Kansas City daily journal., 1896-11-27
UNCLE SANS ARMY.
ANNUAL REPORT OF SECRETARY OF
WAR LAMONT.
MAKES A GRATIFYING SHOWING.
EFFICIENCY HIGH, HEALTH GOOD,
DEsERTIONS DECREASING.
Wonderful Progress Made in the Line
of Modern Coast Defenses-Work
on the Mississippi River
and the Grent
Lakes.
MAKES A GRATIFYING SHOWING.

rnendation that the infantry be recrganized
on the general idea Of three light and
mobile battalions Of four companies each
10 the regiment instead of the cumbersome
ten company formation adopted century
ago and abandoned by other nations since
the development oE modern magazine
rohes. and he quoted Generals Sherman
and Sheridan and Lieutenant General scho-
field in support Of the necessity Of this re-
organization of the infantry.
The completion already OF some coast
defenses and the approaching completion
of other modern batteries render necessary
q larger force Of artiIIerists, but no other
increase of the army is asked for. The
plan of sea coast defense involves hun
dred distinct batteries in over twenty
harbors.
The number Of line officers serving with
their commands is larger than at any time
since the war. and the secretary ex-
presses the belief that still further changes
can be made to advantage in this direction.
The report shows that, according to the
statements Of department commanders,
The dicipline of the troops was never better
than now. The number of trials by general
court-martIal was about 10 per cent less
during the 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 recruiting system, s,49S
men were enlisted last year, OF whom
nearly one-half were secured at garrisoned
posts without expense.
Desertion in the army is decreasing. De-
Eerters in 1893 numbered 5,57S; in 1893, only
1,es2. and last year, 1866.
The thirty-ave officers assigned 20 duty
with the national guard Of the states re-
port steady improvement in the militia.
Investigation this year has shown SER
sous deficiencies in the arms and equip
ment of this branch of the service. When
the states furnish the armories and de-
fray all expenses incidental TO keeping
their forces In training. Secretary Lamont
suggests that the United States should pro-
vide them with the implements which they
will need in active service-arms and field
equipment-as the supply on hand is total
ly inadequate for serious and prolonged
field operations. The secretary recommends
that the Springfield rife, caliber 4j, be
issued TO state troops. that the states be
allowed to return to the war department
obsolete arms and equipments, to be sold
and the proceeds credited to the states,
and that the states be allowed to purchase
from The department supplies at regular
prices.
Fifteen regiments Of regulars are on duty
east Of the Missouri, and the meridian Of
Kansas City: twenty are located in the
plains and mountains between the Missouri
and the eastern boundary Of the Pacific
states and five are on the Pacific coast
There are seventy-seven military posts.
The army consists of .. 426 officers and
men. or 2S4 below the legal maximum. The
effective field strength on October 81 was
1882.
The report shows that, whereas on the
1st Of July, 1898 OF our modern defense but
one high power gun was mounted, by the
1st Of July, next We will have in position
seventy high power breecf-loading guns,
and ninety-five bree-h-loading mortars Of
modern design, and by the following July,
on completion Of work ALREADY under way
or provided for. 18 guns and l53 mortars.
battery Of two or three guns takes the
place OF the former pretentious fort, and 1t
vastly more effective.
The defenses now under consideration
are distributed among the portssof Port
land. Ne: Portsmouth. y. H.: Boston;
NaTraRanSett Bay. eastern entrance 10
Long Island Sound. eastern and southern
entrances TO New York: Philadelphia, Bal
timore Washington, Hampton Roads, Will
nnington Charleston. Savannah. Key West,
Pensacola. Mobile New Orleans Galveston.
San Diego. san Francisco. the mouth OF
the Columbia river and Puget sound. All
Of the ernplacements have been located
with a view 10 carrying ont the project OF
the Endicott board on fOrtifications. organ
lied under the act Of congress of March 3.
1855. as revised by the permanent board OF
engineers. The secretary says that the de-
yDa-tmenE in making these allotments was
guided by a desire to protect az many OF
the seaports as practicable against maraud-
ing attau5os OF Isolated cruisers. well as
10 provide a more efficient defense for the
important places. and also TO utilize to the
best advantage the guns for which car
riages could be most speedily furnished
The total number of guns completed "a
date since the first appropriation are sixty
one s-incdh, fifty-six 10-inch, twenty-one l.
inch. and eighty mortars.
With the money already provided there
will be completed by June 90 1897. seventy.
two S-inch guns, eighty-seven 10-inch guns
fOrty-scven Pinch guns and eiGhty-eight
12inch mortars.
The estimates OF the department for the
next fiscal year aggregate $104S2 26s. With
mis- appropriation, provision will have tc
ne made for: one hundred and sixty-thret
high power gun emplacsrnents 129 rapit
fire gun enplaoements. 3i2 mortar empIace,
rDents 25S high power steel guns. 81 rapid
flrre guns. 80 l2-inch mortars $50 g. 10 ant
i2-nch gun carriages, and go Pinch NOR.
tar carriages.
The armament OF troops with the new
margarine arms was completed in Nav. ant
Ehe armory is turning out l25 rifles or car
bli+S per NdN uNuhT Ine appropriation
made last year. All the ammunition fol
small arms now made is supplied witt
smokeiess powder Of American manu-
Sacture and Of satisfactory quality.
The secretary says the Mississippi rive
commission has decided to discontinue IN,
plan 10 improve the river by bank pro
lection. and 10 adopt the plan Of dredEi..,
channels in shoal places and maintaining
with state and local cooperation an ef
fectivs levee system. With this change o
policy. the minority believe the function o
the commission IS ended. and the worl
should be turned over to the secretary o
war
The new lock at the falls Of st Mary
river. though not fully completed wa
thrown open 70 commence August , 1SeE
The eecretary speaks Of the magnitude o
this work. and says its total cost will b
hut about per cent OF the value Of com
merce passing through tho Detroit rive
during the season Of 1sq5. The train
through the s.. Mary's falls canal in tn
year 1885 was the largest in ifs history.
The secretary SAYS that hut little chang
has occurred IN the water levels Of tn
Great lakes DURING the past year fror
corresponding levels OF 1893. and adds tha
as no water has vet been drawn for US
facts can be given as to the probable ei
Fect Of abstracting 1000 cubic feet OF waite
pcr second from Lake Michigan. The i'm
portance OF inauEuratiug series az oh
servatfons and FauCiuCs which will prc
vide reliable data concerning the lax
levels. and the probable effect OF the Chi
cago drainage canal and the deepening q
connecting channels is again urged upo
gy,-.-rrsu