The San Francisco call., 1897-11-22
ALGER FILES
HIS REPORT
Recommendations Made
by the Secretary
of War.
Asks for an Increase of Troops
for Alaska and to Man
FortificationS.
Would Increase the Pay of Alta ches
Abroad and Revive the Rank
Of Lieutenant-G sneral.
Special Dispatch to THE CALL
CALL OFFICE. RIGGS HorsE

1
| WASHINGTON D. e., November 81. !
In his annual report TO the President
| Secretary of War Alger includes the heads
of departments under his supervisor, and
backs up the recommendations made by
them. On the subject of General Miles
report the Secretary says:
| 1t is earnestly recommended that his recon-
mendauon concerning two additional regl-
| ments OF artillery be favorably sidered.
| We are erecting great sea-coast batteries as he
! says without men to man them. These costly
| works should as soon as completed be manned
| by suffi cient 1orce 10 care for and preserve
| them, and 10 become familiar with the hand
| ling OF guns, the manipulation OF which re-
] quires experienced services, to be ready at all
| times to operate them. A visit to any or these
| batteries must convince any practical mind OF
| the necessity OF immediate action IN TINS mat
| ter. A battery costing from 500, 600 10 5000
900 ought not to be manned by corporaPs
guard.
On the subject of Alaska, General Alger
says:
Within the past year, as is of course well
known, the great Territory OF Alaska has
opened up new problem. 1t is probable that
within another year very large number OF
people may be gathered there, estimated by
many conservative men as high as 900.
ard L urgently suggest that some adequate
measures be adopted by which a military
force can be sent to that Territory, if need be,
to guard persons and property. In remote
country where there are no laws and the ter
ritory very extensive there is great danger
that there may be much lawlessness and need
OF restraining force, and l therefore hope
large powers may be granted the executive TO
provide as far as possible for any emergency
that may arise.
On the Goth day of September Lieutenant
Colonel Randall, of the Eighth Infantry, with
two officers and twenty-five men, accompanied
by surgeon and three assistants, were sent
to St. Michael TO establish post. and for the
purpose of guarding properly and preserving
the peace The command arrived safely on
the 9th .tfmo. military reservation, with
hea douarters on the island of st. Michae was
created under orders of the Goth ultimo The
creating OF further military servations, in
command of prudent officers, given some dis
elton, may best solve the problem. boat
for TRANSFORMATION and patrol on the Yukon
and is tributaries will be essential, and
authority is asked to provide one.
On account OF the terrible rigor of the
weather, and also The inducements tor deser-
ton, I recommend that the pay of the enlisted
men serving there be increased, with the hope
that extra compensation will be an induce
ment for very high grade OF men TO enlist in
that par articular service.
Recon- mending an increase in the rank
and pay of certain army officers the
report continues:
recommend the revival OF the grade of
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. All the great nations of
the world give their officers much higher rank
than does the United States, and few, even or
the smaller ones, have their commanding
general bel ow he grade of flieutenantgeneral.
1t is found upon a full investigation that the
military attaches to the different embassie
and foreign courts have much higher rank
than those from the United States, which
places Us at great disadvantage in cases of
ceremony. Even small countries send officers
with the rank corresponding with that of
lieutenant-coionel, colonel and even briga-
dier-general and they take precedence in all
ma tiers of ce remony. The cost of living is
greatly increased also al those stations.
1t seems to me 10 be unjust to our officers.
l therefore recommend tnat the military at
taches to the different EN- mbassieS be given the
rank and pay, while serving, of colonel. and
that the attaches at legations be given the
rank and pay of lieutenanl-colonel while
serving, or at least the rank and pay of ma jor.
This higher rank is accorded to the Superin-
tendent OF the Military Academy at West
Point. and also to the officer i'll charge of pub
lie buildings and grounds in the District of
Colum bia.' while the pay of the engineer CON-
missioner of the District of Colum bia, who is
detailed from the Corps OF Engineers. is in
creased to th at of a com m issioner ($500O)
while serving as such. The commanGant of
cadets at West Point has the increased rank of
lieutenant-colonel, and the principal
sistant in the Ordnance Bureau of the War
Department and the ordnance storekeeper at
Springfield Armory have the increased pay of
major.
The Military Academy at West Point can ac-
commodate more students and II provision is
made for two additional regi ments OF artil-
lery, as recommended, the army can absorb
more OF its graduates. The superintendent
pointinent of two cadets at large from each
State, to be nominated by Senator'S This
would give ninety cadets more than at pres
ent. 1t is desirable that there should be no
sur plus graduates, and | recommend as an
alternative that the President be authorized
to appoin ten cadets at large each year. This
wonid be an excess of thirty cadets over the
number now u oriZed. Under section 1915
of the Revised Statutes the President had this
power, but by the act of June IL, 1878, it was
provided "that cadets at large at the Military
Academy shall not hereafter exceed ten in
ALL"
The estimated amount required by the
War Department for ne fiscal year end
ing June 81, 1898, is $62 S32 All 25. and for
the tiscal year ending June 80 1899, $685..
25S, ,445 so. An increase in the appro pria-
ton Tor army transportation is necessary.