Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1897-10-28
ARMY AND S
General Nelson A. Miles Makes His An
nual Report.

1.-THE army. although inadequate in
point of numbers, was never in a higher
state of efficiency.
1.-THE progress that has been made on
the Pacific coast in the establishment
of modern batteries of artillery have
made it necessary to occupy new ground
and to adopt a new system of defense"
Attention its invited to the report of
General Merriam, commanding the de-
partment of the Columbia, especially to
the need of a larger garrison at the en-
trance to the Columbia river, and to his
report on the condition and necessities
of the great territory of Alaska.
AS all the other territories have been
occupied by military posts and measures
have been adopted for bnilding military
roads. bridging rivers, and, in fact,
aiding and blocking out the way for
occupation of the vast territories by
citizens, it is deemed but just and ad
visable that the same liberal spirit
should be manifested toward that great
and important territory. He says:
LAS far as practicable it would, in
my opinion, be advisable to have its
waters thoroughly examined by such of
the naval force as could be used for that
purpose, and as military reconnoiter-
ing and exploring parties in past years
have been sent to the country to fur
nish knowledge of its character, re-
sources and necessities, this, in my
I,,,lnrnn-H -lo,ll h. o-A. - -
larger and more liberal scale. While
there is no conflict between the popula-
ton, composed of some 20, 900 Indians
and the white explorers and settlers,
yet. as the former are supplied with
modern arms, they may become turbu-
lent and troublesome. Such has been
the history of nearly all the tribes in
the other territories. Hence, it would
be but reasonable to anticipate the
necessity for a military force in that
territory by the establishment of at least
three military posts to support the civil
authorities, to give protection to the
white settlers, and to aid in maintain
ing law in that remote section"
In the last 10 years much attention
has been given to coast defenses, and
most beneficial results are apparent.
Approximately, $26, 900, 900 has been
appropriated by the government, which
is nearly one-third of what is required
to put the country in a safe condition
OF defense. Although the general de-
sire OF our people, he says, is to main
tain peace with all nations, and the
policy of the government is one of good
will and peaceful relations with all
others, it would be more judicious to
provide defenses than to remain in a
condition of Insecurity and permit the
accumulated wealth of many genera
lions to be destroyed or endangered by
any foreign power with which we are
liable to come in contact"
He recommends fertilization appro-
priations in the West as follows:
San 10000
~ rlanclsco l,336,OO0
columbia river. Cos 900
= NeS' ....... l,l40,UUU
he recommends strongly an increase
in the army of at least two additional
regiments of artillery, saying that by
December 81 a number of positions will
be armed in part or fully with modern
appliances of war, and that in these i'm
portant positions there are no troops
stationed and none available for assign
ment to the stations without taking
them from stations where they are at
present imperatively required.
lie suggests the necessity of adding
four infantry regiments, and recon-
mends that congress fix a standard of
strength on a basis of the total popula-
ton. This standard, he thinks, should
be a maximum of one enlisted man to
every 1000 population, and the mini
mum, one soldier to every 1000 popu-
latiOn.