The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-02-07
INFANTRY AsD ARTILLERY.
An Jnxessous MeshoA OF 1ecurine the De.
sired Flew or Pronotion without Cost.

INFANTRY AND ARTILLERY
An Insessous Me,hoA or seeursas the De.
| sired Flew or Pronetioa without Cost.
WASHINGTON, Feb o.-For the last ten years
an effort has been made to give the infantry OF
the army, which comprises twenty-five out OF
the forty regiments. such an organization as
would yield more rapid advance to its officers
in rank and pay than can ordinarily be hoped
for In the piping times Of pence.
In the Fifty-flrst Congress this project
became temporarily subordinate to another.
beneflting all three arms Of the services. by
| increasing the number OF retlrements, and
thereby creating several scores Of vacancies on
the active list. with resulting steps and leaps
In promotion such as had not been known for
many year.
Still. even in the last Congress the special in
fantry plan was pushed. and with it one for
the artillery. OF different character. leading.
| however. to the same end. In fact, they came
| nenr success. and 1t is now thought that II
| combined In single measure. with modilcn-
lions which will appeal to the economists. they
may succeed. At all events. the promotions
resulting from the new Legislation as to retire.
ments have been secured. SO that the present
measures have free field for the next series
OF combined efforts,
The infantry project as II originally ap.
peaTeu, WHb luaU OF increasing inc NUMBER Oh
! companies to twelve for each reglm ent, as in
the cavalry and artillery. This was advocated
| on the ground. first, OF enlarging the army
| with the growth OF the country; secondly. Of
giving all three arms the same regimental or
| ganization; thirdly, OF allowing three equal
battalions OF four companies each. which could
| be easily handled. The almost uniform prac-
tice Of foreign countries supported this last
claim. Fifty companies Of Atty men each.
| whlch would be Few enough. added TO tho IN
fantry to produce this result. would cost. as
| was calcnjot,d 81 O,3 ooa annually. Fifty
Captains would be made Majors: 100 First
and IsntenN "u u p ho moaa Frat Iie eo
| -. W., ono - 60. Y...,..,
would be introduced. This would cost 1884.
| l2O. and tho nav OF the enlisted men would ac-
oor. 90, tn. r rs,, a,nd.r ~, ,ha a. oea Don
The artillery project, which is Of more re-
cent date, was necessarily different, as this
arm already had twelve batteries. The plan
for that was accordingly to increase tho num-
Der o, regiments from five to seven. because
the ensuing promotions would then be very
considerable. while reduction in the number
now greater than Is needed would !, isduse the
higher grades -
| AeaT hIteE year the lHtautTy u1ehbuEe came
~ h',t a. aI,vavs ,o,ioa In tha Homsa Iton.
| ~ pu' !. 0'""se A",ieo III '"o Ai'ueo -. op
peared In various forms and under various
! notifications, In the Henderson bill, which
wos onI still ia its snecinc MEASURE tbs Yin.
scheme was seen in the Hawley bill and
similar measures. Other schemes OF army
organization; involyinE the three. battalion 4.
the Laird bill The latter proposed six regi-
ments OF artillery and only sixteen Of infantry.
Without going into these various projects in
detail, 1t is enough Tor the present rarrose to
sion. its unwiiiinsness 10 Increase either tho
| enlisted strength or the total cost OF main
tanning the army. while recently thu. argu-
ment for uniform organization In oil three
the cavalry from twelve manned troops to ten.
and the infantry from ten companies to eight.
he destroyed even the existing uniformity he-
tween The cavalry and artillery. and he also
Of three equal manned battalions which had
SO H IoSs Proctor has always argued for
the three battalion organization. which no
he has introduced several army bills. which
have been combined with Senator Mander-
sons. for Joint infantry and artillery orgapiza-
| tions. The substitute bill gives both these
arms the desired p romotions. and yet actually
| annual cost.
| This curious result, Is accomplished In, tho
! first place by giving the Infantry nominally a
tWelve-company organization. but only man
| o pnrt OF the First Lieutenants and all the
hnvin. a a ny @ eG,e9 ~
In, anh ~ up,k fnP fhfAt p,,N k..,A