The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-25


guns actually installed. The bill asks
for 14t such batteries. According to
reliable observation the deterioration
OF electric machinery in our coast forts
when uncared for. Is % per cent. per
annum, OF other machinery 20 per
cent. and of guns and OF carriages %
per cent. A battery OF two 12-inch
guns complete with its machinery costs
sl46.000; II uncared for. the yearly loss
would be about $4,000.
''On the organization OF the infantry
regiment the change has been made in
the number of enlisted men in a COM
pany from 126 to las. The object OF
the Increase is to provide for an ade-
quate force at the very lowest cost to
the government. IL has not been the
object of the committee to sacrifice ef-
iciency for economy. but taking the
number OF men necessary to carry out
the purpose of the object We believe
that an organization on the basis of las
which would give us but li2 privates.
In more efficient in actual service than
one OF 126 privates. as proposed in the
senate bill. The largely increased num-
ber of regiments which would be made
necessary by the reduced number OF
privates. would entail an increased eX-
pense each year on the government for
officers and would materially impair
the effectiveness OF companies and reg
iments on the lines OF battle. General
sherman In his report to the war de-
partment in 1876, after full study Of
the armies of Europe and after he had
seen their operations on the field Of
battle. recommended a company Of two
hundred and fifty enlisted men In time
OF war. and further stated that we
could count one-third of the men being
absent from duty in army service in the
field.
General Schwan said that after 81
years service as line office. he regard
ed 1i5 men as the best organization.
General Miles. I'm his testimony before
the committee recommended 100 enlist
ed men. The committee has placed In
the bill certain limitations as To age.
The government retires an officer at
81 on three-quarters pay. III men are
placed In the army at an advanced age
they render the government absolutely
no adequate service for the obligations
the government assumes to care for
them during life. The question OF how
long a man should serve before being
retired was one the committee was
not at all agreed upon. but a comprom-
ise was finally placed in the bill linn
iting appointments to those not
over 80 years OF age. The retired list
should not he used as an asylum for
men who have spent their active life
in civil employment. An exception was
made in "a new section exemDting all
STAN corps now open to appointment
from civil life. from the operation of
the age limit. all men who served In
tn, civil war and the recent war with
Spain. The reasons for the incorpora-
tion I'm the bill of section 3 is found in
the following. submitted by an officer
from the war department.
Il have made "a calculation. that the
bill prepared. provided all promotion in
each arm Is by seniority in each arm
respectively. would give the following
results as regarded promotion TO cap
tain In the infantry all the present
tenants. In the artillery all the present
first leutenants and ~ second
lieutenants. Total for infantry and
artillery IS. In the cavalry. 81
OF the present first lleutenants
would be of such. The scheme
to euualize promotion to captaincy
would therefore give 81 captaincies In
the artillery and infantry To the 81 re-
naming first lieutenants of cavalry
All OF the first lieutennnts In each arm
would be captains and all the second
lieutenants In each arm would become
first lieutenants. leaving them at the
foot of the list of first lieutenants
and all the second lieutenants by pro-
motion from the ranks. from the vol
unteers and from civil life.
The official estimate OF the cost OF
the army under the organization pro-
posed in the bill. Chairman Hull states,
is about $1,000 900. Mr.. Hull estimates
the pay of the army at s24 4i6.ssI and
the additional cost for subsistence and
all other expenses to bring the total
up to not to exceed ss3.000.000.