The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-23
MILITARY INFORMATION
TT Will BE COMMUNICATED ryr
MILITIA OF ThEsTATs.
The War Department Makes an Impor,.n,
improvement by Establishing tn,
Division OF Military Information.

Brigadier- General Charles ]. Anderson
the acting Acknowledgement, has for q
number Of years worked hard to obtain
for the military in this State all de-
sirabe information in regard to military
affairs elsewhere. 1t seems that at last his
efforts will be rewarded. He received YES
terday a communication from Assistant
Adjutant-General Corbin, In Washington
asking him to make out a list OF com
mandants Of regiments. battallions and
other organizations to whom copies of
military papers within the reach OF the
War Department could be sent.
Useful Information
General Anderson, who is OF the opinion
that this information Will prove very use
full and instructive to the commissioned
! officers OF the military Of virginia win
soon after New Year submit the desired
| list. The War Department I'm its latest
! endeavOr to place the militia en- rapport
! has within a year or two started a bureau
/ OF military information. In regard IN the
working Of this new departure Adiutant-,
! General r. Williams in his last annual
! report to the Secretary Of War makes
! eAif Af4iDNllE interesting statement.
During the past year-the first OF actual
existence under its reorganization by or
| ders from the War Department-the Di-
vision Of Military Information has per-
| formed work. Of which the results thourb
largely confined by their nature 10 the
division Itself have 20 a measurable ok
| tent been given 10 the army at large. and
10 much greater extent, utilized bv the
War Department and by the various stan
corps. in obtaining the knowledge neces-
sary for their information regarding the
improvements IN war materials abroad.
the Advancement I'm ideas and the trend
Of military affairs in Europe.
The more important military publica-
uohs or the world have been received and
their contents noted and endorsed and
various manuscripts, submitted 10 the di-
vision have been examined and prepared
Tor publication, M the proper time. MANY
translations have been made from foreign
languages. the most extensive. perbaps
belng that Of "A paper prepared by CAPTAIN
Moch, Of the French artillery for the CON
sress OF Engineers. at Chicago. Papers or |
documents In French, German Spanish
ltdilah and Persian. and, to some extent !
IN swedish and Portuguese. have been OK |
amined as part OF the work Of an ofHco /
receiving from the eight representatives of
the army abroad, or who have been
abroad the vast amount Of material of
military character current In those coun-
tiles where military affairs are receiving
the greatest amount Of attention and de-
velopment.
PAN Of Class ifi-a'fon.
Much OF this information from,
europe has been digested and nrepared
ior the use OF the army and its schools.
!" accoIuahce with plan of classif-
rf.g a1
f'WO INDEX cards constructed relating 10
progress In the military art. 10 inven-
uohs In arms, equipment. and explosives
10 the armed strength Of foreign coun-
tries and 10 their physical condition
ana resources. To accomplish this yyorl,
a large number of documents and parors
nave been examined. for II is fact
'hal the amount Of military literature
now published is so vast as 10 make
IL practically impossible for the officer
Of to-day to keep himself informed OF
that which is valuable without the in
terVe1llon OF an Office which collects
and Sits the whole
The largest share Of the information
received by the Office naturally comes
through the military attaches abroad.
and the importance Of their reports de-
ponds upon the fact that all really
valuable changes and improvements may
De noted and brought directly and inn |
mediately 70 the attention Of the Sec
rotary or War and the Major-General
commanding the army. When this sec
ton is thoroughly organized. II will he
the duty Of the officer I'm immediate
charge Of It to regulate and systema-
TIE the efforts Of the attaches by point
ing out the particular lines Of invesuga-
ton which IL may be desired % explore.
IN order that subsequently notes Of real
interest and military value obtained by
his process can be transmitted 10 the
'hiefs OF the staff department TO which
zach item Of information might more =
pertain, or be published 10
he line I'm annual or semi-annual re-
PORTS Of military progress
This branch Of the division may be
allied The Section Of Progress in Mill
airy Art It's work Is great and con-
inuous, and requires besides, thorough
y well-informed officers assisted by +
he necessary clerks. sufficient space for
he storage OF books, papers. and origi- q
al documents now rapidly accumula- p
ing, and facilities FOR extracting the r
aluable material from the mass Of mat
er submitted for examination. Il
The Frontier. G
"The second and third sections Of the o
Vision have been enraged i'm the work
collecting information Of our own
ronters, and regarding our neghbors IN
he North and South; not, Of course, with c
ny unfriendly design toward these neigh "
ors, but because information Of the Kind | p
objected by this division may be Of use p
, any branch Of the government. as we'll o
S 20 the army. This fact has been well
lOwn by the very general demand. from "
D classes OF people. for the pamphlet. 81
o. l. on the Hawaiian Islands. published =
Y the division during the year. Similar n
1T more extended reports have been G
prepared on the Samoan Islands on MeXi- r.
} and Cuba. Ii is believed that such re-
)rts should be made 20 cover all cOun-
les Of this continent and the Islands
the West Indies. I'm order that the in a.
rmatiOn regarding the trade relations Of IN
ese countries already on hand, may be or
pplemented By information regarding m
cir military and national resources.
III is evident that materials for this "a
ork can be best obtained by assigning ~
lected officers as attaches 10 legations "a
the more important republics Of Mexico,
Tile and Brazil. al least with orders ~
pursue their investigations under i'm ~
-uctions from this section OF the Mill ~
~ Information Division.
Under the order Of organization the
lrth section of the Military lnforma-
m Division has been exclusively I'm 4
listed with all CORRESPONDENCE with | d.