The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-12-01
ARMY'SS SHOWING
Lamont Recommends Reor-
ganization.
Sun Manufacture Under Way-Better
Class Of Recruits Being Enlisted.

wAsHINGIoE, Dec. 1.--The annual 70
port Of Secretary Lamont shows . saving
Of S500,ooO in salary and contingent az
penses in the administration Of the war do
partment at Washington, besides eeono-
mics In tho recruiting service. rents, eta
Expenditures for the last fiscal year were
ESQ, 0S9, ,oo9; appropriations for the current
year are sbe, ass 1ie, and estimates for the
next year are t5e,3is, ,e29.
Beyond occasional calls for police duty
near Indian reservations, the army each
gear will be relieved 10 a greater degree OF
surveillance over the tribes Of the west
IL was found necessary at times during
che period from March TO July In varisus
places 10 employ a considerable part OF she
army to execute the orders Of United
States courts. otherwise SUCCESSFULLY de-
aed and resisted, TO protect tho dispatch Of
che United States mails and to guard the
property Of the government
The movement OF troops, thus necessi-
Gated, was tho largest which has taken
place since the close Of the civil war. The
extraordinary tasks imposed upon officers
and men were discharged promptly,
firmly and judiciously. attesting to the
thorough efficiency e every branch OF the
service.
On Got. 1, the army numbered, OfhcerA.
flSo; enlisted men. 25,77e; Of the latter,
for various causes. only 2o.llI were e.
fsctive.
Increase of Force Suggested.
Secretary Lamont earnestly recon-.
nends TO establish tho battalion formar
sion, now adopted by tho armies OF every
other civilized nation. To effect shat
change, he recommends q return to the
law Of 1870, fixing at 5000 the limit Of
che army, BY tho changes proposed, the
army win be increased % per cent 10 eff
siency 16k i'm numbers and eniy per
cent in cost Of maintenance.
The actual oombatiye strength Of the
army will thus become about %, 000, tho
number now contemplated by law. but
which is reduced by detachments and
otherwise TO about $1,000. 10 is proposed
20 add two companies to each Of the % In
fantry regiments, and two batteries to
each OF tho Ave artillery regiments. No
increase in cavalry Is proposed
The cost Of the increased number Of en-
listed men would be sl,e0o,ooo annually
but retronchmont has reduced the ad-
ministrative expenses Of the war depart
ment at Washington $500, 900. and by ap-
plying these economics to the benefit Of
the army greater strcn 9Th may be obtained,
~ an increase Of only 100000.
Improving tho Service.
The character of recruits Is Improved,
and last year only 1917 out Of e7,6a appli.
sants were accepted. All recruits must
now write tho English language ana must
be citizens of the United States or have
declared their intentions. OF 2701 men
discharged by expiration Of service 2o79
fe-enlsted. Desertions show large de-
crease
The department has aimed especially to
encrease the comfort of enlisted men, and
with new quarters and barracks our army
will be es comfortably housed as any In
she world.
The total cost of finishing the arnament
OF our % chief seaports Is estimated to be
e20, $40, ss7; for guns, s9,sOl, 100; for NOR
tars, si2, 500 0so, for gun carriages, g. 282,-
e0O; for mortar carriages n total, including
contract work, Of $50, ,a7T,e4S.
Annual appropriations of g. e5o,00 will
be required for armament during the next
IL years, which will build and mount 6S3
high power guns and s2i high power
mortars.
BY the end Of this month we shall have
W high power guns and 81 high power
carriages. One 1s-inch gun Is mounted at
Sandy Hook and another soon will be. and
three Of this calibre are TO be mounted
during the year at San Francisco. One
battery of 10 mortars, commanding the
southern entrance TO New York harbor, Is
nearly completed, and by July = second
battery commanding the eastern entrance,
and like batteries at Boston and San Fran
cisco will be mounted.
The military encampment at West
Point is commended. and Secretary La-
mont advises that tho presidents be em-
powered to appoint annually 10 cadets at
large.