The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1898-12-08
THE ARMY TN TIE WAR.
Secretary AIger's Annual Report Cor
tains Some Remarkable Figures.
AN ARMY OF 100000 WAN TED.
or 1431 Men Hurt Only Thirteen Diei
From Wounds-Loss of Life in the War
the Smallest Recorded in History-The
Government is Urged to Build Rail-
road in Cuba to Cost SEQ 200, 900.


Government is Urged to Build Rail.
road in Cuba to Cost Seo,OOo,00O.
WASHINGTON, D. C. (SpeciaD The an
.nual report Of Secretary OF Var AIger is a
complete history Of the Spanish American
largest and most important documents ever
issued by the War Department. In addi-
tion to the Secretary's history OF the war,
the report contains all the official dis
patches passing from his own Office to the
commanding generals in Cuba, Porto Rico
and the Philippines, as well as the dis
patches from those officers to the head Of
the War Department
Secretery Alger allows the story ''to tell
ITSELF" and makes but little comment eX-
cept when he refutes the criticism made
concerning alack OF surgeons with the San
tiago army. and he calls attention to the
small loss OF life in the army.
He recommends that the standing army
be increased permanently to 100 900 men,
wants twenty more cadets appointed annu-
ally, and recommends the enlistment OF ma
tives Of the captured islands into the army
Of the United States.
The Secretary's most fixing recon-
mendation is the building Of railroad at
cost of 500, 900, 900 the length of Cuba;
the expense to be borne by the Govern
ment.
Referring to the deaths in the army, the
Secretary SAYS:
'The deaths in the army from May l to
October |, including killed, died OF wounds
and disease, were 2910, the smallest death
rate recorded of any army in history,
remarkable fact when it is considered that
over 50, 900 Of our troops, born and reared
in the temperate zone, were campaigning
in tropical countries, subject to rain and
heat almost unprecedented"
Secretary AIger recommends the prompt
discharge OF the volunteers in the camps
in the South with two months pay.
As to the standing army, the report
makes the following recommendations:
"Ir view Of the needs OF a military force
in the islands occupied by the United States,
it Is earnestly recommended that the regu-
lar army be permanently increased to 1C0,
900 men and the requisite officers; that
portion of this army be recruited from the
inhabitants Of those islands, to be mustered
into the service of the United States and
commanded by the officers OF our army,
discretion, however, to be given to the
President to make appointments OF officers
from the force so recruited"
The expenditures for the fiscal year end
ing June 80 last were S62, ,5S4 ,7S4, and the
estimates for the next fiscal year, begin
ming July /, 1899, are S195 ,25O ,377. OF this
great estimate the sum Of S65, ,430, 9O9 IS
charged to the pay Of the army. The esti-
mates of extraordinary appropriations re-
quired for the six months ending June 80,
1899, are $50, III ,539, and the estimates for;
that period, combined with those OF the
next fiscal year, reach total OF S255, A.
917.
The reports OF General Miles and other
generals are printed in full in the report. i.
The cost Of carrying the Spanish prison.
ers to Spain was $685. 900.
Z Secretary Ager recommends that many
engineers, skilled in electricity, be educat-
ed at West Point. He also recommends
the continued manufacture OF good mag
azine rifle until the number shall reach
IN