The San Francisco call., 1896-08-03
Barracks to Be Established in
the Vicinity of the Big
Guns.
A LARGER FORCE NECESSARY.
Hospital to Be Renovated for the
Better Accommodation of
Patients.

WASHINGTON, d. c., Aug. 2.-There
is a strong probability that the Fifth
Regiment of Artillery, stationed on the
Pacific Coast, will be redistributed with
the mounting of new batteries in that Sec
ton. Emplacement for guns are now
being built along the slope, and when
they are reported finished guns will be
shipped to the West to be put in place.
or their care and preservation men in
the immediate vicinity will be required
These emplacements are in some cases re-
m ote from the stations where troops are
quartered. To prevent the travelling to
and from, which would be necessary if the
existing conditions were allowed to con-
tinue, it is the intention of the War De-
partment to construct barracks at points
in the immediate vicinity OF the guns for
the accommodation of battery or bat
teries OF artillery.
The redistribution of the remaining four
regiments of artillery, all of which are sta
toned on the Atlantic Coast, has already
been recommended by General Miles and
will probably take place just as soon as
quarters can be constructed.
General Miles returned to Washington a
few days ago from an inspection tour of
the fortifcations of the New England coast
and the lake shores. AS result of this
inspection he urged, and his recommends
tion was adopted. that quarters be built at
Hancock, near New York. These will be
manned with battery when completed.
General Miles expects number of guns
will be mounted by December: hence his
recommendation for the redistributing of
the artillery regiment,
1t is frankly stated by War Department
officials that when the Notifications Tor the
Pacific and Atlantic coasts are all COM
pleted the present artillery force will be
totally inadequate to take care of them.
The War Department has recognized
this fact for some time, and with a view
to remedying the condition submitted a
bill to Congress at its last session lncreas-
ing the artillery arm from five to seven
regiments. favorable report was made
upon the measure by the Senate Military
Committee and it will be brought before
the upper house at the beginning of the
next session. In view of the great inter-
est at stake it is the intention of the de-
partment to bring strong pressure to bear
in order to secure, if possible, its enact
ment.
The hospital at the Presidio is to un-
dergo extensive repairs. General Stern
berg surgeon-general, who has Just re-
turned from tour of Inspection, which
included the Pacific Slope, has recon-
mended. and his commentator has
been adopted, that the hospital at the
Presidio be repaired and renovated and
that an addition ior the better accommo-
dation OF patients be constructed.
Plans for the addition are now being
prepared in the Quarterrnaster's Office Of
the War Department, and when approved
advertisements will be issued for bids on
the work.
The new pay system in the army, which
has been in operation only few months,
is already subject of complaint. This
system involves the payment of the men
Dy the post commanders instead of by
paymasters, as formerly. The paymasters
put the mems pay up in envelopes. which
are sent to the post commander for dis
tribution. With view to ascertaining if
the complaints have any just foundation,
Paymaster- General Sternberg left Wash
ington to-day for the West. He will in
spect a mum ber of the posts, and upon bis
return will submit his report to the Secre-
tary of War.
Gossip is rife in military circles as to
who will be the next quartermaster-gen-
eral OF the army. The appointment, it is
expected, will be announced next week
upon the return of Secretary Lamont to
Washington. The Secretary has been
north and has communicated with the
President about the matter. Colonel Saw
telle, at present the senior officer of his
grade, seems to have the best chance of
securing the billet, although it was stated
py high official of the department few
days ago that Colonel Weeks, the junior
colonel, had a splendid show of being
General Batchelder's successor Besides
Colonel Sawtelle Colonel Luddington is
the only applicant for the assignment,
and his application he desires to be con-
sidered only in the event of Colonel Saw
telle's failure to get the place.