Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-27
COL. HEYWOoD'S REPORT
The Marine Corps in Urgent Need of More
Men.
Not Sufficient to Perform the Required
Duties Ashore and AhOat-Atten-
ton to Target Practice.

Col. Charles Haywood, commandant of
the United States Marine Corps. in his an
nual report to the Secretary of the Navy,
says that during the year great attention
has been paid to target practice. both at
long range and in the gallery, and the most
satisfactory results have been obtained,
due to the careful and thorough instruction
given by the officers who were detailed to
superintend it. Under instructions approx
ed by the department it has been possible
for the enlisted men at several of the sta
tons to complete the required amount Of
this practice to enable them to be awarded
marksmen's and sharpshooters' badges.
and the other posts will soon follow in this
particular
In May last attachments from the two
posts in Washington went into camp at
the rifle range of the District National
Guard, in order that they might complete
the long-range practice. They remained
there over three weeks, and at the end Of
that time forty of these men mad quallfled
as sharpshooters and sixty-eight as marks
men out of total force of lib, which
shows the great advantage derived from
the preliminary practice In galleries, which
have been erected during the year at all
posts except Sitka and Puget Sound.
The department recently directed the re-
establishment of the garrison of marines
at the navy yard, IenS.tcOid Id, anu ali
the necessary arrangements have been
completed to install it soon the pre-
Nailing epidemic of yellow fever In the
south has abated, the orders for the trans
fer of the men having been suspended on
that account. The strength of this garri-
son for the present will DE one officer and
twenty-nine enlisted men, these being all
that can be spared at this time.
More Men Needed.
Col Haywood says in spite of the fact
that the corps was increased by 500 men
only two years ago, it has been found by
experience that the total numbers author
lied are not sufficient to perform the re-
quired duties ashore and afloat, and the
necessity is daily apparent for additional
men. At the present time nearly the whole
number of men allowed by current appro-
priation is in service, and yet the guard
duty shore is practically the same as
1t was before the increase was made. AT
few stations do the men have two days on
guard, and at many the rule is day on
and day Off" a condition of affairs which,
he says, should not exist. Nearly 800 addf-
tional men are needed at the various shore
stations to perform the required duty
These figures are based on the reports of
the commandments of the various stations
submitted two years ago. allowing only two
days off guard, and with the addition In
the near future of an increase in the fleet,
almost as many more will be needed for
service af1oat Section 1886 of the Revised
Statutes, which has never been repealed,
provides for 3O73 enlisted men, while the
present strength, as authorized by appro-
priation, is 1900 thus leaving a balance
due the corps of Alb privates.
The colonel commandant also points out
the necessity for an increase in the number
of officers and rearrangenent OF grades,
in order to efficiently keep up the organlZa-
ton of the corps and provide sufficient
numbers for the enlisted strength.
In order that the officers and non-com-
missioned officers at all posts may be re-
lieved from the duties which, he says, are
properly within the sphere of and should
be performed by men specially designated
by rank, such as quartermaster and COM
missary sergeants in the army, he earn
estly renews his recommendation for legis-
lation for the enlistment of sixteen quar-
termaster sergeants for the Marine Corps.
to be appointed and paid like the one al
ready in the corps
Since the adoption of the regulation as
signing the marines to the guns of the
main and secondary batteries on board
Ship the most excellent reports have been
received of their work in target firing, and
the assertion is confidently made that the
efficiency of all ships where this system is
in operation has been materially increased
During the past year there have been
1.O69 casualties in the enlisted strength
caused by discharges, assertions, deaths
and retirements, and in the same time
there have been !, 152 enlistments and re-en-
liStmentS.
The recruiting regulations now provide
for the acceptance onl of citizens of the
United States or those who have legally
declared their intention to become such.
All recruiting officers have orders to Sc
lect only the most desirable men, and an
excellent class is thus being obtained. There
are now 4S7 aliens in the corps, and of
these 246 have declared their intention to
become citizens of the United States DID
live in the United States, but have not de-
clared their intention to become citizens,
and only 8 claim foreign residence.
I MI on H.
GUS shore stations and LILO on board ships
in commission.
Post exchanges have been established at
the marine barracks, Annapolis, Nd and
League Island, Pa, and at the naval sta
tons, Newport, r. l.; Port Royal, S. c.,
and Bremerton, Wash, and orders nave
been issued for the establishment of like
institution at the marine barracks. Boston,
Mass.
To Encourage Savings.
In order to encourage the enlisted men
to save their money, that they may have
a little sum to start with should they de-
sire to leave the service at the expiration
of their enlistment, Col. Haywood recon-
mends that the act of Congress approved
February o. 1889, entitled IAN act to pro-
vide for the deposits of the savings of sea-
men of the United States navy" be made
applicable to the Marine Corps, and that
the necessary legislation be enacted to &C
compliSh this end.
AS the civil force at marine headquar
tiers has, by executive order, been recently
placed under civil service rules, the COM
mandant recommends a Encouragement of
salaries to correspond with those received
by clerks in the other departments of the
government performing like duties. He
says the chief clerks of the various offices
should be fourth-class clerks and receive
the same pay allowed the chief clerks of
the various offices in the departments; and
the second and third clerks employed here
should be third and second-class clerks re-
spectively. The sums received now by
these men are odd in figures. being estab-
lished many years ago, and are unlike
those in any other department.
No Salute for COmmandant.
In the course of his report, Col. Hey
wood makes the following statement in
regard to an apparent slight to the dignity
of the office of colonel commandant of the
Marine Corps:
Attention is invited to the fact that the
navy regulations fail to provide for
salute for the commandant of the Marine
Corps when he visits navy yards, stations
or ships in commission On public duty. In
accorGar ce with the departments circular