The Anaconda standard., 1895-11-12
GEN. NILES REPORT
The Best Guarantees Of Peace Is a Con-
dihon Of Readiness for War.
VERY WEAK COAST DEFENSE
He Calls Attention to Many Items.
and Urges Immediate Consld-
eration-The Army Should
Be Streng lhened.

Washington. Nov. 1.-The annual re-
port Of General Miles,. commanding the
army. was made public to-day. The
personnel Is shown to be In excellent
condition. well instructed. efficient and
attentive to duty. Liberal approprta-
tions are required for public buildings
at the posts. many OF which are out
OF repair. General Miles believed that
the peacable conditions now existing
among the various Indian tribes Is
largely attributable to the presence Of
troops at suitable points and to the ad-
mirable conduct of the experienced
army officers who have been pla led In
charge OF the principal agencies. While
II is economical and desirable 10 have
the reserve forces OF the army near
the great centers Of communicable n.
General Miles urgently contends tnat
these points should be selected for
their strategetic value aud tha. the
tendency toward concentration should
not be carried to the point OF depriving
the western settlements Of proper pro-
tectlon.
Under the head OF Coast Defense
General Miles states the condition OF
these defenses Is such as TO require de-
cided and immediate action for their
Improvement. The unguarded condi-
tion of our coast Is known by every
first-class power and our people should
not be led into false security. He
quotes from his report OF 1894 a strong
argument for the defense OF Puget
Sound. shows that since the time the
new Canadian railroad connections
have been established there. yet not q
single gun has been placed in position
for defense. while those at the entrance
OF the Columbia are obsolete and OF lit
tie value.
General Miles recalls what he said In
his report Of 1889 upon the absolute i'm
portance OF the defense OF the entire
Pacific coast. in view OF the fact that
1t was possible for any naval power TO
blockade every important port within
30 days. while 1t would take many
years TO make a successful resistance
and the country might be required TO
pay an indemnity OF s.. .00O. .0O0, 900.
While the railroads might transport a
million brave men to the coast. they
would be useless without appliances to
cope with the modern engines OF war;
and with all our Intelligence. pride. in
ventive genius and enterprise we are
as far behind In the modern appliances
OF war as China or Japan. The entire
gulf coast and all the great cities OF
the Atlantic coast northward 20 Phila-
delphla are entirely without modern
guns. In position are a few obsolete
guns. and none OF these batteries could
stop a single frst-class waship. much
less a fleet.
He points to the case of China which
made the fatal mistake OF relying upon
It's vastly superior numbers for safety.
and argues that the best guarantee Of
peace is a condition of readiness fox
war. To thoroughly demonstrate the
utility of bicycles and motor wagons
in the army II is recommended that a
force OF IL companies be equipped with
these devices to be manned from the
1000 officers and men In the army able
to use a bicycle. which has been al
ready been found extremely useful.
General Miles argues for an increase
in the strength OF the army. saying
that there is no reason why II should
be crystalllzed and kept at one strength
as II has for years. Ii should Increase
with the growth OF the country and be
determined by the census at a mini
mum Of one soldier for every 1000 popu-
lation and a maximum OF one In every
] 900.
General Miles concludes his report
with several recommendations intended
TO benefit the condition OF the officers
and men and attract to the military
service the best element in the
country.