The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-06-18

Tho eleventh annual cnchmpmenU ol thc
New York National Guard begins to-day at
Peekskill. The Sxty-ninth Regiment. to-
gethor with Troop A. will perform tho first
weeks duty. and the other organizations
will take their tours OF seven days each In
the order prescribed.
The present camp Is tho first that has
been held under the new drill rcgula-
tions. and tho principal changes from the
routine OF former years will DO due to this
fact. Tho positions OF companies will be
arranged with reference to the three bat
TALON formation. and tho regulations from
headquarters in regard to drill are more
specific than usual. leaving less to dlscre-
ton. 1t is prescribed that the early morn
ing drill shall DO principally In company
skirmishng, or the extended order. rs
it is now called: while the forenoon
drill Is to DO by battalion on three OF the
DAYS and In battalion extended order on
tho rest.
With the now drill a leading feature OF
the summers work. the Peekskill camp ofin-
struction is fortunate in having present
with 1t both the President and the Recorder
OF the Army Board that prepared the drill
regulations. The States to which regular
officers have been detailed for the present
season OF encampments include New Hamp-
shire, Vermont. Massachusetts,. New York.
Pennsylvania. Ohio. Michigan. Tennessee.
Georgia, California, and Oregon, while
others may be added. New York will have
the services OF three regular officers. at
times, during her National Guard encamp-
ment, while the presence OF Licut.-Col. J.
C. BATES, Twentieth Infantry. and Lieut..
j. T. FRENCH, Jr.. Fourth Artillery. will be
particularly useful. since many questions
OF Interpretation that must come up con-
stantly until the regulations are thor
oughly understood. are Of the sort familiar
to them while President and Recorder re-
spectlvcly OF the Tactical Board. All three
officers may. on their part. be glad to see
how the new drill works with largo bodies
OF the National Guard.
The organizations that go into camp this
year are substantially those that had
similar tour Of duty in 1890. This Is In &C.
cordance with the now well-established
system at Pcekskill. which allows all the
troops to pass week there every other
year. In one OF the bills pending in Con-
gress for amending the militia laws it Is
provided that n tour Of camp duty shall be
performed every year as condition OF re-
ceiving q share in the annual approprin-
ton OF Congress. This might do very well
for those States that already hold annual
encampments and collect all their troops in
them for perhaps four or five days. but in
New York the innovation would not be so
we'll received. Very likely it might be
thought better to give up the appropria-
ton than to submit to 1t.
1t may be true that some States order out
all their militia for annual encampment:
but taking together the ratio OF attendance
at the Peekskill camp and the amount of
training there secured. New York has no
reason to change her system. A very large
part OF the season available for tent life is
now divided up into tours Of a weeks duty
each. during which all the appliances OF the
camp are at the disposal OF single regi-
mcnt. or two small regiments. or an eQuiva-
lent number Of separate companies. The
instruction can thus be made thorough,
while little time Is wasted on the spectacu-
lar features that are customary at some
larger camps. Besides these tours OF duty
In alternate years are looked forward
to with great pleasure. whereas. IL
they camo every year. they might
be regarded as burdensome. or at
least be attended by fewer men. and carried
out with less fidelity and enthusiasm. 1t
should be said that the bill in question.
through a provision for excuses by the Gov
ernor. opens the way to multiplying the I'M
wise restriction upon State customs which
1t suggests.
Tho present season at Pccksklll opens
with good prospects. Each year adds
something to tho conveniences. the meth
DDS. and the experience OF this most useful
establishment. and while it may derive n
special value this year from its opportunl-
ties to practise tho new drill. it will also
yield Its invnriable benefits In accustom Ing
tho cltlzcn soldiers to some Of the require
ments OF field service