St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-11-17
REDF|ELD'S REPORT.
Secretary Proctor Makes a
Few Remarks on Uncle
Sans Biueeoat-.
He Finds a Decrease of II Per
Cent in the Number OF
Courts Martial.
The Decrease in the Number
Of DesertionS Amounts to
"a Per Cent.
Appropriations for the Cur
rent Year Amount to Over
Sixty Millions.

promotion and professional examinations
therefor. acts for the prevention OF deSer-
ton. for The limitation OF puniShments I'M
der the articles Of war and the Improvement
of courts martial. and appropriations for ad-
GiUioHal machinery for the manufacture or
l2rSe guns and Tor the beginning OF system
OF coast defense. by the act OF Oct. / lS9o,
promotions below the rank of q general Of
fcer are hereafter TO be made hneally
throughout each arm of the service The
operation of the law IS postponed IN the
case OF present first leutenants only.
Whatever advantages there might have
been ~ The Old system of regimenial promo
ton. they were such as wOuld prevail in q
large army rather than III 4 small one and in
war than II time OF peace. On their present
basis il certainly could not increase the esprit
de corps OF individual regiments. The change
i one emlneutly just to officers. and = MT
tipgly inaugurated in connection with lis
Companion measure in The same act.
Examinations for Promotion.
That measure provides for a system of ex-
aminatiOuS for ali officers of the army below
the rank OF major. and makes their right 10
promotion conditional on them. There are
exceptional provisions, however. in the in
tereStS of officers who came IL from the vol
unteer service. The measure as whole is
one of great importance 10 the efficiency and
high professional standing of the officers of
the army. Although in keeping with the
practice of all the great European powers, il
Is thoroughly American in theory. being
based on Il recognition of merit anu capGbil-
ity. Heretofore officers have been entitled 10
promotion in regular rOte without any re-
gard 10 competency or incOmpetency.
efficiency or inehciency. The new law
makes no change in the rule of promotion
by seniority. and the examinations are in no
sense competitive but they DO require an
officer to show atfirmatyely his fitness for
the advancement 10 which, if qualified the
law entities him. Il Is believed that Its
tendency must be 10 increase the zeal and in
dustTy OF young officers.
Courts Martial.
There have been three measures of par
ticulSr IMPORTANCE TO the administration of
military justice. By the act of April l l the
time within which person can De prose
cUted for desertion has been limited to two
Years. The act OF Oct. l. iustitutng sum-
mary courts for the trial of certain petty Of
lenses, provides n prompt and very satisfac-
tory method fer the adjustment OF such mat
tiers. l. VIII Ottenumes save the soldier from
long precedent confinement in the guard
house and relieve the investigation of his
case from the cumbrouS machinery of 8
formal court martial. The interests of the
OF the law, and the right is especially re-
served TO him TO demand and receive a trial
before court martial if he so desires.
IN this connection l may remark that, in
view OF particular cases called to my atten-
ton where there seemed 10 have been fail
ure OF justice in the trial of enlisted men, !
caused all order to be issued on the 18th of
March last directing that on the request of
any prisoner a suitable officer should be de-
tailed as counsel TO defend him
The illdefned limits of punishment in
the articles Of war have been corrected By
the act Of sept. y, authorizing you, when
pUnishmeuts are left BY those articles to the
discretion OF the court martial. to prescribe
and define limits which IN time Of peace
they shall not exceed As thirty-two OF the
thirty-four articles of war under which en-
listed men can be tried leave the punishment
entirely to the discretion of the court
upon their variabieness and the dis
parity of punishment prevailing in different
departments has been the executive elem
sncy. 1t has been the aim of the depart
menL by system Of remission of sentenc
deemed excessive. to partially remedy the
evil. a course only defeusible on the ground
Of its imperative necessity, since it tended
to impair one OF the NEST saIutarY elements Of
all punishment. Its certainty. and TO perver
the proper use OF the pardOning power. The
act places the whole subject upon a VerI
proper and satisfactory basis. II may be in
teresung 10 note that, although the legisla
ton referred 10 was enacted too late to have
had effect during the present year. still The
number OF courts martial was reduced tt
lips the past year from 1899 the year be
fore, q decrease Of 2l7. or Il per cent Thi
in itself is indicative of the improving toni
Of the army.
