The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-11-27
UNCLE SANS ARMY
Secre ary Lamont Makes His
Annual Report.
MORE ARTILLERY NEEDED
The Discipline Of Troops Was
Never Better.
OFFICERS AND Men, 25,42e
35 Army Officers Assigned to State
National Guards Report Defcien-
cies--Recommsndations For
State rooms
State Troops

cies--Reconmsndations For
State Troops.
Washington, Nov. 26.-In his annual
report which was made public to day
SECRETARY Lamont renews his previous
recommendation that the infantry be re-
organized on the general idea of three
light and mobile battalions Of four
| companies each to the regiment instead
of the cumbersome ten companies forma-
tion adopted a century ago, and abandon
ed by other nations since the development
| of modern magazine rifles and he quotes
| Generals Sherman, Sheridan and Lieut..
| Gen. SchOheld in support Of the necessity
| Of this reorganization Of the infantry.
The completion already of some coast
| defenses and the approaching completion
| Of other modern batteries render necessa-
~ q larger force Of artilleries, but no
other increase Of the army is asked for.
The number of line officers serving
with the commands is larger than at any
| time since the last war and the Secretary
| expresses the belief that still further
| changes can be made to advantage in this
direction.
The report shows that according to the
statements Of department commanders,
the discipline of the troops was never
better than now. The number of trials
| by general court martial was about 10
per cent less during the past year than
| the year before.
In no previous year Of the history Of
| the army has the health Of the troops
been so satisfactory.
Under the new system established by
Secretary Lamont, the army has for
| the first time been paid monthly. Over
| S14,000,000 was disbursed. The saw
ing to the government by the system is
| about $50, 900 annually and it appears TO
| encourage economy among the men, as
soldiers deposits this year are over $780,
| GOO more than last year
Under the new recruiting system S,498
| men were enlisted last year, of whom
nearly one half were secured at garrison
| ed posts without expense.
Desertion in the army is decreasing.
DesertiOn in 1888 numbered 357S, in
1893 only 1,6S2 and last year 1865.
The post exchange, the general coop
eratiye store, maintained without expense
| to the government at nearly all military
| stations 10y the enlisted men in which are
kept for sale most of the commodities that
are in demand at military posts, Is now
generally approved The receipts last
year from all sources were more than one
and a half million dollars, with a ret
profit of about $350,000
The 80 army officers assigned to duty
with the National guard Of the States re-
port steady improvement in the militia,
| Investigation this year has shown serious
| deficiencies in the arms and equipment II
| this branch of the service When the
States furnish the armOries and defray ex-
penses incidental to keeping their forces
in training, Secretary Lamont suggests
that the United States should provide
| them with the implements which they
will need in active seryice-aFms and field
equipments-as the supply on hand is
totally inadequate for serious and pro
longed field operations.
The Secretary recommends that the
Springfield rifle calibre .45, be issued to
State troops, that the State be allowed to
return to the War Department obsolete
arms and equipments to be sold, and the
proceeds credited to the States, and that
the States be allowed to purchase from
the Department supplies at regulation
prices.
Fifteen regiments Of regulars are on du-
ty east of the Missouri and the Meridian
Of Kansas City, twenty are located in the
plains and mountains between the Mis-
souri, and the eastern boundary Of the
Pacific States, and FIVE are on the Pa
citic coast. There are II military posts.
The army consists of 5,426 oficers
and men, or 2S4 below the legal maxi
mum. The effective field strength on
October 81, was %, ,3S2.
The report shows that, whereas on the
first of July, 1893, of our modern de
fense, but one high power gun was
mounted, by the first of July next we will
have in position seventy high power
breech loading guns, and ninety-fve
breech loading mortars OF modern de-
sign, and by the following July, on cem-
pletiOn of work already under way or
provided for, 12S guns and 153 mOrtars.
A battery Of two or three of these guns
takes the place of the former preteIitious
fort, and is vastly more effective.
The defenses now under consideration
are distributed along the ports Of Port
land, Me, Portsmouth, n. H.. Boston,
Narrangasett Bay, Eastern entrance to
Long Island Sound, Eastern and South
ern entrances to New York Philadelphia.
Baltimore, Washington, Hampton Roads,
Wilmington, Charleston, Savannah, Key
West, Pensacola, Mobile, New Orleans,
Galveston, San Diego, San Francisco.
the mouth OF the Columbia river, and
Puget sound. All Of the cmplacements
have been located with view to carry
ing out the project OF the Endicott board
on foJ ifications organized under act OF
Congress OF March 3, 1885, as revised
by the permanent board of engineers.
The Secretary says that the Department
CONTINUED Ga fourth nanel