New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-25
Pr. CT. of desertions.
7 i T.
Average ----------
Year. / Enlist Deer enlisted TO tolA -, ,,..
tons strength strength Oh 10 ehllsV'
I Lar ArpnV
The causes assigned sre too TO recapituate

The causes assigned too numerous TO recapltuiate
restsessness restraints OF discipline dsappon
ent Mt the details OF the service OF its lack Of In
ducemens dissipation and. in some cases. itea'lnent
are generally the found to exist while some de-
serers undoubtedly professional reporters anu OeoK
to the vicious criminal classes
Invest cation does net disclose that h-oeameht pre-
;als 10 any appreciate Unnecessary restraint
should be removed soldiers life in post be maao
as comfortable pleasant possible 1t is believed
that the establishment Of caneens. which VIII soh 10
great extent take the place Of the postraders STORE VIII
be slutary.
To a considerable extent the remedies lie with Con-
rress and 1 submit the following recommendations
l. Make tn. pay Of non.commissoned onicers OF IN
fantry cavalry and artillery the established
BY law for like grades in the Engineers. More bright
and ambitious young might be thus Educe1 TO enter
the service.
o Civ, the soldier an opportunity improve him
self that when he the service he may be better
fitted for civil lse than when he entered It, Post schools
should be established.
g. Authorize re.enlistuents for more years at
post where sod.hr ~ discharged. A man VIII some
times re.enlst for short time when he will not for the
full term. Men reenised for short term would not
desert
L. Make code punishment suited to times Of roace
which is arbitrary but more certain SUBJECT whch
I t.eat elsewhere under the head OF military lawI
Other points whth strongly recommended hy many
prominent officers and have much N commend them are
J. Authorize enlistments for three years only IL
y has the elements OF soldier or Is hnseil as
satisfied with the service It Is better release him within
reasonable time
2 For the same reason give the soldier in time OF
peace privilege Of purchasing his discharge under Well
defined regulations.
Retain some par; Of soldiers which he for
feit by deseron but otherwise would augment his
savings a the time of his discharge.
1t is an fact that there is at present Ten
dcncy in public opinion palate the offence OF deserton'
and the statistics that only one out OF every nVe
de,erters IL ever arrested and brought to trial
The tone and condition of the enlisted men are found
TO have steadily improved and the need OF frequent
and rigid inspections is rchearsed. Sunday inspec-
tons have been discontinued.
In regard TO the Military Academy at West Point
unless the standard is raised. this should not be
placed above the degree of proficiency FOR winch tne
As to the National Guard the report observes
The discipline efficiency Of the National Guard is
universally commended 1t was evidenced by their ap-
pearsnce at Centennial celebration in NewYork. and
the prompness and CELEBRITY with which their concentra-
tlon was effected The aggregate Of this army
regularly organized and uniformed is LOG 500 men, and the
present annual appropriation Of Congress for their arma
ment equipment only 100000 or about % 70 per
The first appropriation for this purpoe IN looo was
5000 O0o-one half the availabewhie in the
meantime population has increased seveDfod know Of
no manner which generous appropriation can be more
employed TO provide against future military
contingencies ard believe that the current appropriation
should be increased The plan Of placing small force o.
the regular Amy militia Of the different States
in their encampnents appears TO me an admirable one.
chapter treats OF the SUBJECT OF coast
defence upon which the Secretary says, among other
things:
submit as basis 10 start from that no time Is to bel
lost I'm placing the capital of the country. the commercial
metropolis Atlantic seaboard and at least one port
Pacific IN the best possible state OF defence HOW
rapily the work shall be carried in until 10 embraces
every important vulnerable point from st. Johns TO
the Rio and the ports OF the Pacific the only
question. In my view progress cannot be too rapid
II appears by report Of the Chief OF the Bureau Of
IN lrT
"a rapidly as we are likely be able 20 mount them
Defensive works July l. 1890 could be armed with
snch brecch-oadng the following year. and under
the appropriation Of September % 1885, heavier guns
are in Of construction There are now On hand
thousand muzseosdlng guns available for sea coast
use connection with these long breechoadng
nnes
once built the cost Of maintaining a thorough system
defensive works is comparatively small The Major
General Commanding, in his report estimates that IT viii
require only 500 for the garrison Of defensive works
in time Of peace. This will be sufficient for the
armament and serve nucleus for the instruction OF
the militia OF the States which be relied.
upon to supply the needed for defence in ard
which he estimates at $1,000.
The Secretary, dwelling on military law saws that
military punishments not we'll defined and there
Is nothing to prevent the imposition of
the highest penalty for the gravest Of
trivial one Neither is punishment t certain.
The T SpUI0 SHOWS t5 2,sl4 eas.s Of deser-
we're only 443 convictions that offence Di ngT"
the wear there II ,5S1 tried before ,n ta
court s-manal in an army whose effective stren ~
Is only 24,110 men, That Of Itself proves Their. g.
vital defect somewhere ] recommend IN. ro,,., -
OF the Articles OF War; and that provision be- made T
The punishm mt OF certa n minor offences without
tbe Intervention OF CONTINENTAL"
Cbanters of the report devoted TO a DISCUSS nm
of military signalling. Apache Indians. Rebelpon
records. ordnance, chaplalns' monuments soldiers
homes etc and the report closes with the
alton OF secretary Proctor that Assistant Secretary
OF War be appointed