Coast Defense
II has been our traditional policy from th,
first TO avoid enhancing alliances. We ar
separated by an ocean from the powers which
maintain great armies. The military re
sources of the nation have been so recentl
demonstrated and its network of railways
so adapted to a rapid concentration of troop
on any threatened point thai no hostile fore
is likely TO seek an encounter with US on on
own soil. small army sent upon on
shores could not hope for success; it is nc
probable that any large one will incur th
risk We have therefore little to fear fror
INVASION and are free from the necessity c
maintaining large standing armies or of fort
tying against land attacks.
But our long COST line is peculiarly e.
posed to al attack from the sea So long a
an enemy can reach vulnerable points with
0ut exposing himself to our land forces q
may infiict blows which we are unable
parry ana which may cause losses i'll to b
endured No great civilized nation to-da
has more just cause than ours to look well t
the condition of its coast defeuses. and nont
since the civil war, has so wholly negieete
them. II is matter of cOngratulatiOn tbs
this national deficiency is beginning to e.
rite the attention It merits especially 8
time. even more than money, Is necessaT
for its proper preparation
A modern land battery constitutes perm;
nent defense upon battlefield. chosen
advance. where no fanking is possible an
where an enemy must force his way
abandon the attack. In such contest shiI
or war are placed under every disadvantag
The channel Is selected where their deplo
ment is difficult while they are at the cent?
Of a concentrated ire from MANY diSperse
guns. Modern inventions in the use of ele
tricity, high eX plOSTves, and in Fitied mortar
have resulted strongly i'll favor of tt
comparative resisting strength of lar
fOru6cations as against nav
force. They cannot be blown I
by dynamite nor sunk by vertical fiji
They can support any weight of armamer
and can protect themselves by any weight
earth or stone or iron For accurate nj
they have the solid earth for toundatio
They also have the cooperative aid of OF
own navy. of torpedoes, and submari
miuas and other accessory means of defen:
When our principal cities. our harbors a.
our navy-yards are thus protected. then o
coasts viii be safe, and our navy and our
creasing commerce will have safe ports
refuge. where they can be repaired, recoale
and refitted.
The efficiency of land defenses is no e
pertinent. # was the former wise policy
the government previous TO the civil war.
maintain coast Notifications entirely COMP
tent to resist the vessels Of war of that
Rod. They are the cheapest to build; tn
are the cheapest to maintain; they are
ways in position and ready for service
modern land battery, when once construct
and armed. needs few repairs and no rene
ais OUTLAWS for coast defense are inve
ments which Weld large interest in the fol
of insurance, with little deterioration to DIT
cipaL As the sole object of harbor fortifit
ton is defense, its construction should
least keep pace with, if not precede, eve
other preparation: for it has been well ST
that while we may afford 10 be deficient
means of Offense, we cannot afford to be
fen, eless"
Under the fertilization act of last sessi
positions for forJy-eight mOrtars in TIL
groups of sixteen each. and for three of |
new long-ange guns, will be prepared
New York harbor: for one group of mort
and one gun in boston harbor. and for c
group of mortars and two guns in San FIR
cisco AS this is a matter in which ma
shifts from year to year are both expens
and destructive of the objects to be attain
trust That fixed policy may be adopted
the line OF a reasonable appropriation for
completion of the work on which the nat
is but just entering. With such pol
manufacturers could safely put III the nee
sary plant and be able 10 furnish materia
r cheaper rate. With an annual approp
lion of eight to ten millions-only little m
than that of the present year-the constr
lion and emplaeement of guns and mort;
works of torpedo defense for the VIII
coast can be carried on, aud i'll ten years