The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-23
AnM OF ARMY BIIn.
What Senator Hawley Says In Asking for
 mn InCreaae.

m Increase.
 Washington, Feb. 22.-Senator flaw ley, in reporting the bill for the in- crease of the artillery arm ot the army bill two regiments, said in the senate to- day: "The speedy passage of this Dill appears to be an absolute necessity. The government after long and careful consideration by those whose officers and studies qualify them to give the most valuable advice has entered upon the examination of a systematic and elaborate plan of coast defense. The progress there, is indicated in extracts from the last annual report of General John. Wilson, chief of engineers. Ex- isting contracts call for the emplace- ment and mounting on or before June 30, 1898, now rapidly approaching, or 139 modern high power steel guns, rang ing in calibre from to 12 inches; l2' to 5-inch calibre, four 6-pounders ana 232 twelve-inch mortars, total of 3Sl'
 These are to be scattered, according to the best judgment of the engineers and ordnance officers from Maine to Puget Sound, having careful regard to the relative importance of the positions to be defended. The great expenditure will be wasted treasure unless a sufti- cient number of artilleryment, carefully selected and thoroughly drilled, be as- signed to the care and use of these costly instruments of defense AS the works are from week to week com pleted, the utmost the general com manding can do Is to detail a few care takers to each station. With the aid of the actives of the national guard, and those who have been discharged there from after years of instruction, effect | i've cavalry and infantry could be col | lected in comparatively short time; | but in case of war short notice would | be given to the men in charge of the 1 great guns on the coast, whose costly | machinery requires much mechanical | skill and practice. Men fit to be trust | ed to run great engines on our rail- | roads or even the ordinary steamers l of rivers and lakes, cannot be called | into service at days or 9 months | notice
 ITO handle, but especilly to fire With precision, the new guns require the | highest class of skilled labor.
 "A careful estimate of the annual l additional expenditure required to maintain the two regiments is $530, ,054. | But some months will expire before | the regiments can be fully enlisted and organized, and while the scale of the | first year with it's equipment, will be considerably greater than that of aver | age subsequent years, it is believed | that $45C,O0G, possibly less, will suffice for the fiscal year 1899. It is scarcely worth while to enlarge upon the wis | dom of establishing the defenses of our very extended coast. Successive con | gresses have vigorously and liberally asserted it."
 To this is added a number of reports including letter from Acting Secre- tary Meiklejohn and General Miles, the latest being a letter from General Miles, written yesterday, in which he says: My Dear Senator: Referring to your conversation this morning, have the honor to state that batteries have been placed in position in new Notifications at Portland Head, Me.
 Growers Cliff Boston harbor; Fort l Hancock, approach to Philadelphiai approaches to Washington; coast ot
 North Carolina Charleston harbor
 Mobile, Ala, Galveston, Tex, Fort Ba-
 ker, Cal, and Fort Stevens, Ore.
 Batteries also will be placed within l few months on new Notifications al
 Great Diamond Island, Portland, Me.
 Fort Constitution, Portsmouth, N. Fl.
 Long Island Head, Boston harbor
 Dutch Island, Narragansett Bay, R. l. eastern entrance to Long Island sound
 N. Y; Delaware City, Del; approaches | to Savannah, Ga.; New Orleans; Sal
 Diego, Cal; entrance to Puget sound
 Washington, making in all twenty-si,
 new seacoast Notifications for the de
 fense of the great cities of the At ] lantic, Gulf and Pacific coasts, wher
 Notifications have been and are beini
 erected and where artillery is requires
 to protect and man these batteries.
 we are sending small detachment of men to keep them in fair condition
 and protect the ammunition, but thes
 are not sufficient to man said batteries
 and hence the necessity for the addi , tional regiments of artillery is impera
 tive and requires immediate action"
 There are also reports from Genera , Wilson and General Flagler, showin
 the necessity of additional force.
 The bill to increase the artillery b.
 two regiments passed the senate to-da.
 by a vote of 52 to 1.