Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-22
WANTS MORE TROOPS
Gen. Miles Appeals for Larger
Army.
IN FAVOR OF 4 FIXED STANDARD
Forces Should Keep Pace With
Country's Growth.
IN FAVOR OF A FIXED STANDARD
DEFENSE OF THE COAST

coast defenses.
During the last ten years." he says,
much attention has been given by the
government to the subject of coast de-
fenseS. and most beneficial results are now
becoming apparent. Approximately twen-
ty-six millions of dollars have been appro-
Priated by the government, which is nearly
one-third of what is required 10 put the
country in safe condition of defense.
This has been expended in the construction
of modern Notifications and high-power
guns of great force and magnitude. AL
though the general desire of our people is
to maintain a condition of peace with all
nations and the policy of the government
is one of goodwill and peaceful relations
with all others, yet nothing could be more
1n1udiclous than to remain in a condition
OF insecurity and permit the lives Of mil
liens and the accumulated wealth of many
generations to be destroyed or endangered
by any foreign power with which we are
haDie TO come into contact: and the general
plan for defense which has been adopted
by the government should be steadily pur-
sued until the nation Is in a condition cf
security and safety which a due regard to
sen-preservation would demand.
Il therefore recommend that in the an
preparations for the coming fiscal year the
following sums be appropriated for the
work which is required under the engineer,
Appropriations Recommended,
For the mouth of Penobscot river, s175,-
coo; mouth of the Kennebec river Me-,
s19S5oO: Portland. Me-, $l,173.OOO; Ports
mouth, N. H., 1000; Boston harbor, s1,-
$4,000; New Bedford. Mass. s2O4, 900; Mar
ragansett bay, $S33,OOO: defenses of Long
Island sound, $1.Of0.OQO: eastern entrance
New York. s4S9.OOO; southern entrance New
York, $1,419.OOO; approaches to Philadel.
phia, $441. 600; approaches to Baltimore,
$i9UO; approaches to Washington. d. c.,
$6O4 900; Hampton Roads, $463 eco; ap-
proaches to Wilmington, N. c., 1897 .O0O:
Charleston Harbor, 8. c., s150,00O; ap-
proaches to Savannah, Ga, $415,OOO; Key
West, Fla, $4,000; Pensacola harbor, s32,
approaches to New Orleans, 1919, 600; Gal
weston. Tex. $412, 600; San Diego. Cal,
$I25,OO0; San Francisco, Cal, 1896, 600;
Columbia river. sGO5, 600; Puget sound, ST.
10000; Lake Champlain, $4,000.
Coast Defense.
''The great work that has been going on
for the last ten years of placing the 1000
miles Of Atlantic. gulf and Pacific coasts
in proper condition of defense, and upon
which the government has already ex-
pended some s26.o0o,GOO. is progressing as
rapidly as praetic able, and already mortar
batteries and high-power guns have been
placed IN positions requiring the constant
care and protection of skilled artillerists.
By the 31st Of December next the following
positions will be armed in part or fully
with modern appliances of war, and in
these important positions there are no
troops stationed and none available for as
signment to those positions without taking
them from other stations where they are
at present imperatfvely required, viz:
Portland Head, Portland, Me-; Great
Diamond Island. Portland, Me-: Fort Con-
stitution. Portsmouth. N. H; Growers
Cliff, Boston harbor, Mass; Paddock's Is
Head, Boston harbor, Mass. Dutch Island,
Nara garsett bay. r. l.; Great Gull Island,
eastern entrance Long Island sound, N. y;
Plum Island. eastern entrance Long Island
sound, N. Y; Fort Hancock, New York
harbor; Firms Point, approach to Philadel-
phia; North Point, approach to Baltimore;
Hawkins Point. approach to Baltimore;
Sheridan Point, approach to Washington,
ID. c.: Fort Caswell, Wilmington, N. c.;
Fort Sumter Charleston, S. c.; Tybee Is
land, Savannah, Ga; Fort Morgan, Mobile,
Ala; Fort St. Phillip, New Orleans; Fort
Point, Galveston. Texas; Ballast Point, San
Diego, Cal; Fort Baker, San Francisco o
harbor. CAL: Fort Stevens, mouth of Co
lumbia river. Washington.
Several OF the places above mentioned
have been unoccupied for many years, and
many have never been occupied, but the
present new system of defense renders their
occupation by troops an immediate neces-
sity. The five regiments of artillery are
entirely inadequate to man the batteries
that the government has authorized to be
placed in position for the defense of the
coast, and at least two additional regiments
OF artillery are required for Immediate duty
in this service. / therefore earnestly rec
ommend that Congress authorize an addi-
ton of two regiments to the artillery arm
of the service.
More Infantry Needed.
for Of fto il.
fantry is constantly increasing. SO that
that branch of the service is inadequate
for the requirements Of the government.
and in addition to this the great territory
of Alaska that it is now necessary to oc-
cupy with suitable garrisons, makes a de-
mand for additional infantry imperative,
and I recommend that Congress authorize
the addition Of five regiments to that arm
of the service.
81 600 men, and that In the judgment Of
the best military minds and most eminent
statesmen of that day vas the minimum
force which this nation should maintain.
Owing to the fact that the government
was burdened with an unusual and enorm-
GUS debt. and the depressed financial con-
dition of the country at that time, caused
a reduction to be made from $1,000 to
to 2500O men, and this standard has re-
nained SO long that the impression has
become crystallized that such number is
sLfficient for any and all conditions of the
country. The number has no Significance
whatever as to the requirements and neees-
stiles of the government. In my opinion
| 1t would be wise and judicious for Congress-
| to establish a standard limiting the re-
| cruiting of the army for all future time.
| unless the conditions of the country should
| be other than what can now be anticipated.
A Standard Advocated.
'The nation is developing in most unusual
and extraordinary proportions-in weaiti,
| and population. and as the army is one a,
the pillars of the republic it is proper stha,
/ 1t should grow the nation grows: seon,.
| mensurate with the needs and reaufrefFents
of the latter. and I therefore recommend
that q standard be fixed and. autharissexl HI,
which the strength of the army. shtbafld b,
regulated In time Of peace In proportion te
the population and wealth of the nation
and that the maximum of enlisted men bf
limited to one soldier to every 1909 popu.
1 iation. and the minimum. one soldier fe
every 2.000 population, the number actually
| In service within this limit to be determfn.
ed by the President. accoraing 70 the NO