The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-11-30


Total officers Of the line.......... l5S9
General officers and in stan depart-
ments ...........'..''-'''''.''' ~
ro,o, oe,cers.................. 2,l2s
,,,,.toa men Of cavairy............... CLIO
Enlisted men of artillery ......-'..'., 80,
Enlisted men OF iniantry.............. l''l-
Enlisted men of engineers....'...''.'' o'
IoisI ond germents Snii11eS l'en ..'.' - $3.50
Enlisted men IN ree,nenfs Sfo,,sI''''' l.1sO
Total authorized under act June o,
Is 1874 ................-.........t.- -v''V'
Enlisted En1lliie, m,en, ,,n, hoSii'al ooip'' ~. 7os
Total an enlisted men.............. -5''Vo
The following excerpts are also made
from the report
THE RECRUITING SERVICE.
"Cbanees established i'm the method OF
recruiting during the past two years nave
| considerably reduced the cost OF mat
service. while porceptibly increasing lhe
| effective strength of the army. Nine re-
cruitiug stations have been eslhplShen
| within that time and the NUMBER CT
| officers detached on recruiting service mas
! decreased from fl I'm September, 1921, 10
| ID iu October. 1895. The onOrt 20 increase
| cnlistments at posts, ana thu- ieduee
/ tranrpOrtatiJn. shows Satisfactory re-
| suits By the act of August 1. 1894. enlist
| meuts were confined 10 citllens, or thoae
who had declared their intentions 70 De
/ come such. not over thlfly years vL "h''
and able to speak, rehd, anu Miilc ,ir
I Euelish language. This law has greatly
| improved the personnel or the army "nu
| has not impeded required enllstmehts ~
/ the Z, 80 men recruited dufinS ~ 6Hg sN,.,,, ~,
! s5iN were native born ana z,ZoL loIelSh
| horn. The sfrictness OF The examinations,
| physical. mental, and moral, may Dr
measured from the fact that SS'-W "ppn-
cants We're rejected .,.....
..The receipts from the seventy-thtee
| most exchanges i'm operation We're fl,oln, i1o'
| me enpenses S,IS9.253 leaving balance
| OF S32e. 222 OF which S255,s3l were returneo
| as dividends Many on the exchanges
now have libraries, gymnasiuns, ana APP
pliances for out-of-dOor sports
CONCENTRATION or TROOPS.
.'rbe policy Of concentrating the army
and abandoning unnecessary posts mas
not only won the approval or all nose
| acquainted with the lines or prosi it7s
which conditions have marked CUT LOT
our army. bat is approved Dy ali lhousn nd-
| ful citizens. 10 has been shown tnat sum-
| cient bodies OF troops can Dee il7pt.chti
| for service TO any necessary p'Alt Nl
| shorter time and an less cost thah ui.''i
/ the old system. that the area under euec-
| five military protection les consequently
! much largcr. and that an elements OF tN-
! pense have been percepupiy reduced.
mis- policy has also rendered II posi-
| bic for this department since Maich =
| 1893 10 turn over 10 the Department OF
| tho Interior $4,000 acres of public laho,
| conveniently situated. for the use OF dc-
| tual settlers. AZ the present time tneie
/ are eighteen posts whose Baffisohs 'N-
| coed "a ful regiment. while thirty stations
| are earrisoned by less than a battalion.
| This policy, with everything TO commend
| it should bc steadily pursued.
| "Agreoahly 90 the act Of congress tne
| deparfncnt has accepted from the cth-
| IONS of Spokane. State Of washington, Il
| tract of land embracing l.n-- acres LOT
| military purposes Eventually tnls ahonid
| bo availed OF by the erection Of barracks
/ and uuarters TO take the place or some
/ of the posts In that vicinity, which under
| the conditions following the development
| of the country, are not well located TOT
"While our army remains at its present
| numbers. and with the facilities Tor the
| ouick dispatch OF troops 10 points "here
| required. the appeals OF localities ior the
| establishment OF posts ln their vicinity
! can have no substantial basis
| TO respond 10 such appeals VIII 20 70
| nrovide quarters far In excess or our
needs or our ability to supply them with
| garrisons.
STATE TROOPS.
-rhe efforts OF recent years to bring
| the army into closer relations with the
| National Guard of the states may now
] b. regarded as having established per
| manent union betws4n the TWO forces,
| advantageous 90 both. during the year
| 81 officers, more than IN tne previous
| wear. were permanently detailed an oiaie
| HEADQUARTERS. and 43 States secured iof
| temporary duty tho services or array oii-
| GERS state encampmcnts OF troops were
| held hy - states, 10 Which - auuitloidl
| officers were assigned as Instructors ana
| inspectors.
| "'rhc conditions are favorable TO tho de
H..H |HN . d D. d.
| of 100000 men. Of the highest eitciency
and prepared for any service. Le4isiii-
| ton however, is necessary 20 phl lo the
| best use the relations which, have pecn
| established between the army hnG tiie
! troops of the States. The laws OF lhc
! United states relating 10 the milua were
| enacted m 1892, and need ilofouth re-
| vision and renovation 70 nrnb lntm INTO
| accord with present requirements.
| .sThe variety OF weapons which now OBJ
! faius is so great a. 10 preclude the em-
| pfnYment of considerable uodles OF tif
! militia of different states ln coop efdiioh,
and the longer the ffueial 'oFeii.iii''.i. l',.
| delays action the greater the poselnlillt
that different States VIII select ulHefth- 3
| models OF rifles, requiring ulheithl iotmS
| of ammunition. thus rendering 34tt'7t
| ir1possfbie The employment ln joint &C.
| ton of the troops of me dlietent states.
| The Springfield t-talDre riHe appears
| 90 DE the best weapon adapted 70 lnc use
| of the Stale troops, ana authoiity IRON
|
dcpartment fully 10 equip within the year
| INC militia OF the country with this uni-
| fOlm arm Ina the event Of war the new
! magazine rifle could De issued 10 these
| troops. and a fortnight would DC ample
| to secure proficiency IN the use OF the
| arm.
.The states now hold many unservice-
| able wOru-Out, or obsolete stores ana
| weapons advanced 10 them by the War
| Department in past years. Altnority Is
| asked 10 grant credit 10 the states Tor
| the return OF such useless material, 10 DE
| sold by the Federal Government for what
| An will bring, and the proceeds applied 10
| the armine of the militia with uniform,
| serViceable weapons
SEA-COAST DEFENCES.
In your annual message transmitted 10
| Congress iI December, 1856, attention was
| 5irecfed 10 the urgent necessity Tor sea-
! coast defence IN these words: The de-
/ fenceless condition OF our sea-c0ast and
| lake frontier is perfectly paipaDle, the
| examinations made must convince us all
that certain of our cities should De- fOru-
| lied. and that work on the most important
of these fOrtihcations should be COM
meueed al once. The absolute necessity,
| Judged By all standards OF prudence and
| foresight Of our preparation Tor an ef-
| fe.tuaI resistance against the armOred
| shins and steel guns and mOrtars OF mod
| .ru construction which may threaten the
lilies on our coasts Is so apparent that
| hope effective steps VIII be taken IN that
direction Immediately
"since that time the condition OF these
| defeuces has been under grave considera-
tion by the people and by this depart
ment Its inadequacy and impotency
| Isve beeu 50 evident that the intelligence
| ~ the country long since ceased 10 dis