The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-27

Washington, December 24.-Repre-
sentative Hull, chairman Of the mill
tary committee of the house today
filed with the clerk his report on the
bill for the increase Of the regular ar
my. After detailing the amendments
adopted in committee, all Of which have
been sent out in the Associated Press
dispatches, the report says:
"The bill fixes no maximum strength
for the entire army Assuming that
the governent will require about 1A0,-
900 men for defense of the frontier, for
coast defense and to maintain our au-
thority in the islands for whose good
order and government this nation Is
now responsible, together with rea-
sonable reserve force. the bill provides
for the regiments of cavalry and in
fantry to provide the number required
for each arm of the service and corps
of artillery for our sea coasts batteries
with two regiments Of artillery for field
batteries.
'The committee believe the Organiza-
ton as provided for in this bill will
make the most efficient military organ
ization proposed by any bill before
congress.
"In the bill under discussion the
number of artillery units (batteries)
was obtained from a consideration OF
| the number of gun positions to be mann
oI hoN nj hn mi
| many batteries as you have gun posi-
tions. Further, these batteries must be
| grouped in sufficient numbers at each
| harbor, to man all the guns in that
harbor. Evidently the idea Of the reg
| iment does not come forward here at
! all and for good reason. There Is no
relation between the regiment as unit,
and the work to be done by the artil-
,ery organization is the battery, these
batteries being grouped according to
the necessities of each case, necessities
differing from harbor to harbor.
"In respect of the number of batter
les recommended by this bill, one ar
| gument only need be brought up. II
the necessary personal is not to be pro-
vided, why are millions appropriated
! every year for guns and forts? The
! complicated ordnance of the present
cannot be entrusted to unframed men.
by June 80, 1899 1876 batteries OF
coast artillery will be needed for the
guns actually installed. The bill asks
for 144 such batteries. According tC
reliable observation the deterioration
of electric machinery in our coast forts
when uncared for is 33 per cent per an
mum, of other machinery 20 per cen,
and of guns and of carriages % pei
cent. A battery of two 12-inch gun!
complete with all it's machinery, cost!
$146,OO0; if uncared for the yearly cos
would be about $4,000.
I'm the organization of the infantr!
regiments the change has been mad,
in the number of enlisted men in /;
/ company from 106 to 145 The objec
of the increase is to provide for al
| adequate force at the very lowest cos
to the government 1t has not beel
the object of the committee to sacrific
efficiency for economy, but taking tn
number OF men necessary to carry OH
, the purpose of the government, we be
. lieve that an organization on the basi
OF 145, which would give us 112 pri
Yates, is more efficient In actual servic
than one of 72 privates, propose
in the senate bill. The largely increas
ed numebr of regiments which woul
be made necessary by the reduced nun
: Der of privates, would entail an In
creased expense each year on the go,
| ernment for officers and would mater
ally impair the effectiveness OF CON
panies and regiments on the line Z
battle"
, Mr.. Hull estimates the pay OF che al
: my at $24, .sS7, and the addition:
' cost for subsistence and all ether e,
e penses to bring the total up to not e,
a | ceed &83 ftfl0 40