Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1897-11-25
INCREASE OF ARMY.
Secretary Alger Asks forTwo More
Artillery Regiments.
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS MADE.
The Secretary OF War Wants the Number
of students at West Point Increased
Estimator for the Next Fls-
cal Year.

WASHINGTON, Nov, 22,--In his first
annual report Secretary Alger makes
many recommendation for the better
ment of the administration of the war
department, based upon the conclu-
sions Of his subordinate officers. He
asks favorable consideration for the
proposition to add two regiments to
the artillery branch, pointing to the
valuable Notifications now being
erected which, he says, should not be
manned by corporaPs guard. He
says of Alaska that as many MS 100, 900
people will be gathered there next
year and a military force should be
sent to the territory and large emer-
gency powers should be granted to the
president to repress lawlessness Prob
ably the creation of additional mill
tary reservations, like that of St.
Michaels, may be the best means to
meet the problem. Aboat for the pa
troll of the Yukon is also asked for, as
well as increased pay for the enlisted
men serving in Alaska.
Secretary Alger recommends the re-
vival of the grade of lieutenant gem
eral, saying that all the nations give
their officers much higher rank than
does the United States. He indorses
the recommendation of the superin-
tendent of the military academy, that
the number of students at West Point
be increased by allowing each senator
to nominate a cadet. AS an alterna-
tive, he suggests that the president be
authorized to appoint ten cadets-at-
large each year. Favorable comment
is made upon the work of the military
colleges of the country, but it is sug-
gested that the law be amended so as
to authorize details of army officers
only to such colleges as have at least
$50 pupils actually present,
Attention is called to the need of a
proper system of criminal jurisdiction
over military reservations, and hall
of records for the storage of official
papers. The estimate for army trans
portation is INCREASED by 100000 to
provide means for moving heavy ord
nance. To provide for the new posts
needed on the sea coast an estimate of
50, 900, 900 is submitted.
Until recently the hospital at Hot
Springs was open only to soldiers of
the regular army, but Secretary Alger
has just amended the regulations so as
to authorize the admission of suitable
cases among the veterans of the late
war.
In the opinion of the secretary an
increase in the engineer corps in Off
GERS and enlisted men is Indispensable
He points to the immediate value and
extent of the work now in the hands
of this corps and contends that it
could be better supervised and inn
proved in quantity and quality by the
assignment of more officers, which is
now impossible.
Secretary Alger transmits without
reduction the estimates of the chief
engineers for the next fiscal year,
amounting to $4s, 72S, 100, more than
double the appropriations for the cur
rent year. He says these are largely
in excess of what they should be at a
time when the demands upon the
treasury are as great as now, therefore
he recommends large reduction. In
justice to the chief of the engineers,
Secretary Alger says that these esti-
mates were made by his own direction,
that the facts might be placed before
congress-, showing what the eXpendi-
lures would be were all the require
ments of the river and harbor laws
complied with, and he cites the fact
that the outstanding continuous
contracts for river and harbor work
will require an expenditure of over
$17, 900, 600 for the next fiscal year.
The secretary indorses the project for
the construction of the ship canal con-
Meeting lakes Union and Washington
with Puget sound, but states that ac-
tive operations cannot be commenced
for some time, as the right Of way has
not yet been acquired.
Secretary Alger especially commends
for patriotism, generosity and zeal Col.
Burlington and Capt. Crozier, the in
ventors of the disappearing gun car
riage, who generously donated the in
vention to the government. The re-
port closes with the renewal of the
recommendation that provision be
made for the erection in Washington
of statue to Gen. Grant.
The estimates for the next fiscal
year aggregate 500, 25s, 445, as against
$62, S32, All, the amount of the appro-
priations for the current year. The
principal items of increase are in rivers
and harbors, where the estimate is
$4s, 72S, 100, as against the appropria-
ton of S23, ,O2S; Notifications and
sea coast defenses, $l3,37S,571, as
against S9,517,1 4t, and military posts,
parks and cemeteries, $2,55S, $50,
against $3.50, S67.
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