The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-12-15
UNITED STATES ARMY
SOME SIGNIFICANT Facts IN SEC
REThRY LAMONrvs REPORT.
rhs Recruiting Seryice-Jhe State Troops
The National Guard oftbe states
and Territories.

The Adlutant General mas just received
4 copy of the annual report OF Mr. Ddhlci
l., Lamont, secretary of war, To fresi-
dent Cleveland rht document Is rather
yolumnous. but contains good many
highly interesting statements. The ioi-
lowing Is a synopsis OF Inc most import
ami subjects discussed by the Secretary
OF War.
The reports OF the officers in command
Of the several geographical departments
shov that Che year has been tianquh ana
undisturbed by indian outbreaks domes-
tic violence or troubles ON the oorncr.
steady and general EFFORT TO improve inc
service has brought the troops every
where 10 a highly satisfactory condition
as IA discipline. efficiency i'm military ex-
ercises ana soldieriy, patriotic spirit
The army is better clothed fed ana
housed than ever before. and the policy
gealously pursued of promoting the per
sonal comfort OF the officers ana members
resulted in devotion to the service
which Is everywhere apparent. III can pe
said with confidence that never IN l'S
history has the present cohdltlOh "a '"1
army been surpassed
Late I'm July. I'm compliance win inc
reouest OF the Secretary Of the INTERIOR
prompted by dispatches from the cover
nor OF the state, a squadron OF e"Naiis
and a battalion Of infantry, were ordeIeu
TO the jackson Hole country in wyoming
10 prevent conflict between citizens ana
Indians, protect the lives OF the sct'lers
and return the Indians. chiefly OF the
pannock tribe. to their reservations
None of the reports of confii 'ts, ext tnsiVc-
Nv pubushed. were verified. and upon the
approach of the troops the Indians Who'
n transpircd. were engaged IN huhtihs
under their treaty rights quietly Ictren
tc their reservations.
The only casualties Of the aiialr were
Tho death OF one Indian and the wound
Inc of another. who were shot by "A local
constable and his deputies, from whom
they were endeavoring 10 escape NO
iniurinr whatever was done 10 the IKE
or property of any settler.
STRENGTH OF THE ARMY.
The number of enlisted men In service
on october 81 was .535S. DeiuctinS the
sick those in confinement. recruits not
vet ioined those absent on furlough ana
Others employed I'm staff departments or
on detached service. the effective held
strength on the sane date was .O'oci OF
all arms.
For The last two years the Department
has steadily pursued the policy of restor-
ing officers TO their commands ana reduc-
ing. wherever possible, the number oil
those on detached duty. In January, lS'S,
the number of officers serving with their
regiments was 1913. in September last IL
was 1929 on the former date officers on
detached duty numbered 49, on the TAT
ter date S42. officers Of the line assigned 10
duty nj Washington ana at department
headquarters, have been reduced from
s. 10 s5; those on recruiting service nave
been reduced from 9S to 80, while arrange
ments with the National Guard OF the
States, and as instructors at the military
schools and colleges. have been Increased
from eS to rs. and the number acting as
Indian agents from to H.
THE RECRUITING SERVICE.
changes established in the method OF
recruiting during the past two years
have considerably reduced the cost OF
that service. while perceptibly Increasing
the effective strength of the army. Nine
recruiting stations have been closed with
in that time and the number OF officers
detached on general recruiting service
mas decreased from "a I'm SEPTEMBER, 1871
10 "a in October, 1922 The EFFORT 10 IN
crease enlistmonts at posts and thus re-
duce transportation, shows very satlsIac
tory results.
Nv the act Of August :. 1894. enlistment.
were confined TO citizens. or those wh'
had declared their intentions TO become
such, not over 30 years of age and abb
10 sneak read and write the Enelisl
Language. This law has greatly Improved
the personnel of the army ana mas no
impeded required enlismenis OF IN
s7sO men recruited during the year 55i
were native born and 2262 foreign born
The strictness of the examinations
physical. mental and moral, may %
measured from the fact that $50 appli
cants were rejected
GENERAL CONDITIONS.
The operations of the Quartermaster'
DEPARTMENT during the year, as Well a
for the whole period of the present quar-
termaster Generals incumbencN. about |
close. have been conducted with marke
economy and efficiency. Excellent pro
Rress has been made during the year D
the construction of new barracks an
quarters Fort Harrison at Helena
Montana, and Fort Crook at Omaha, ar
already garrisoned and the estabiishe
nos. at Little Rock will be occupied earl
i'm the coming year, while new building
at Fort My2r and elsewhere. VIII 500
provide for additional troops Genera
repairs and care IN renovation nave pu
many of the older posts in good coma
ton.
rho receipts from the seventy-thre
post exchanges i'm operation were MolS,4'
OF xs29 222, OF which S255.So1 were returne
the expenses Sl,1S9,23 leaving balanc
as dividends. Many OF the exchange
now have libraries. gymnasiums and al
pliances for out-of-dOOr sports. me IL
cslpts OF the canteens have been reduce
from - per cent six years ago 10 40 pG
cent during the present year
The health record of the army for IN
year Is the best annual statement eve
consolidated from the returns OF IN
medical officers, for while the death raj
~ a fraction higher than the lowest eve
recorded the other rates are by FAR lowe
than they ever have been in the histor
of our service The death rate from dl'
ease was as compared with S.9' IN ~
the lowest rate recorded, ana '.vi, VI
average for the last decade.
The number OF admissions to hospit'
ner .OD mean strength was A5. compare
with an average of l2l Tor the last 70
years The rate of noneitciency was .
compared with - FOR the last decad
and the average number OF Gays lost .
each man was l2s. compared with 80 Il
the decade. Alcoholism. as cause
noneficiency, has notably Declined IN u
past few years.
The trials by general court-martial ft
the year ended August 3lst, $780, wel
ls2s compared with 2lS9 for the previol
wear: OF inferior courts-mar,ial 1919
compared with 15.0S6 last year. thus co
roborating the reports from all officers I
noteworthy Improvement in The mora
and discipline OF the army. Authority
again asked from Congress 10 comp
civilians 10 testify before general court
martial when such evidence is necessar
BATTALION FORMATION.
BY far the most essential need OF OF