The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-10-23
ITS PRESENT EFFICIENCY
Both as to Character and Qualifications
Was Never Better.
FORTIFlCATIoN APPROPRIATIONS
Recommended, Among Which Mobile Figures
largely-More Artillery at Ports of
Enty-FNe Infantry Regi-
ments Also Needed.

Washington, Oct. 22-Gen. Miles, ma
jor-g general commanding the army, has
made his report to the secretary of war.
I'm 1t he makes reference TO the reports
of the general and other officers subordi-
nate to him in rank. Gen. Miles says in
part:
''The army, although inadequate in
point of numbers, was never in a higher
state OF efficiency, both as to the charac-
ter and qualifications of it's officers and
intelligence and loyalty of its soldiers.
Important changes and improvements
have been made along THE Atlantic and
gulf cosats, and especially in the mount
ing OF modern artillery and the apph-
ances adopted for the defense of the
coast
Attention is called to the condition of
JIIdlIS III kAlaSkd ana "a fIhuInDeF Oh TtCOlIl-
mendations relative thereto are made.
Continuing, the report says: During
the last ten years much attention has
been given by the government to the
question of coast defenses. and most
beneficial results are now becoming ap-
parent. approximately $26,000,000 has been
appropriated by the government which
to putt the country in a safe condt.ton
of defense. Although the general desire
of our people is to maintain condition
of peace with all nations and the policy
of the government is ONE of good will
and peaceful relations with all others,
yet nothing could be more injudicious
than to remain In a condition of inse-
curity and permit the Lives of millions
and the accumulated wealth of many
generations to be destroyed or endan-
gered by amy foreign power with which
we are liable to come in contact"
GIe recommends fortlficasion appropria-
tions as follows:
Hampton Roads, s46S,OO0; approaches
to Wilmington, N. c., 1897 900; Charles
ton harbor s. C., $15O,O00 approaches to
Savannah, Ca, $415, 600; Key West, Fla,
$4,000; Pensacola harbor, $4,000; APP
proaches to Mobile, ALA, 397 900; ap-
proadhes to New Orleans, $4,000; Gail
weston, Tex, $4,000.
He recommends strongly an increase in
the army of at least two additional regl-
ments of artillery, saying that by the
31st of December, next, this following po-
sitions will be armed in part or fully
with modern appliances of war and that
dn these important positions there are
no troops stationed and none available
for assignment to those positions with
out taking them from other stations
where they are at present imperatively
required, viz: Portland Head, Portland,
Me-; Great Diamond Island, Portland,
Me-; Fort Constitution, Portsmouth, N.
H; Growers Cliff, Boston Harbor. Mass;
Paddock's Island, Baston Harbor, Mass;
Mass Dutch Island, Narragansett Bay.
r. l.; Great Gull Island. eastern en-
trance Long Island Sound, N. z; Plum
Island, eastern entrance Long Island
Sound, N. Y; Fcrt Hancock, New York
Harbor; Finn's Point, approach to Phila-
delphia; North Point, approach to Bal
timore; Hawkins Point, approach to
Baltimore; Sheridan Point, approach to
Washington, D c.; Fort Caswell. Will
mington, N. c.; oFrt Sumter. Charles
ton, s. c.; Tybee Island. Savannah, Ca;
Fort Morgan, Mobile, Ala; Fort St.
Philip, New Orleans, La; Fort Point,
Galveston, Tex; Ballast Point. San
Diego, Cal; Fort Baker. San Francisco
Harbor, California; Fort Stevens. mouth
of the Columbia river, Washington.
He also urges the necessity OF adding
five infantry regiments to the army and
recommends that congress fix stand
ard of strength on basis Of the total
population This standard, he thinks,
should be a maximum of one enlisted
man to every 1000 population and the
minimum one soldier to every 1000 popu-
fation.
Wants Redwine Pardoned