Evening star., 1895-10-18
THE BOYS IN BLUE
Annual Report Of the Adjutant Gen.
eral of the Army.
IMPROVEMENTS MRECRUlFING SERVICE
Increased Attendance at Military
Colleges Shown.
INDIAN LISTM EN- T

INDIAN ENLISTM EN- T
Gen. Ruggles. adjutant general, has SUBJ
mitted to the Secretary of War his annual
report for the year ending Septe 80.
1895. The report shows that the recent
change in methods of conducting the re-
cruiting service, whereby general service
recruits are no longer held three months for
instruction. but are promptly forwarded to
regiments from recruiting stations and rem
devious, has been productive Of good re-
suits. During the ten months ending July
1, 1885, $3.50 general service recruits were
forwarded to regiments|,226 directly from
recruiting stations and 2,133 from ;endez-
vous, with the exception of few large de-
tachments, which were forwarded under COM
mand of commissioned officers on discontin-
uance of depots. These recruits were sent to
their stations under the charge of some
member of their respective detachments,
and yet not desertion en- route occurred.
This method Of diSpatching detacannntS
without the expense of guard or escort has
effected a very considerable saving in cost
of transportation, and with view to still
further saving in transportation and re-
duction in city stations, effort has been made
of late to increase the number of enlist
ments at and in the vicinity of military
posts.
Impr Ovements in the Character of
Recruits.
The act Of August 1, 1894, confining first
enlistments in the army to persons not over
thirty years Of age who are citizens OF the
United States or who have made legal dec
laration to become citizens thereof and who
can speak, read and write the English Ian
guage, and the more recent prohibition by
the Secretary of War of the acceptance Of
minors except as musicians, have resulted
IN a material improvement in the character
of the men received as recruits and have
not interfered to prevent the enlistment Of
men in sufficient numbers to keep the ranks
well filled throughout the year. In October,
1894. there were in operation thirty general
recruiting stations. Since then one station
in New York city has been closed and one
opened in Brooklyn, N. Y. Four stations
Washington, D. c.; Springfield, Mass; New
ark, N. j., and one of the three stations at
Chicago-were closed September 30. 1875.
and one new station is to be opened at
Richmond, Va. There will thus be reduc-
ton Of three in the number Of stations oc-
closed during the year 1894 there will be a
total reduction of nine stations in the last
two years.
Indian Enlistment.
The total number of Indian soldiers en-
listed up to June 80. 1895. was 1883. of
which number twenty-four were enlisted
during the fiscal year ending that date
There were also enlisted thirty-nine Indian
scouts during the past fiscal year. There is
now but one Indian company in service.
troop L, seventh cavalry. and enlistment
of Indian soldiers has been discontinued.
The total number of enlistments in the
army during the fiscal year ending June 30.
1895, for the regular limit of 25,0OO men
of h;.,h o1,c,~
tive born and 2262 of foreign birth. Seven
thousand one hundred and seventy-four
were white. 543 colored and 63 Indian. Ex-
Guiding re-enlistments the percentage of
native born among the accepted applica-
tions for re-enlistment was 76.25. Reports
shows 3S.240 applicants, or $3.50 per cent
of the whole number seeking enlistment,
were rejected as lacking some of the reQui-
site qualifications. physical, mental or
moral The number rejected as aliens was
2.545.
Comparative tables show that the efforts
to prevent undesirable men from entering
the army are meeting with success.
kerton; charge, disorderly conduct; fined
Military Colleges.
The reports from officers on duty and
professors Of military science and tactics
at military colleges give evidence of the
increasing favor in which the people hold
instruction blending physical training with
scholastic studies. The average total num-
Der of students during the past year at
these institutions was 35,GSS. Of these
%, I23 were capable of military duty, IL, 6S1
were required under college rule to be en-
rolled as military students, and the whole
number that received military instruction
during the last quarter of the scholastic
year was 14,G61. Four years ago the fig
ures under the first, second and third heads
We're, respectively, 1851, 12,3O1 and 1866.
This record shows that the total average
attendance of students at these universities
and colleges has more than doubled in four
years, and that the interest in the military
course of faculties and students has kept
pace Herewith.
Promotions From the Ranks
The act Of June 1S, 1873. provided for the
promotion to the grade Of commissioned
officer of meritorious non-commissioned Of
fio ers found morally, Intellectually and
physically qualified for promotion. Under
the act of July 30, 1892 unmarried soldiers
under thirty years OF age of sound phys que
who. being citizens of the United States.
shall have served hcnorably in the ranks
rot less than two years. and have borne
a good character both before ard since en-
8 mint, are permitted to compete at pre-
scrfbed examinations for commissions in
tie army. There are now in the army log
officers of the line who were promoted from
the passage of the act of June 49, 1878.
The number If army officers regularly
employed at the state headquarters this
year is thirty-three, an increase of six
over the details of last year. During the
year 1895 forty-three states and territories
obtained the services of officers of the
army for temporary or regular duty with
state troops. The assembly of troops of
the permanent establishment with those of
the states and state camps has now been
essayed with success. The next step would
he to assemble troops of the permanent es-
Enlistment and troops of the several
states in a common camp within the limits
Of some government park or reservation, to
be brigaded with each other as they would
be In time OF actual war, not by states, and
to be maneuvered accordingly.
AFTER MANY YEARS.