The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-11-27


h.s annual report which was made pub
lie to-day, Secretary OF War Lamont
ranews his previous recommendation
that the infantry be re-organlzed on the
general idea OF three light and mobile
battalIOns OF four companies each TO
the regiment, instead Of the cumber-
some ten company formation adopted a
.ceatury ago. and abandoned by other
nations since the development OF mod
ern magazine rifles, and he quotes Gen.
erals Sherman, Sheridan and Lleuten-
ant General Schofield In support of the
necessity Of this reorganization OF the
Infantry.
The completion already OF some coast
dpteHses and the approaching compile
ton OF other modern batteries render
necessary u larger force OF artillerists,
but no other increase OF the army Is
asked for. The plan OF sea coast de-
fense Involves one hundred distinct
batteries in every twenty harbors.
The number Of line officers serving
with their commands Is larger than at
any time since the war, and the secre-
tary expresses the belief that still fur
ther changes can be made to adyant-
age In this direction.
The report shows that according to
the statements OF department COM
nlndcrs the discipline Of the troops
was never better than now. The num-
Der Of trials by general court-martial
was about fifteen per cent less during
TIE 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 mas for the
first time been paid monthly. Over
$i,eo,Q00 was disbursed. The saving to
the government by the system Is about
'25,0CO annually, and 1t appears to en-
courage economy among the men, as
soldiers deposits this year are over
N9N.VVO more than last year.
Under the new. recruiting system Sass
men were enlisted last year. Of whom
nearly one-hak were secured at garri-
soned posts without expense.
Desertion In the army issdecreasing.
Dasertcrs in 1883 numbered s,57S, in 1898
oIly 1852 and last year 1856.
The post exchange. the general Coop
e7ltive store, maintained without ex-
peHse to the government, Mt nearly all
military stations, by the enlisted men,
IN which are kept for sale most OF the
commodities that are In demand at mil
:;ary posts. Is now generally approved.
Tho receipts last year from all sources
were more than one and half million
Collars, with net profits OF about $780,
OlO
The thirty-hve army officers assign
ed 20 duty with the national guard of
tlh STA arf n ctaoi,- i,,,p
IN the militia. Investigation this year
has shown serious deficiencies In the
arms and equipment of this branch of
the service. When the states furnish
the armories anG defray all expenses
Incidental 20 keeping their forces in
training, Secretary Lamont suggests
mat the United States should provide
them with the implements which they
VII need in active service-arTns and
Held equipments-as the supply on
hand Is totally inadequate for serious
and prolonged field operations. The
secretary recommends that the Spring.
Held rifle, icaiiber forty-flve, be issued
20 state troops. that the states be al
loved 10 return 10 the war department
obsolete arms and equipments to be
sold. anu the proceeds credited to the
states and that the states he allowed
ID purchase from the department sup
plies al regulation prices.
Fifteen regiments OF regulars are on
Huty east OF the Missouri and the me-
!'aian Of Kansas City. twenty are loca-
"a in the plains and mountains be-
tween the Missouri and the eastern
BOUNDARY OF the Pacific states. and five
aF" on the Pacific coast. There are
seyenty-seven military posts.
lnF4 Hnngisf1 Hf 81, 400 nHlporc
ana men. or 2S4 below the legal maxi
mum. The effective field strength on
October 81 was 23,3S2.
ihe estimates of the department for
tlr next fiscal year aggregate $l0,4S2,-
~. Win this appropriate provision will
nave been made for:
ona hundred and sixty-three high
F3Wer gun emplacements. one hundred
aad tw"nty-nine rapid fire gun en-
F'icemcnts: three hundred twelve-inch
mortar cmplacements: three hundred
ana iifty-elght high power stce! guns:
.'h@,ty-aeyen rapid fire guns: two nun
"i"i and ninety twclvc-lnch ihortars:
on" hundred and eighty eight, ten ana
l"slVc-!nch gun Carriages;two hundred
anu ninety tweive-inch mortar carri-
a-a2.
me armament Of troops with the new
I"tSa2!ne arms was completed In May,
HhH the armOry Is turning out one
!Huhdred and twenty-five rifles or car
D'acS per day under the appropriation
maze last year All the ammunition
. 30. small arms now made Is supplied
WIN smokeless powder of American
;shhutacturc and OF satisfactory quail
nc report shows total expenditures
'"F the war deDartrnpnt for 1895 oyprn-
rating $jl. .S03, 238 Among them Is an
!'fA OF N,iS6,TJ5 for salaries and con-
,hS"ncies In the war Office at Wash
"fion This. the secretary says. shows
" saving Of t5Sg.7jO from the expenll-
VIZ w under the same head for the year