Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1897-10-28
ARMY AND ALASKA.
bal Nelson 4. Miles Makes His An
nual Report.

nual Report.
ovn shington, Oct. 25.-General Miles,
general commanding the army,
ade his report to the secretary OF
General Miles says in part:
be army. although inadequate in
Pr of numbers, was never in higher
bf efficiency.
be progress that has been made on
:. Rcitic coast in the establishment
pdern batteries of artillery have
it necessary to occupy new ground
/. adopt a new system OF defense.
entlon its invited to the report OF
hal Merriam, commanding the de-
~ lent of the Columbia, especially to
~ Fed OF larger garrison at the en-
q to the Columbia river, and to his
puk on the condition and necessities
IL : great territory OF Alaska.
~ all the other territories have been
lied by military posts and measures
!, ~ been adopted for building military
~ bridging rivers, and, in fact,
~ and blocking out the way for
q baton of the vast territories by
IL. ms, it is deemed but just and ad
~. lie that the same liberal spirit
{ ~ q be manifested toward that great
m portant territory. He says:
Is far as practicable it would, in
opinion, be advisable to have its
rs thoroughly examined by such of
~ h avail force as could be used for that
aaa bse, and as military reconnoiter-
NJ md exploring parties in past years
ella been sent to the country to fur
~ knowledge of its character, re-
les and necessities, this, in my
] 81 ment, should be continued on Il
h |r and more liberal scale. While
n II is no conflict between the popula-
q, \ composed of some 10000 Indians
] Vim The white explorers and settlers,
as the former are supplied with
~ ern arms, they may become turbu-
. and troublesome. Such has been
Io.,l history of nearly all the tribes in
-. bther territories. Hence, it would
MA >ut reasonable to anticipate the
: = Esity for a military force in that
~, tory by the establishment of at least
military posts to support the civil
!. critics, to give protection to the
e settlers, and to aid in maintain
aw in that remote section"
the last 10 years much attention
been given to coast defenses, and
beneficial results are apparent.
foXimately, $26, 900, 900 has been
- opriated by the government, which
Farly one-thrd of what is required
Nh bit the country in safe condition
. efense. Although the general de-
y of our people, he says, is to MAIN
usw peace with all nations, and the
~ 4 BY of the government is one of good
nt and peaceful relations with all
p rs, it would be more judicous to
va ide defenses than to remain in a
ition of Insecurity and permit the
bea mulated wealth of many genera
nm to be destroyed or endangered by
~ foreign power with which we are
Win e to come in contact"
din 10 recommends ratification appro
ioee tons in the West as follows:
''''''''''''''''.s o5c'o ooo
- Z Francesca. l,pooVVU
nDd II oV1iuoV
y llfu,uoV
Ioak e recommends strongly an increase
he army of at least two additional
oa nents of artillery, saying that by
boaa ember 81 a number of positions will
hsve rmed in part or fully with modern
= "a iances of war, and that in these i'm
c;ss ant positions there are no troops
Ia. oned and none available for assign
;hsd to the stations without taking
a. from stations where they are at
4 70 ent imperatively required.
mr. suggests the necessity of adding
1rse. infantry regiments, and recon-
,nca DIS that congress fix standard of
hgth on basis of the total popula-
This standard, he thinks, should
No maximum of one enlisted man to
1T 1000 population, and the mini
b, one soldier to every 1000 popu