The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-26
REORGANzING THE ARMr.
Nr. Banning's BiIi ns Revised In Committee
saving &s,OO0.OOO.


WASHINGTON, March 2j-Mr. Banning re-
ported to-day the bill for the reorganization Of
the army. II has been twice revised by the
Committee on Military Affairs passed upon by
the Executive Committee of the Democratic
caucus and win be again submitted to the
caucus for final action. In its present shape it
may bc accepted as the plan to whose final
adoption. either rs I'm independent hill or as Il
part Of the Army Appropriation bill the
Democratic majority in the House will stand
pledged. Its enactment will reduce the
expenditure on the army by s6,00O.0OO 1t
will reduce the army from twentyi five thousand
to 10000 mon. 1t so reduces the number Of
commissioned officers that this reduction in
the size Of the army reduces the number of bay
onets available for service not moro than 100.
ms stated by an un!ayorabe estimate. II is
doubtful If the reduction will be as large, Upon
the Same principle the reduction in the staff of
the army is treble that made in the line. BY
many officers avcrsc to any reduction the bill is
accepted rs Offering Il more homogeneous
scheme at once for the reduction and rcorgani-
cation OF the army than any presented of late
years
The army outlined in the bill will consist Of
twenty five regiments. instead Of forty com
mundrd by MAJOR General and three Brga-
dinr-ticncrai4 Ia General. Lieutenant General,
three Maori -Genrrals and six Brigadiars is the
prcscnt complement. with seven staff depart
mcnts instead Of eight. and n corps Of cni:,-
necrs The quasi department implied in the
Bureau OF Military Justice is wholly abolished.
with the exception of the Department of Sup
plies formed by consolidating the Quartermas-
ter's and Subsistence Departments. No staff
department is 10 be- commanded by nm officer
higher than II Colonel. All are now commanded
by Brigndicr- Generals. Promotion is checked
in the Medical and Ordnance Departments. as
well ns in the Corps of Engineers. the Secretary
of War being charged With preparing plan Tor
I'll" reduction Of the first. and u board conSstng
of the three MalOr-G rnrras IL constituted To- re-
wise the organization of the Corps of Engineers
and the Ordnance Depurmrni.
The new urniy VIII nave six cavalry, four ar
till"ry and fifteen infantry regiments. instead of
ten, five. and twenty-five. as AT Present The
company organization oi cavalry - changed 10y
EiNln-. two Second Ilcutennn,s instead of one
and tho number of privatrs Is not to cNrecd 100.
TIA" organization Of the artillery regiments il
not unchanged. The infantry regiments are to
haNr two Majors instead OF one, and their COM
uanles Of which th"re are 20 be- but eight. save
when Congress increases them to twelve. are to
hay two So 'ond Lieut. naiii- ami not loss than
eighty privutr- Other r,gmental and COM
piny Officers remain unchanged.
In the stan IN" Quar,ernnstcr and Com
miSsury Departments are cun~nhdated in the
manded 10y onr Of the two oifi rers Townsend
and Meics. now at the head ot the departments.
the other To- act rs inspector. both retaining the
rank ct Brlgadirr. and. when vacancy o'rurs.
this dep pnrtrirrt. lik" tn" other stall depart
nents. IS To- be commanded by "a Colonel. The
9TH r. departments remain uu hanged rs to
duty. rodu riion brine mad~onlv IN number and
stan rank. h" Juu." Advocate" General and
/ -FOUR judge AlNocatCs are mustered ont. and Il
single judge Advocate. w.ththe rank of Colonel.
| L. TO perform these dutlgs. Nn sian details arc
To- be- made hereafter until after live wears
nine aides. there will ns seventeen. The num-
| Der oi commissioned officers proposed 10y the