The herald., 1896-11-27
A REORGANZED Infantry
Is Greatly Desired by Secretary
Lamont
THE COAST DEFENSE WORK
Has Made Good Progress for Three
Years Past
The Total Expenditures the Past Year
for the War Department Were
Fifty-one Millions.
Associated Press Special Wire

WASHINGTON, NOV. Zo.-ln MS all
nual report, which was made public
today, Secretary Lamont renews his
previous recommendation that the in
fantry be reorganized on the general
idea Of three light and mobile battalions
of four companies each to the regiment,
instead of the cumbersome ten-company
formation adopted a century ago and
abandoned by other nations since the
development Of modern magazine rifles,
and he quotes Generals Sherman, Sher-
idan, and Lieutenant General Schofield
in support Of the necessity OF this reor-
ganization Of the infantry.
The completion alre Oily of some coast
defenses and the approaching compile
ton Of other modern batteries render
necessary a larger force Of artillerists.
but no increase Of the army ID asked
for.
The plan of sea coast defense involves
a hundred distinct batteries in over
twenty harbors.
Investigation this year has shown
serious deficiencies in the arms and
equipment of the state militia. When
the states furnish the armories and de-
fray all expenses incidental to keeping
their forces In training, Secretary La
mont suggests that the United States
should provide them with the imple-
ments which they will need In. active
service-arms and field equipment, as
the supply on hand Is totally made
quate for serious and prolonged field op-
erations.
The secretary recommends that the
Springfield rifle, caliber As, be issued
to state troops, and that the states be
allowed to return to the war depart
ment obsolete arms and equipments, to
be sold, and the proceeds credited to
lowed to purchase from the department
supplies at regular prices
The report shows that whereas, on
the 1st Of July, 1893, In our modern de-
fense, but one high-power gun was
mounted, by the 1st Of July next we
will have in position seventy high-pow-
er breech-loading guns, and ninety-f1ve
sign, and by the following July, on the
completion of work already under way
or provided for, 1913 guns and 1853 NOR
tars. A battery of two or three of these
guns takes the place of the former pre-
tentious affairs, for they are vastly
more effective.
The defenses now under considera-
Portland, Me-, Portsmouth. N. H., Bos-
ton, Narragansett the eastern entrance
to Long Island sound, eastern and
southern entrance of New York, Phil
adelphia, Baltimore, Washington, Will
mington, Hampton Roads, Savannah,
Key West, Pensacola, Mobile. New Or
leans. Galveston, San Diego, San Fran
cisco, and the mouth of the Columbia
river and Puget sound. All Of the en-
placements have been located, with a
view to carrying out the project Of the
Endicott board of fortiflcations, organ
ized under act of congress, March g.
1885. as reviewed by the permanent
board of engineers. The secretary says
that the department, in making these
allotments. was guided by a desire to
protect as many of the seaports as
practicable against marauding attacks
of Isolated cruisers, as well as to provide
a more efficient defense for the import
ant places, and also to utilize to the best
advantage the guns for which carriages
could be most speedily furnished.
The total number Of emplacements
provided for to date is 12S for guns and
1856 for mortars, of which so were guns
and for mortars were appropriated for
at the last session of congress.
The number of gun carriages COM
pleted and building, all of which will be
finished within the next fiscal year, is
twenty 12-inch, sixty-nine 10-inch,
eighteen 8-inch for guns and 1853 for
mortars.
By July, 1897. there should be ready 70
gun carriages and 1913 mortar carria ges
The total number of guns completed
to date since the first appropriation is
sixty-one 8-inch, fifty-slx 10-inch, twen-
ty-one 12-irch and eight mortars.
With the money already provided
there will be completed by June 80, 1897,
72 eight-inch guns, 81 ten-inch guns, Al
twelve-inch guns and SO 1welve-inch
mortars.
The estimates of the department for
the next fiscal year aggregate $10,4S2,-
26S. With this appropriation provision
will have been made for one hundred
and sixty-three high-power gun en-
placements, 129 rapid-fire gun emplace-
ments, 300 twelve-inch mortar emplace-
ments, 1858 high-power steel guns. 81
rapid-fire guns, 290 twelve-inch mortars
$50 eight ten and twelve-inch gun car
riages, 200 twelve-inch mortar carriages.
The armament of troops with the new
magazine arms was completed in May
and the armory is turning out 125 rifles,
or carbines, per day under the appro-
priation made last year. All the ammu-
milton for small arms now made Is sup
piled with smokeless powder Of Ameri-
can manufacture and Of satisfactory
quality.
The $40 Apache prisoners Of Geroni-
mos band have, the secretary says. led
a quiet, pastoral life and have reached
q elf-supporting condition.
He recommends that In time the title
to the $4,000 acres they occupy be &C
quired by the government and they
then be placed under the control of the
Indian bureau.
The report shows total expenditures
for the war department for 1896 aggre-
eating S51, 300, ,29S.
Among them is an item Of $1,436, ,795
for salaries and contingencies in the
war office at Washington. This, the
secretary says, shows saving Of $685.
75O from the expenditure under the
same head for the year 1892.
The aggregate of appropriations for
the war department unexpended and
turned back into the general fund of
the treasury at the end of the last fiscal
year was $1,075,003. For the year 1895
it was $1,764, ,467, and for 1894 it was ST.
3S7, ,922, an aggregate for three years of
more than $5,000,000.
rrTr nnNDrDS, cnDrLyU