The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-05

tending to relieve the country from
the dangers of Indian hostilities, to-
gether with the increasing ability of
the states through the efficiency of
the national guard organizations to
protect their citizens from domestic
violence, have led to the suggestion
that he time is fast approaching when
there should be reorganization of
our army on the lines of the present
necessities of the country. This change
lcontemplateS neither increase in num-
Der nor added expense, but redistri-
button of the forces and an encourage
ment of measures tending to greater
efficiency among the men and the i'm
proyement of the service. The adop-
ton of battalion formations for infan-
try regiments, the Strengthening of the
artillery force the abandonment and
the maSSing of the troops at import
ant and accessible stations, all promise
to promote the usefulness of the army.
In the Judgment of army officers, with
but few exceptions, the operation of
the law forbidding the re-enlistment
of men after ten years service has not
proved its wisdom, and while the argu-
ments that led to its adoption were not
without merit, the experience of the
year constrains me to join in the rec
ommendation for its repeal.
| 1t is gratifying to note that we have
begun to attain completed results in
! the comprehensive scheme of seacoast
defense and Notifications entered upon
| eight years ago. A large sum has
been already expended, but the cost
| of maintaining will be incOnSiderable
as compared with the expense of con-
| struction and ordnance. At the end
| of the current calender year, the war
department will have nine II inch
guns, twenty 10-inch and thirty-four
Il oh. to tod
gun lifts and carriages and seventy
| five Pinch mortars. In addition to
the product of the army gun factory
now completed at Watervliet, the gov
ernment has contracted with private
Iparties for the purchase of one
hundred guns of these calibres. the
first of which should be delivered to
| the department for test before July /,
1894. The manufacture of heavy ord
nance keeps pace with the current
needs, but to render these guns avail
able for the purposes they are de-
signed to meet, emplacements must be
prepared for them, Progress has been
made in this direction, and it is de-
sirable that Congress, by adequate ap-
preparations, should provide for the
uninterrupted prosecution of this
necessary work.
! After much preliminary work and
exhaustive examination, in accordance
| with requirements of the law, the
board appointed to select a magazine
rifle of modern type to replace the
obsolete Springfield rifle of the infan-
| try service, completed its labor during
the last year and the work of manu-
featuring is now in progress at the
national armory at Springfield. 1t is
of the current year our infantry will
be supplied with a weapon equal to
| that of the most progressive armies
iof the world.
! The work on the projected Chicka-
manga and Chattanooga National
Military park has been prosecuted
with zeal and judgment, and it's OPEN
ing will be celebrated during the COM
ling year. Over nine square miles of
the Chickamagua battle field has been
acquired, twenty-five miles of road
Iway have been constructed and per-
manent tablets, too, have been placed
lat many historical points, while the
invitation to the states to mark the
positions of their troops participating
in the battle has been very generally
accepted. The work of locating and
preserving the lines of battles at the
Gettysburg battle field is making sat
lisfactory progress on the plans di-
ERECTED by the last Congress-
| The reports of the military academy
at West Point, and the several schools
for special instructions of officers show
a marked advance in the education of
the army and a commendable ambi-
ton among its officers to excel in the
military profession and to fit them
selves for the highest service to the
country. Under the supervision of
Adjutant General Robert Williams.
lately retired, the bureau of military
information has become well establish
led and is performing a service that
Twill put in possession of the govern
ment in time of war most valuable in
formation and at all times serve a
purpose of great utility in keeping the
army advised of the worlds progress
in all matters pertaining to the art
of war.