The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-11-16
wHT rHE soIDIERs DESERT.



sehe6eld wants More TFesps-
WAsRIssroz, Nov. f5.-The annual r.
port ct General Sch06eId - made puAlic.
he pays special attention 70 fAe tesertion
question. After speaking of tha causes
ieAding to desertion. such as the roving dis
Tosatt0n OF maay men who enlist and the
irksoms routsne of military sautsss, be sass
a sufficient remedy mar perhaps he foasd
n the case ef ala worthy men who dizd
afser feE monshss trial thar tiex have
mistaken their calling. bs q more literal e.
erGsse Of the power 70 discharge soldiers
upon their cEn application than has ever
heretofore prevailed. Great care in recruit
liaE. 70 prevent the enlistment os men eli
bad character and habits. may he found
practicable Measures having these eEsds
IN yiew have already been instituted. also
greater care IN she treatment ct recruits lsy
o1AceFS and ncn-eommissioned officers.
Tbs records Of assertion from the aiffereaf
organizations leave no room for donhs
OF the faet that the character Of the
commanding Officer has much 70 do with
the extent OF this evil In all sneh eases
captains should be promptly reTnovsa
from command. After al possihl has
been done 70 remove reasonable excuses
Tor desertion, if ssili remains true that tie
means DON provided for the arrest ard
punishment Of dssexterz are wholly made
auate. Only one in Ere Is ever captnrea.
Ibis Is not sufficient 70 deter mssu from
committing the crime. The remedy is 10
authorize civil officers 70 arrest oeserters
and Increase the reward so as 20 ronpe1s.
safe them for their services
SchoEeid recommends that the present
Eve regiments Of artillery be organised
into seven regiments, tie organisation 20
remain the same. exceps that there be bat
one hrst lieutenant 20 battery. he also
recommends thai The enlisted strength of
the army be increased 10 5000. a force
necessary for the proposed reorganization
OF the artillery and infantry as well
as giving more margin for recruits under
instruction
lie recommends three-battalion organi-
zaEl0ns Of infantry regiments, and suggests
that hereafter promotions from the grade
of second lieutenant 70 that al colonel IN
Ehe cases Of all officers who are not now
above the lowest grade, should bs made &C
corsiing 70 seniority OF commission in the
arm OF seryice 20 which the officer belongs,
and not By regiments He further sug-
gests that hereafter officers be commits
stoned in the arm Of the service to which
they belong, and not IN particular regi-
nlsnts. 30 that they may BE- assigned to
regiments and transferred from one 20 an
ofker rs the interests of the service mar re-
quire. be recommends that the pay Of
sisCn~cornmissionedo offscers Of infantry. cav
AlSx and artillery be anade the same a. khas
established for like grades in the en-
gineers.
Referring to the work OF the hoard OF
ordnance and fortification he says: The
plans OF The engineer department. viii pro-
vide all the land defenses necessary
for security Of the great maritime
ports Of the country In a very few
cases these land defenses viii need 10
be supplemented by floating batteries or
powerful harbor defense vessels. because
the necessary foundations for guns dc not
exiss on sclid ground Submarine mines
and movable torpedoes viii also play an Inn
portans. though secondary. part IN the
general PLANS for the defense. Prnxisions
should be made for necessary garrisons at
the principal seaports.
A table is given. showing the necessity OF
this work. Tie war earrssons Of cur sea-
coast desensss would be about 90 artillery
and is guns OF modern construction.