The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-12
ADJ. -GEN. CORBIN'S REPORT
PRAISE FOR THE REGULAR AND
 VOLUNTEER ARMIES.

An Increase in the Line of the Regular Army Demanded by sour New Pos- Accommodation That an Allowance over Their Regular Pay be Given to Officers Serving in the Philip pines and West indies-AdVice to Those Who Control the National Guard.
 Washington. Nov. 12.-Adjutant-Ge Gen eral Fl, c. Corbin has made his annual report to the secretary of war. It con tains much of a statistical nature about the armies of the United States including the regular and volunteer branches. General Corbin shows that at the breaking out of the war the reg ular army consisted of ?, 14S officers and 26040 enlisted men. He refers to the legislation for increasing the strensth of the fegular army; also to proposed legislation submitted to the last con sress, but which was not enacted. Under the war legislation the regular army was increased until it amounted to 1882 officers and 56 S65 enl sted men, which included 5,365 men of the hospital corps Regular army officers to the number of 387 were nominated for and confirmed in different grades of the volunteer army.
 Discussing the volunteer army, Gene ral Corbin shows the legislation regard ing it and gives in detail the different organizations called out from the vari- ous states and territories. The strength of the volunteer army at its highest point, which was during the month of August, was S,7S5 officers and 207,244 enlisted men. The ggregate strength of the regular and vo!un ger armies was Il, ,10S officers and 263, ,609 en- listed men.
 ''The surrender of the Spanish troops in Porto Rico, no less than the success ful operations of our troops in the Phil ippines, led to the determination to muster out one hundred thousand vol unteers
 Continuing he says:
 Since tfe signing of the protocol the officers and men of the volunteer regi- ments have remained at their posts of duty, in most cases at great personal sacrifice. That they have done this cheerfully and without complaint, which makes it all the more desirable that a speedy increase of the regular army be provided for in order that the volun- teers may be released from further service and be allowed to return to their peaceful vacations.
 The following as to the staff:
 Much has been said of late concern ing the organization of the several staff departments. If, as recommended ad- ditional officers are given the line of the army so as to give plenty of tra ned officers for staff duty in time of war, the main objection will have beet met. and it is doubtful if, under the condi- tions peculiar to this goernment, gen. eral reorganization of the staff or the adoption of new systems. will be found to be desirable; certainly nothing radi- cal should be entered upon.
 The character of enlisted men is com mented on in the following:
 ''In assembling the regiments of the regular army at the beg ming of the war with Spain, the character of the enlisted men arrested attention. A dis tinguished officer visiting the army corps al Tampa remarked:
 Every man looked fit to command" {" Their conduct on transports, on the march, in battle of Fl Caney, San Juan and Santiago have abundant evidence that his good opinion was well placed. The officers and men of their valorous deeds and gallant conduct met the high expectations of the country.
 General Corbin refers to the law which prevents the enlistment of p:r- sons who are not citizens of the United States and says:
 The new conditions will however, make modification of this statute de- srable to that end that the enlistment of the company to battalion of natives for each regiment serving in Cuba, Por- to Rico and the Philippines may be au- thorized. The vantage of this is too obvious for discussion.
 The assignment to officers and men for the various expeditions are given, together with the casualties resulting The number killed and wounded in all campaigns are as follows: Officers Killed 23: enlisted men killed, 257 off, cers wounded 113; enlisted men wound ed. 1,464. The total deaths from wounds and disease up to October 3 were 107 officers and 3,S03 enlisted men
 The recruiting service in the regular and volunteer armies is referred to and lack of officers in the regular army is specifically pointed out in a number of instances.
 General Corbin has the following to say concerning the increase of the reg ular army:
 ''The organization of the cavalry, ar tillery and infantry regiments has stood the test in battle and received the ap- rroval of those in command; so that the increase of the line of the army de- manded by our new possessions, should be by the addition of the neces- sary number of regiments organized as are those now in service. The number Of officers should be increased by one lieutenant to each troop, and company.
 This would enable the department to meet the demand for various details re- ouired by law and yet leave the troops with the necessary number of officers for their proper discipline and instruc- tions and in war allow the appointment of sufficient generals and general staff officers without destroying the efficien- cv of the army, as threatened by the recent experiences of the department. The number of trained officers as here