The record-union., 1897-10-18

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE annual
report of Captain Frank De L. Caring
ton, First Infantry, the regular army
officer detailed as inspector of the Ma
tional Guard of California, for the last
fiscal year, has been received by Sec
retary Alger. 1t shows that the guard
is n very good condition and Captain
Carrington's summary of the efficiency
of the men is complimentary to them as
an organization and as individuals.
The authorized strength of the guard
is, according to the report, 6,36S, and
the organized strength of officers and
men is 361S. Of this number 65 per
cent. attended camp during the past
summer. A large portion of the report
is devoted to plans for the mobilization
of The guard in case an emergency call
is made upon them that will require
rapid concentration. 1t says:
THE guard can be concentrated at
San Francisco, Sacramento and Los
Angeles in twenty-four hours for SER
vice in the State, and at San Francisco
Los Angeles and San Diego in from
five to ten days for service outside of
the State. Provisions have been made
for supplying an increase of ammuni-
tIon and system of emergency calls
for assembling the troops has been
adopted and tested.
Arrangements have been made with
local dealers for furnishing rations at
short notice and the companies and
regiments have listed means of trans
portation in the immediate localities
available for field service. Eighty per
cent, Of the guard would probably turn
out for sixty days service should oc-
casion arise for their use The three
places first mentioned are railroad CEN
ters, and the first two have good wa
ter facilities. They are also labor cen
ters and are therefore liable to be the
scenes of labor troubles. There are
sixteen companies in San Francisco
that could be assembled in two hours
Mithi9 aaeradius of ninety miles eight
more companies could be landed in the
city within four hours. Sacramento has
two companies that could be assembled
IN four hours and fifteen companies
are located in surrounding towns that
could be landed in the Capital City in
from four to eight hours. Los Angeles
mas nve companies that could assemble
in two hours and eleven companies
Within convenient distance to reach
the city in from three to six hours. San
francisco, however, is the best point
Tor concentration in the State. The
Presldio would make an excellent place
Tor a camp ground for mobilizing
large force, and the market for sup
plies is best at that point Los Angeles.
also, affords good markets for supplies.
with fine camping grounds and excel
lent railroad facilities. San Diego is
good point for concentration of the
troops for a movement ON to Mexican
territory. In case of emergency 25O.-
OU0 rounds of ammunition could be
supplied at San Francisco; at other
points of concentration only small
quantities could be had, although
enough could be shipped from San
francisco to reach camp as soon as
the troops
All the companies of the guard at
tended camp. The report says that drill
and discipline was much better than
ever before. Discipline was good in all
and excellent in at least two encamp-
ments Captain Darlington says the
intelligent manner in which field ma.
neuVerS were executed was highly SAT-
lsfactory, and that the personnel and
discipline of the guard have both i'm
proved in a marked degree. Cantain
Darlington recommends that the euard
be supplied with the 1884 model Rem
ingrton rifle and that Federal appro-
prlatIon for the aid of the National
Guard be increased from S4OO 600 tn
81 100000