, 1889-11-26
AFFAIRS IN THE ARMY.
The Secretary Of War Presents
His Annual Report.
He Strongly Favors Increasing
the Army,
And Makes Some Recommen-
dations On Desertions.
The War secretary's Views.


WASHINGTON, Nov. 25.-The reportof
Secretary of Wa Proctor has just been
made public. The secretary says:
The major general commanding SUBJ
mits his report Of the operations of the
army for the past year, together with the
reports of the division and department
commanders. These reports are full and
important. They show a satisfactory
state of drill discipline, progress in in
struction of the troops, and improvement
In sanitary arrangements. quarters, water
supply. means of recreation, and other
matters that concern their personal COM
fort and welfare. He recommends the
reorganization of the artillery, making
seven regiments instead of five, and drop
ping the additional first lie~utenants, these
extra subaltern officers being. in his judg-
ment, no longer necessary.
l fully concur in his recommendation
and deem it very important that author
ity for these new regiments should be
granted. In view of the diminished re.
quirement for the use of the army against
the Indians, it may seem at first that no
additional force is required; but even in
times OF the most apparent security the
strength of the army should bear some
proportion to the population of the coun-
try.
From our great increase of population,
the relative strength of the army is rapid,
ly diminishing. In 1870. with an enlisted
strength OF not quite 10000 larger than
now. the ratio of enlisted men to popula-
ton was one eleventh of / per cent, or one
man out OF ] los; in 1880, with the en-
listed strength 200 less than it is now,
one twentieth of l per cent. At the pres
ent time, with a population of 65, 00O,-
600, it is thirty nine one-thousandths, or
less than one twenty-6fth of l per cent,
being one man for every 1869 Of
population. The authorized strength of
the army is now 10000, but only 25, 900
is appropriated for. On the full basis Of
$4,000, its relative strength to population
would still be considerably less than in
1880, and one half what it was in 1870.
The organization Of these W regi-
ments is required by the change in situa-
ton, as a larger proportion OF the force is
needed for sea-coast defense. and it should
be made. if in no other way, by the reor-
ganization of two regiments from the
other arms of the service. But this is
not called for, would not be the best
policy, and | trust will not be considered.
Whether one OF both of these new regi.
ments nay not be OF colored men is
worthy of consideration. There are now
two regiments of infantry and two of cav
airy of colored men, and their record for
good service is excellent. They are neat,
Ar1Arlxr and AhnIta-k n-a o1lN-x I.1..-l.
before our martial, and rarely desert.
They would seem to be especially well
adapted for service at some of the sea-
coast Notifications. and the discipline and
instruction received would benefit them
and be a public good.
THREE BATTALION FORMATION.
Nearly every warlike power has adopted
the liberalization formation of infantry.
Persia, China. and the United States are
almost alone in adhering to the single bat
TALON system. The requirements of our
service have been such as to give scant op-
portunity for the study and trial of new
ideas. During the civil war only the
present exigency could be considered; at
other times our little army has been scat
tered in small ~detachments over our vast
domain. TIE conditions are now changed.
The larger part of the army can soon be
at reeimental or, at least, battalion posts.
The neces -ity of this formation in the
infantry is even greater than in the cavalry
or artillery. where it has long been the
rule. The reason for the change, always
strong, has now, in view OF greater de.
ployment necessary because of the i'm
provements in small arms, becomes in
perative, Generals Grant, Sherman. and
Sheridan have recommended it, and it is
favored by the leading officers in our pres
ent service. From a military standpoint
tho question does not seem to require
evidence or argument. but merely exam
ination and action. With this change and
elimination fthe extra first ~lieutenants
of artillery, the organization of the three
arm. of the service will be. as it should
be, uniform and upon one harmonious
basis.
The secretary does not approve of Gen.
Scho6eld's recommendation that hereafter
officers should be commissioned in the
arm Of the service to which they belong
and not in particular regiments"