduction
OF the army as we have indicated, and
s., 100000 neutrality-suspicious. counting the
additional saving 10 be produced by honest
Enthusiastically transferring tho In
diaus to the supervision OF the War De
partment aud the army officers.