Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1893-12-05
STRENGTH OF THE ARMY.
Over $1,000 Men ENLISTED in :Le Employ
a.: lnc.e sam.

The secretary of war reports that the
strength uf til. army on the Bah day of Sep
t'ritSes last WIS 3,..S enlisted men and e. la o.
hccrs. 'inc total expenditures of the deyar.-
Incut FOR In. year ending, June .nissri.aInolinted
."Sfi' 49,. vi Ia sum SiAr-'-iNl u, was
for ; larrs and contingent expenses. SssI:s...-
ass, FOR the support 81 the MILITARY establish
mcnt: ss.u...usiis Tor miscellaneous objects,
ana SSa.5!,.ial.il Tor r'.Liir work. This latter
--uin inciudes si....hS.6is for IIver ami
harbor IMPROVEMENTS and. s.i.2iGil.aD Tor
iortiiic lth':is .Iu other works vi defens'.
cral states was, On the 3ist of October OF the
current year. ~. officers and enlisted mei,.
Ia. officers of :ne army detail ri for the I,.spec-
tia;i ana i:is:r.c.ion>''oi an = rS.srTve OF our
military force report tia. increased interest
and marked progress are apparent il the dis
cipline ana citicicncy OF til. organization.
Mother iE.iiIl outbreaks nor domestic viz
lcncc have called the army into service during
the year, ana the only active military duty
required u. Il Eas been in tine department If
Texas. where violations Of the meath ..iity laws
OF the United states am Aexico were prompt.
~ ami efficiency dealt VITA 10y the TROOPS,
cl.citing the warm approval of the civil and
military authorities OF both co,ntries.
The operation OF wise laws and the influences
OF civilization constantly tending 10 relieve the
country IRON the dangers ln,,i:sn host iltie3,
together with the increasing ability Of the
states through the efficiency OF the national
gaari organizations, :" protect their citizens
from domestic vso,encc. lead to III" suggestion
that the time * taSt approaching en- there
should be "a rcoi gaiizatirn ~ our army Oh the
lines of the present necessity OF tine country.
This cGaii';c CONCENTRATES neither increase IN
tton oil tae iorce and an encouragement Of
measures tending TO great efficiency among
th. men and linpruN, fncnt Of the ser, ice
he al. ,tiun OF bitta ion formations for infan-
Try regiments. the strengthening Of the artii-
iery forces. the Abandonment of srna Ter and
unrect sSary pIsts and the mgsSins of TIN,
troops ~ important and ac essioic stations all
promise to promote tn. usefulness al tue army.
In tine Judgment oi army officer. with but few
except N. The op, alton 81 the law forlattdirg
the fc-cnlis'ment Of men after ten wears
sGrvic. has not proved ITS Isdom and " hils
;ion were not without merit. tine
experience of the year constraius me
To Join III the recommendation for its repeal
Our Coast Drfcn..s.
II is gratifying to note that we have bcgun 10
attain completed results IN the coinprchl p.,iye
scheme of seacoa>t defense and fort ifcatiun.
entered upon .ii,:i. years aso. A large sum has
lsra air, sdy expended bat tn, cost oi ma a.
tcnancc VIII liz. iLcp:isi,.riahl, compared
with the cxirrIisc Of construction md ordnance.
At the end of the current calendar year the
ward parliament will hav. nne Finch. twenty
nIncn AMI tisirt -four inch guns. ready To- lc
mount III Oh gun lifts and carriages ana sc,ea-
ty-iivc i:-iir':i inortars. In addition to the
pr"duct OF th.. army gun artillery now
completed at WssssrYsict. tHsnsuS. gan cat,
ha- contracted with private PARTIES Tor the
purchase %; vi guns of this calore. tia. first ct
which should te dciivcrc,lto the department
for test lscioTc Jul, !. lS't The Manufacture
81 heavy ordnanc, keeps pace with current
needs. hut To render these gurs available FOR
the purposes they ARE DESIGNED To- meet. en-
Placements m',st u. prepared for them. Prog
gfs.>S has sS;t lii;tie ~ ms uitst and II
desirable thu congress by ADEQUATE
az. rorriations should pruvidc for tine un-
Interrupted piosccufiono q: this necessary work
After much piciin isary wo x and exhaustive
c.aisiinat ON. M accordance with the rc,lu re-
mcnts of the l,w. the hEiri apo nted To s,,le !:
n magazine rife of moie n type with which to
reI'iac the oie. lcte Springfield rifle of the in
faatrs service, completed ITS lalyors during the
last yea-. and tine woi X Vf msnufac. rring is
now IN progress at the nat onal a-unnry al
Springfield. IL il cOntd emily a. l,cc.cd tn 4 10y
the en al he current ear or infantry W Ii
Ia supplied W IN a weapon equal Il that u the
m.<t progress ve"6-iifics Of t.E. wori g. The
tano,sa National NIL tary pax has been
prosecuted with zeal and Judgment.
and i;s opening VIII be celebrated curing the
coming year. Over nine square miles u the
ChicEanauga hattie field have bccn acquired,
twenty .fivc miles u: roadway have been con-
placed It many historical points. while the in
Ni,atlon To the states to mark the Positions ~
their troops participating in the battle has
been very generally accepted. The work " To-
eating ana preserving the lines of battle at the
Gettysburg hattie fed H. making satisfactory
grves
Aslvssce ia Military Sclsooia
The reports Of the military academy at West
Point aud the several schools for special in
struction OF officers. show marked ADVANCE in
education "a the army and commemorative am-
Mtiu0 among its officers to excel in the mill
tary profession and to lit themselves for the
h1gn.ss service To the country. CnGcr the su-
pcrvislon Of Adiutaa-t General Robert VIII
lia,Iss, lately rrtired. the bureau Of military
Information Eas become well established and
h performing . service that will put in puB-
rcssiOn OF the gJVgEnmcnt in time OF war most
valuable Information. and at AL times serve .