Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-16
UNCLE SANS ARMY
Some Facts About It as Gathered BY
Adjutant General Ruggles.
MILITARY INSTRUCTION IN SCHOOLS
He Favors an Increase in the Mill
tary Force.
WIRES UNDER ROUND

Adjutant General Ruggles in his annual
report to the Secretary of War. states that
the work Of making q military reconnois-
sance map of the United States was corn
menced at a number of army posts during
the past year. and that 1t will occupy sew
eral years. The department has been max
ing an effort to secure more exact informa-
ton than has before been had in regard to
tho armament and equipment of the militia
and the quantity of supplies that would be
necessary to enable the state troops to
take the field for sixty days.
Gen. Rugglas strongly recommends the
passage by Congress Of the militia bill pre-
pared by the department last year. The
number Of enlistments and re-enllstInents
during the past year was 8.49S-62 2-3 per
CT mt being natives and the remainder nat
| urahzed citizens. The aptitude and inter-
est Of the students under military instruc-
ton at military colleges was generally sat
isfactory.
There was decrease Of g, 4O1 in the at
the prevailing monetary depression, and
there has been some complaint because in
| many cases the faculties of the colleges did
not require the students to take plilitary
instruction even where an officer was de-
tailed for the purpose. Therefore the ad-
jutant general recommends an amendment
of the law touching these Details SO that
no army officer shall be detailed for duty
where the number Of pupils enrolled for
military instruction is not at least l:D.
Public School distraction. q
very complimentary reference is made
to the support the department has received
from the Omaha authorities in the case of
the High School. where all OF the pupils
were placed under compulsory enrolment.
with gratifying results. On this subject
General Ruggles says:
THE favorable comments of the citizens
Of Omaha on the High School Cadets has
stimulated the pride of the latter and Gre
ated quite spirit of emulation among the
younger boys. l concur i'll the recommenda-
| tion Of the military instructor that more
| substantial assistance be extended to the
boys in the way OF arms and equipments.
The material benefit derived by the cadets
| is shown by the high standing in military
matters taken at once by those Of them who
| have entered a military college. There Is
conceived no better opportunity Of d.ssem-
! mating military knowledge among those
| whose minds are at the most receptive
stage than by encouraging in every possible
way military instruction in the public High
Schools of the country"
Favors Underground Wires.
Gen. Ruggles, in a brief chapter favoring
| a system of underground wires in this city,
says:
1.-The storm which visited this city ON the
18th of September extended in violence no
farther north than Baltimore. yet 1t SO
| completely Frustrated all telegraph wires
| that Washington was. for the time being,
| Isolated from the rest of the world, and tel
| egraphic communication was only COM
pletely restored on the 9Th of October. In
| times Of great excitement evil-minded per-
| sons may easily cause like interruption of
| communication from the seat Of govern
| ment, and the necessity of laying wires
| underground from this city is thus made
| apparent
The adjutant general calls attention to
| the fact that army officers at seaports are
| now required. both by custom and regula-
| ttOns to extend courteSies to foreign COM
manders of war vessels arriving at their
| stations. This is a matter of considerable
| expense to them. he says, and they should
! like officers in European countries be al
| lowed a proper expenditure for the purpose
| to be met by the government.
Increase of the Army.
Gen. Ruggles again calls attention to the
necessity for an increase Of the military
force and the reorganization of the in
| fantry, plans for which have been submit
| ted to Congress, and speedy action is urged
| The number of assertions during the year
| was 1885, an increase of 200 over the pre-
| vious year, and go per cent were men. he
| states, in the first year of their service
generally restless and unable to bear the
| IuOnOtONy Oh Il regular lie anu milo QlSCl-
pine. In cases of older soldiers who de-
| sert, the incentive the report adds, is like
| ly to be found in some local ENHANCEMENT.
1.-THE cause of desertion," says Gen. Rug
| giles, lis, therefore, not altogether in the
service: 1t is part of human nature Ite
| absolute eradication cannot be hoped for
Regimental Bands.
He also calls attention to the. necessity
| for a proper support by the United States
of its regimental bands and says: "A bill
| to this end introduced in the interest of
| citizen musicians in their desire to prohibit
competition of military bands, rather than
in that of the military service. is now be-
| fore Congress. Its provisions are incom-
plete, and need careful revision"
In view of the pressing needs OF the serv-
| ice, the adjutant general recommends that
| temporary force of ten clerks be added
! to the present force of his office for a pc
4 riod of two years. The post exchanges are
reported to be giving the gre1test satisfac-
! ton, and 1t Is significant fact that the
| sales of beer have decreased gradually I'M
| til they are now over 40 per cent less than
! in the early days of the exchanges. The
| net profits from the system were $349, 151.
| The value of gymnastics in military train
| irg has been fully demonstrated in the
| opinion of the adjutant general, and he
| recommends that properly equil ped gym
| nasium be provided at every post not de-
pendent as now upon the profits from the
| exchange for maintenance.