The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-23
GEN. MILES REPORT.
His Statement to the Secretary of
War, ana Recommendations.

Washington, Oct. 22.-Geu. Miles, major
general, commanding the army. has made
his report to the Secretary of War. In 1t
he makes reference to reports of the gem
eral and other officers subordinate to him
in rank.
Gen. Miles says in part: THE army, all
though inadequate in point of numbers,
was never in higher state
of efficiency. both as to the
character and qualifications Of its officers,
and intelligence and loyalty of its soldiers.
Important changes and improvements have
been made along the Atlantic and Gulf
coasts, especially in the mounting of mod
ern artillery and the appliances adopted
for the defense of the coasts"
Attention is called to the condition of
affairs in Alaska, and a number of recon-
mendations relative thereto are made.
Continuing, the report says; During
the last ten years much attention has
been given by the government to the sub
ject of coast defense, and most beneficial
results are now becoming apparent. APP
proximately $26, 900 have been appro-
priated by the government which is near
ly one-third of what is required to put
the country in a safe condition of defense.
Although the general desire of our people
ENetNNa
all nations, and the policy of the govern
ment is one of good will and peaceful re-
lations with all others, yet nothing could
be more inJudicious than to remain in a
condition of insecurity and permit the
lives of millions and the accumulated
wealth of many generations to be destroy
ed or endangered by any foreign power
with which we are liable TO come into
contact.
He recommends fertilization appropria-
tons as follows: Hampton Roads, $l63 600;
approaches to Wilmington, N. c., 1897 600;
Charleston harbor, s. G., $4,000; ap-
proaches to Savannah. Ga, $4l5,000; Key
West, Fla, $1,000; Pensacola harbor $3l,-
600; approaches to Mobile, Ala, 1885,, 600; ap-
proaches to New Orleans, $3l9,000; Calves
ton Tex, $4,000.
He recommends strongly an increased
army of at least two additional regiments
of artillery, saying that by Dec. 81 next,
the following positions will be armed in
part, or fully, with modern appliances of
war, and that in these important positions
there gre no troops stationed and none
available for assignment to these posi-
tions without taking them from other sta
tons where they are at present imperative
ly required, viz: Portland head, Portland,
Me-; Great Diamond Island Portland, Me. 4;
Fort Constitution, Portsmouth, N. H.;
Growers Cliff Boston harbor, Mass; Pad
docks Island, Boston harbor,
Mass. Long sIsland head,
Boston Harbor, Mass. Dutch Is
land, Narragansett ray, Rhode Island;
Great Gull Island, eastern entrance Long
Island Sound, n. Y, Plum Island, east
ern entrance Long Island sound, N. VI
Fort Hancock, New York harbor, Finn 5
Point, approach to Philadelphia North
Point, approach to Baltimore; Hawkins
Point, approach to Baltimore; Sheridan
Point, approach to Washington, d. CT
Fort Caswell, Wilmington, N. c.; Fort
Sumter, Charleston, S. c.; Tybee Island,
Savannah Ga; Fort Morgan, Mobile, Ala.
Fort st. Phillip, New Orleans, La; Fort
Point, Galveston, Tex; Ballaster End
San Diego, Cal; Fort Bucker, San Francis
co harbor, Cal; Fort Stevens, mouth of
Columbia river, Wash.
He also urges the necessity of adding
five infantry regiments to the army and
recommends that congress fix standard
of strength on a basis of 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 1900 population.