The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1894-10-25
OUR LITTLE ARMY.
Annual Report of the CommaDder-in-Ch
and Division Officers.

Annual Report of the Chief
and Division Officers.
Mai. -Gen Schefeld, in his annual report, has
this to say:
at seems clear that the effective strength
of the Army should now be considerably in
creased. Yet this can be done at very small
comparative increase in cost. The present
regimental organizations need not be largely
| increased. Two additional regiments of artil-
| lery for the necessary seacoast defense, two
additional regiments of cavalry TO patrol the
long lines of railroad under Government pro-
| lection, and the present 25 regiments of in
fantry, converted into three battalion organi-
cations, would, it is believed, be a just, con-
| sentative estimate of what is now actually
needed. For this the existing number of COM
missiOned officers is nearly sufficient. But q
considerable permanent increase in the enlisted
strength of the Army should be made, and
still further increase authorized to be made by
| the President when, in his Judgment, an emer
gency requiring it may reasonably be foreseen.
at is not a good military system in which
| the Executive has no authority whatever to
increase the effective strength of the Army in
| time of need. The organization being fixed
| by law, with maximum and minimum limits
of strength, the Executive should be au thOrized
| to vary the enlisted strength between those
| limits according to his estimate of the necessi-
| ties of the country.
1.-THE relation of tho United States to the
| great military powers of Europe now exhibits
far greater disparity in respect to preparation
for war than that which has existed between
China and Japan. Will the people of the
| United States aud their representative have
| the modesty to appreciate and the wisdom to
| profit by this lesson?
Armies. even though well disciplined, well
| instructed and perfectly armed, cannot defend
the seacOast against modern ships OF war.
Suitable Notifications with effective high
power armament the only possible means
of such defense. Hence, no time should be lost
in prosecuting the system of tiGcations aud
armament heretofore iuaugurated, until all the
great seaports of the country placed in
satisfactory condition for effective defense
against any possible attack. The most liberal
appropriations for this purpose will BIO the wis
est economy.
According to Gen. Howard the discontinue
ance of the large recruiting depots at David's
Island, n. Y, and Columbus, O., and the plan
of sending the recruits to their companies more
rapidly than has been done in the past will
result in promoting the efficiency of the men.
There seems to be no difficulty, he says in OBJ
tanning all the men we need, and of good
class.
Mai.-Gen o. o. Howard, commanding the
Department of the East has submitted his last
annual report. Among other things he says
Just now the National Guard in several
States in the Department is well organized and
responds promptly to every call of duty; STILL
if more than one State is involved in any event
growing out of anarchy, the Executive will
always require his own troops. They will be
essential to his execution OF the laws and main
tenance of order. OF course, Governors of
States could cooperate. but they might disa-
gree or be reluctant in meeting sudden emer
gency. ! strongly recommend increase of
the Army to at least double the size of our
present force"
In Adj't-Gen. Ruggles's report he devotes
much attention to military colleges
"'Fhe tabulated statement submitted here
with" says he, - is compiled from the reports
of the officers on duty, professors of tacticts
and military science, at the 30 universities
and colleges named. 1t shows that of total
average attendance OF 26,6S6 male students
capable of military duty, IL, 500 were required
by the collegiate authorities to enroll themselves
as military students; that the total number
that received military instruction during the
last quarter of the scholastic year was -, 90;
and that $50 students attended artillery drills,
and II, 720 infantry drills. The aptitude of he
students for military instruction, and the in
terest manifested therein 10y them, is generally
satisfactory. and it is noted that the interest
taken by the several faculties III the military
course is steadily increasing.
"To secure the largest benefit obtainable
under the assignment Of officers OF the army as
professors of tactics and military science at
colleges aud universities, am Of the opinion
that the law shonld be amended to require not
only that institutions shall have capacity to
educate at the same time not less than $50 male
students, but that there shall be actually pres
eBt that number for instruction to receive a
detail"
Adj't-Gep. Ruggles has made a separate re-
port to Gen. Schofeld, recommending that the
enlisted strength of the Army be increased to
10000 men so as to give maximum of $4,000
as TO the regmental fighting force This maxi
mum is only about two-thrds of the minimum
organzatio prescribed by the Revised Statutes
for cavalry, artillery, and infantry regiments,
yet it will enable the Government to reorganiZe
its artillery into several regiments for coast de-
Tense and field artillery and its infantry into
three battalion regiments without interfering
with the strength of the cavalry.
NEW TIT cZJyD