, 1888-11-20
Gen. Schofeld's Report.

WASHINGTON. Nov. 49.-Mai. Gen.
Schoield commanding the army, in his
annual report, says:
The past year has been one 4. peace
among Indians formerly so troublesome.
In the division of the Pacific the troops
have been fully occupied in rifle practice
and other duties similar to those of actual
war. In the division of Missouri
with the single exception consisting of
the SUPPRESSION of disorder among the
Crow lndians), the use of troops has
been limited to the prevention of possible
trouble with Indian tribes. The trooos
of the division of the Atlantic have
been fully and constantly occupied.
The system of the practice of artillery
with heavy sea coast guns has been stead
lily developed and now adopted for the en-
tire sea coast of the country, The zeal
and efficiency displayed by officers and
men and the progress already made give
grounds for confidence that the troops
will be fully prepared to handle effective
ly weapons OF modern construction and of
the largest calibre as soon as such weap-
ons can be made and are ready to be
placed in their hands.
Gen. Schoield recommends that Two
regiments be added to the artillery with
out any material change in the number of
officers, necessitating an addition of about
5000 to the number of enlisted men now
allowed by law. Referring to tortifica-
tons, Gen. Schofeld says: During the
past twenty years the necessities of the
service in the Indian country have caused
the posts along the seaboard and the
rnrthnrp -ANNYar t4 h. Aor,.4-1.--1
neglected. The time and circumstances
now seem peculiarly favorable to placing
the seacoast and frontiers of the country
in q state of security. Reference is made
to the impairment of the efficiency of the
army through the absence OF officers from
their regiments or corps.
1t is said that the service would be
greatly benefited ifsuch officers as are dis
abled could be retired and their places
filled by young and active men.
There were 2.436 desertions from the
army during the past year, and the aver
age of assertions for each of the last five
years has been l0.3 per cent. Gen. Scho-
field recommends that rewards for the ar
rest of deserters be increased to 500, to
be taken out of his retained pay; that all
United States marshal, sherifS, police
OLlCCIo, tbC., NC duNuOIlEGu u dTIGSJ anu
deliver deserters; that at least half of the
pay of soldiers hereafter enlisted be re-
tanned until they have fulfilled their con-
tract of service, making an exception in
cases of men known to devote their pay
to the support of dependent relatives.
and that it be made practicable in time of
peace for an enlisted man to dissolve his
contract of enlistment in a manner honor
able 10 himself and Just to the govern
ment by obtaining a discharge with the
forfeiture of so much of his retained pay
as may be necessary to reimburse the
United States for his expenses,
In his report to the major general, Ad-
iut. Gen. Drum also calls attention to
the evil of desertion. which may be greatly
lessened by the adoption of remedial
measures, such as a reduction OF term of
service from five to three years, and the
right to purchase a discharge. Notwith-
standing that every effort has heen made
so far as the recruiting appropriation
would warrant, to secure the necessary
recruits to fill the army, it is still more
than 800 below the authorized strength
of 5000 enlisted men, and many regi-
meuts are greatly reduced.