The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-11-17
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
POINTS FROM THE SECRETARY'S
ANNUAL REPORT.

mendoza Favorable View of the
National Guard - Coast Defenses
Needed-Facts About Ordnance
Estimated Army Expenses.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 16.-The following are
extracts from the annual report of the
Secretary Of War With reference 10
lineal promotion, he says: By the act of
Oct. !, 1890, promotions below the rank of
a general officer are hereafter to be made
lineally throughout each arm of the service.
The operation of the law is postponed in
the case of present first heutenants only.
Whatever advantages there might have
been IN the old system of regimental pro-
motion, they were such as would prevail in
a large army rather than in a small one,
and in war than in tins of peace. On their
present basis it certainly could not increase
the esprit de corps of individual regiments.
The change is one eminently just to officers,
and is fittingly inaugurated in connection
with its companion measure in the same act.
PROMOTIONS FROM THE RANKS.
would recommend a change in the law
relative to the selection of enlisted men for
ant. The act of June Is, 1878, providing
for the promotion Of meritorious non-com-
missioned officers, makes a favorable recon-
mendation from company commander an
essential qualification for examination.
This requirement to great extent defeats
the purpose of the statute, by making the
privilege depend absolutely upon the dis
erection of the officer for the time being in
command of the company.
COAST Defense.
IT has been our traditional policy from
the first to avoid entangling alliances. The
military resources Of the nation have been
SO recently demonstrated and its network of
railways is so adapted to a rapid concentra-
ton of troops on any threatened point, that
no hostile force is likely to seek an encoun-
ter with us on our own soil. A small army
sent upon our shores could not hope for
success; it is not probable that any large
one will incur the risk. We have, there
fore, little to fear from invasion, aud are
free from the necessity of maintaining large
standing armies or of fortifying against
land attacks
But our long coast line is peculiarly OK
posed to an attack from the sea. So long
as an enemy can reach vulnerable points
without exposing himself to our land forces
he may inflict blows which we are unable
to parry, and which may cause losses ill to
be endured. No great civilized nation to
day has more just cause than ours to look
well TO the condition of its coast defenses,
and none, since the civil war, has so wholly |
neglected them. 1t is matter of congratu.l
lation that this national deficiency is begin |
ming to excite the attention it merits, espe-
cially as time, even more than money is
necessary for its proper preparation.
A modern land battery constitutes a |
permanent defense upon a battlefield, |
chosen IN advance, where no thanking is |
possible and where an enemy must force |
his way or abandon the attack. In such a |
contest ships OF war are placed under every !
disadvantage. The channel is selected |
where their deployment is difficult, while |
they are at the center of a concentrated fire |
from many dispersed guns. Modern in
veatons In the use of electricity, high ex-
ploSves, and in rifled mortars, have resulted |
strongly in favor of the comparative resist |
ing strength Of land Notifications as against |
naval force. They cannot be blown |
up by dynamite nor sunk by vertical fire. |
They can support any weight of armament,
and can protect themselves by any weight |
of earth or stone or iron. For accurate aim |
they have the solid earth for foundation. |
They also have the cooperative aid Of our |
own navy, of torpedoes, and submarine |
mines and other accessory means Of defense. |
When our principal cities, our harbors and |
our navy yards are thus protected. then our |
coasts will be safe, and our navy and our |
increasing commerce will have safe ports OF |
refuge, where they can be repaired, recoaled |
and reft,ed.
ORDNANCE.
In the matter of armament fair and |
promising beginning has been made. The |
gun factory at Watervliet arsenal has |
already turned out completed steel guns of |
81, SO, and 10 inches caliber, which have |
been entirely satisfactory so far as their |
tests have proceeded The 32-inch breech- |
Ladlng feld-gun meets with general |
approval in service, and the firing tests of !
t1e and 10 inch type guns manufactured |
az Watervlet have given excellent results. |
pom as regards accuracy and range, and !
nave satisfactorily demonstrated the capa- |
blilty OF the gun factory to turn out modern |
high-poWer rlhed Steel guns equal to the |
very best.
DESERrIONS.
me number of assertions from the army |
dot tne Twelve months ending Sept. 80 were |
@'US6 as against 2, Isl for the same period |
4ds' year, a decrease of "A per cent. This |
result is due to such improvements in the |
seIFIcs as could be accomplished under ex-
hvlhg legislation. The act of congress en-
slVleo An act to prevent assertions, and |
~, oonef purposes, approved JuneE16, 1899,
4 - PuSoeu Ooo laGe 10 nave had much effect
up 70 TINS date. Because of the time re-
qlsleu 10 work out its details, the general
otuerS 70 carry it into operation were not
tssueu tlll July 26, and could hardly be-
a Sone Iully effective at once. The figures,
\ 9SSU s Tor August and September were
n yoo as compared with 459 for the same
S IoaIns last year and SIS the year before, a
N'''ease OF 50 and 40 per cent.
Il NATIONAL GUARD.
-, pellg impressed with the Importance of
al eHective militia as a prominent and
49, C.essary factor i'll any military organiza-
has uu a Sui'ed to our country, the department.
c r|S esnleavored, by its cooperation, to en-
~ age and aid the national guard SO far
ro pt'sloie under existing law. The depart
a eoas nas endeavored TO Cooperate more
,oSgcsaily with those states which have
hr ~ les'ed the most interest in the matter
es,. NeH own liberal appropriations and
$50 .lss. efforts. The results have been very
satisfactory.
ny aay money which the national govern
"a w., ponds for our citizen soldiery goes
to, ~eip Vnose who help themselves, and is
tnrn" 70 70 give proportionately large re-
|aIIv uhder the present law there is annu-
nii&;. appropriated for the benefit of the
ann r,',a S4Vo,oOO while the individual states
Epp,r pirate In the aggregate, SO far as
ba NOV over $4,000, 600, and in many states
tor, -i tL receive also a considerable sup
H. 4rom local and private sources. IF