The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1897-11-30
fNTEREsrs oF qHE ARMY.


country. People know there is a
standing army, of course, just as they
know there is an Akhoond of Swat,
but they seldom have any more prac-
ticaI reminder of the existence of the
one than of the other They see a
few army officers on ceremonial oc-
casions and hear of the work of the
troops now and then in the repression
of Apaches or Debsites. But that is
about all. The army is of as much
real value as the navy, yet the latter
has in recent years attracted proba-
bly, ten times as much popular atten-
tion as the former. The develop
ment of coast and harbor defences
has now, however, says the Tribune,
begun to set people to thinking more
about the army, and may well move
the government itself to adopt a
more liberal policy toward that i'm
portant branch of the public service.
The annual report of the secretary
of war and the letter from the major
general commanding the army, just
made public, make clear two salient
facts. One is shat the construction
of coast and harbor defences is being
pushed to excellent effect. The pub
lie has probably little idea how well
this harbor and other important
points on the coast are already de-
Tended. 1t is within bounds to say
that when the works now in hand
are completed New York viii be
practically impregnable to any hos
tile feet that might be sent against
it, and so will the other great ports
of both coasts. Large sums are
asked for the completion of these
works. But in comparison with the
interests at stake they are mere tribes.
All that is asked for the insuring of
New York against invasion is not a
tithe of what any prudent business
man would pay for insurance against
fire or other disaster.
This refers, however, solely to the
material equipment. The still more
important personal factor IS another
matter, and these. same documents
make it equally plain that it is sorely
deficient. Individual writers and
speakers, and so important body as
the chamber of commerce of New
York, have called attention to the
need of more skilled soldiers to man
the Notifications. Now the same
need is officially emphasized by the
highest military authority in the land.
A modern fort, with its elaborate
mechanism, is an establishment that
cannot be manned by raw recruits,
no matter how brave and willing they
may be, any more than the engine
room of a great steamship could be
taken in charge by Gloucester fish
erman. Trained mathematicians and
engineers are needed, and of such
there are not now in the whole army
enough to man the guns already in
place. 1t is evident that all the fort
ifications in the world will offer the
coast and harbors no protection un.
less there are competent men at hand
to work the guns. It is equally evi.
dent that to build elaborate fortifca-
tions and leave them without such
men would be as senseless as to build
fine ships and provide no engineer;
to navigate them.
The commanding general asks, and
the secretary approves the request,
for two more regiments of artillery.
The request is a modest one, and
may well be granted at once. If ii
is rot, the construction of fortl6ca-
tions may as well be abandoned.
Better have fewer forts and guns and
all of them properly manned, than a
great and costly array of them and
not enough men to keep them in
WORKING order. Nor are the rennesfe