The San Francisco call., 1896-02-03
ARMY AND NAVY NOTES.
General Forsyth's Supplementary
Report on Field Exer-
cises.
ARMY ENGINEERS ON DUTY.
The Lime Point Battery-Thirteen.Inch
Guns of the Battle-Ship
Oregon.
ARMY ENGINEERS ON DUTY.

General of the United States Army re-
port supplementary to the animal de-
partmental report forwarded last Septem-
Der. The supplement is volume of 154
printed pages and minutely describes the
practice marches and field maneuvering of
the troops last summer.
The report sets forth that the different
ommands-cavalry, artillery and infantry
were marched to and from the camp in
dependently of each other and occupied
separate and independent camps while at
Monterey. The roster at the end of the
report shows what officers and organiza-
tions part ticipated in the instruction.
In the supplementary report General
Forsyth rem arks:
mo extra expense was incurred through
any of these marches or camps, but
number of embarrassing difficulties arose
on account of a lack of means. The
amount of mule and wagon transportation
allotted 10 this department. is not sufficient
to move such command at one time, In
future encampments the necessary funds
should be allowed to pay for rail trans
portation OF heavy baggage and camp
equipment,
Good maps, whose military features
were not obseured by too many topograph-
ical details ian essential preliminary to
such instructions) had been prepared of
the terrain surrounding Monterey. To as
slst in orientation and to facilitate the
preparation Of orders as many landmarks
were located and named thereon as prac-
ticable. Were copies of these maps at
tached hereto, the orders, comments, ETC.,
might be somewhat more lntelligible, but
it has been found necessary, much to nv
regret, TO omit this feature on account of
expense. 1t is also a source of regret that
the reports, itineraries and maps submit
ted in connection with the marches,
reconnoissances, problems, exercises, ETC.,
are too extensive to admit of publication.
"a general description of the exercises
could not convey as full and complete an
idea of the details of the instruction as can
be obtained from the orders and other pub
licati0ns relating thereto. These are
therefore published IN appendices hereto
in lieu OF such description.
ut is believed that the system of field in
struotion here outlined is a thoroughly
practical one--applicable in whole or in
part to small commands of varying size
ard constitution, and to any ordinary mill
tary post or department.
II feel that / cannot too urgently COM
mend the importance of this class of IN
struction to the consideration OF superior
authority. Nearly all unite in acknowl-
edging its importance, but | fear that its
degree of practical benefit is fully realized
by few outside of those who have had op-
portunity to observe it in practice or TO
participate therein.
"All officers and men rendered cheerful
and excellent service. | have never had
experience with instruction where greater
interest and enthusiasm were displayed or
better results achieved"
The United States engineers recently
ordered to San Francisco are nov at their
respective stations OF duty. Colonel Suter
succeeded Colonel Mendell as chief engi-
neer on the coast. Major Davis performs
the river and harbor work which was under
Lieutenant-Colonel Benyaurd and the
lighthouse duty which Major Heuer per-
formed. Captain Gillette takes the river
and harbor work which was formerly un-
der Major Heuer's supervision.
lieutenant Potter of the engineers, W no
has been stationed here fol some years, is
on duty mainly at Lime Point putting in
the platforms of three l2-lnch breech-load-
ing rifles. The Lime Point battery is on
the bluff, 4S5 feet above the water, and is
sure to be formidable fort. These guns
command the approach TO the Golden
Gate, and no hostile feet can come in
without being long time under the fire of
these guns. The site Of the battery is so
high that the guns could not be depressed
to render effective work on a fleet in the
Golden Gate proper, but effective batteries
near the water line will command the
channel. One of the 12-inch rifles for the
Lime Point battery is on the ground and
the other two will be shipped from the
East next summer.
Lieutenant Lite brant, Tenth Cavalry,
who recently went before the examining
board at the Presidio, has returned to his
station.
Lieutenant Harry R. Lee, Eleventh In
fantry, arrived last Thursday and reported
to the board for examination
r
fantry, arrived from Arizona last Saturday
and will report this week for examination
Mr.. Leayell has been on duty as instructor
of the National Guard of Arizona and
speaks highly of that organization The
Arizona Guard is not large in point OF
numbers. but the troops of the command
are intelligent, active and progressive.
One of the four horses recently poisoned
at the Preside died last Thursday. The
four occupied adjoining stalls and were fed
from the same bale of hay. An autopsy
disclosed poison in the stomach of the
horse. 1t is supposed that squirrel poison
In the bayfield, in some manner got into
the bale of hay.
The dynamite guns and machinery at
the Presidio are carefully guarded by
sentinels. Mr.. Watson of the Pneumatic
Dynamite Company OF New York, who
placed TIE plant in position as the agent
| OF the contractors, is still at the battery,
| and under his direction officers and en-
listed men of the Fifth Artillery are taught
how to handle the apparatus. The ar
| tillerymen are making fair progress in this
new and important line of military work
The monitor Monterey is in the harbor
of San Francisco. The health of Captain
Kane has been sufficiently restored to war
rant his return to active duty as the COM
mander of the vessel.
Two of the thirteen-ipch rifled guns of
the battle-ship Oregon are in proper posi-
tion aboard the ship and the remaining
two will be placed where they belong
within the next thirty days. The battery
OF eight-inch guns is already in position.
At last official accounts the Philadelphia
was at San DIEGO The cruiser, il is said,
will not go further south this trip.
The Boston by this time is at Honolulu.
The Olympia and Charleston are at the