New-York tribune., 1898-12-25
REPORT on THE ARMY BILL.
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE HOUSE
MILITARY COMMITTEE.
CHANGES PROPOSED IN THn ARTILLERY o
cAHIzArroN- ESTIMATE or THE COST.


I'D ,or tho Increase % the Regular Army After
detailing the amendments adopted In committee tho
-cpcrt says that tho hin fixes no maximun
strength icr tho entire Army. Assuming that the
GoverrGsor: Will require about 10000 for defence
of TIE frontier for coast defence and to maintain
the cOuutr,'s authority IN tho islands for whose
good order and government this Nation IS now re-
s7onsioe together with reasonable reserve force.
,he hin provides for tho regiments ~ cavalry and
infantry TO make the number required for each
arm of tic service. and corps % artillery FOR our
seacoast batteries. with TWO regiments Of artillery
Or field batteries.
The committee believes the organization a. pro-
y,scl for IN this bill vii make thc most cfficcnt
military organization at the lowest cost 20 the
1aycrs Of any orsauizston proposed hy a bill be-
fort Congress.
Tho organisation of the cavalry as provided IN
no n,l is substantially the organization now
0-oy.dci for Ny law. Tho change in the present
organization Is making fifteen captains. IN place
% twelve. and providing for a oommissary Of the
-cgiment. BY thi. increase of rank tho adjutant
orartermaster and commissary receive tho rank of
captain. and commssary sergeant IS also added.
The af,een frs, Neutenants provided have three
extra H-st Ncu;enan;s for each regiment available
rs squadron adjutRnts r also provides for the
.rss;on 0, band for each regiment by enlisting
-te men : musicians. while under the present law
rev are enlisted IN the regular force and detailed
as musicians.
CHANGES IN THE ARTILLERY.
Tic organization OF artillery provided for in the
Nl changes from the Tesimental formeti 10 thnt
o. corps o. artillery. and the artillery arm has
s. grown IN Importance the committee feels tusti-
fed !n submitting the full reasons for IRE change
TIE relation o1 the artillery orEanization TO the
work that the Army was TO perform mag he best
-ders tood ~ brief reference to its history The
present system dates back 10 1871. when the first
<,.r resnler:s were organized. The nfth regiment
vas added IN ls6l. and the sixth and seventh in Ss
When Arst organized that IS in 1871. the question
Of coast defence was not nearly important as Il
e today and consequently the question OF organi-
zs.ion was not so important. Moreover. this rea-
i've ur.Tnpor;ance OF both functions and Of organi-
sauon continued for many years, in fact down TO
so On the other hand. there were questions be-
fore the country that made the services o infantry
% great Importance. and. hence. the artillery was
almost continuously used as Infantry. Thus. IN the
Mexican War three-fourths O, the artillery was
used as infantry. 1t armed and equipped az
i-fantry and served such not only IN Mexico
>. also IN Florida IN the Seminole trouble on the
plains and elsewhere. even In the forts. When the
Civil War broke ou. all the toot batteries hereto
.ore armed and equipped and serving as Infantry
were converted into light batteries only 10 resume
tAeir infantry equipment ard duties after Apo
rrat:ox
N the bill under discussion the number Of ar
tnlery units Coatteries) was obtained from con-
alteration o. the number OF gun positions 10 be
the limit as many batteries there are sun posi-
lions Further. these batteries must be grouped IN
sufficient numbers at each haroor TO man all me
guns n that harhor. Eviaently, the Idea of the
regiment does not come forward here az al. and
ror good reason-there is no relation between iho
regiment as unit and the work 70 5e done by the
artillery In other words, the essential o. artiiery
oreanizatiin Is the battery these batteries being
grouped according TO tho necessities of each case
necessities differing from harbor TO harhoT.
CAVALRY AND INFANTRY CONDITIONS.
The conditions are entirely different for infantry
and for cavalry In these each individual carries
a weapon which .s not the case with the arllleIy
when used as such. The lighting strength OF IN
fantry or cavalry is measured by the NUMBER OF
weapons 4: can bring into line but no such meas
ure can De uniformly applied to the artillery Tx
rerience has shown that the resimental organiza-
ton Is suited 20 the infantry and 10 the cavalry
The uni. selected namely. The regiment. being ne
greatest number of muskets and Of sabFes respec-
,ively that can be directly controlled by one man
end this unit IS necessary one. But evidently no
such necessity e1.sts IN the artillery
WY then pcrpe;uate a system that Is essentially
p relic OF the past. and wholly out OF harmony
with present and with future conditions There
&c no sentiment connected with the maintenance
o. the regimental organization. because. MS al
ready explained. the chances are against an oHl-
GERS serving wholly in one regiment For the
purely local feeling for the regiment alone mas
been substituted a strong feeling Of pride in the
arm as a whole feeling born Of the desire 20 see
this long-negecteG arm at last rise TO tuil real
ration Of its opportunities and rs duties
VALUE OF THE CORPS SYSTEM.
Let e bs borne IN mind how complicated IS the
artillery service how many different kinds Of guns
# has 70 serve. that In future & Will be charged
with the torpedo service and tha: the nature OF
artillery service in general will depend entirely
upon local conditions. conditions that differ from
II - az
arbitrary division ot the personnel into regiments
IS inherently vicious. The corps system. on the
other hand gives the artillery The adaptablity and
aex!bHity that afo demanded by the ever-varying
conditions % its service
IN respect 20 the number % batteries recon-
mended by this bill. one argument only need be
brought W. 7. the necessary personnel is no; 10
be provided Why are millions appropriated every
wear for guns ana forts? The complicated ord
name. OF the present cannot be intrusted 10 un-
trained men.
Pv June 90 1899. le5 batteries Of coas; artillery
Will be needed FOR the guns actually installed The
BIZ asks for IA such batteries According TO re-
liable observation. the deterioration of electric ma
cainery IN coast forts when uncarea ior Is % 80
and Of guns and OF carriages. - per cent. a bat
terry ot two l4inch guns complete; WIN an its ma
shlnery. costs sliGcy' i aneared for the yearly
loss would be about S33 vvJ
NUMBERS N INFANTRY REGIMENTS.
In the organization of the infantry regiment the
change has beer made ~ The number OF enlisted
men In company from .D5 H. The object Of tAs
increase is TO provide tof an adequate fSe at the
lowest cost 10 the Government II has Hot been
the object OF the committee TO sacrifice eiAc'en-y
for economy but taking the number ci men heces-
sary 70 carry out the purpose o. tho SoNe'AHleA
ve believe that organization On i~e ~dS'7 o 49,
which y-o.id give Is Only ~ pr!Yates, is more
efficient IT, actual se:tfce than one Oh ? prvates IS
proposed IN The Senate Bill Tae largely inereas - %
rura5er of regiments. wnice would De mace nee
ga 6y the reduced number Of prNatt-; "1ui4
ental an lucressd eXfehse eac-i year on si'e - %
erruenr fo- on ere, aud would Inattilaiiy III
pa ne erectiveucss OF COMPANIES "hH .,b.ici..s
o. he line or battle Gen Ia. She' man. ID hl' -
Dor, % ,ne Wa- Deps.tg. ent ln lsi5, afief a lu'
stucv OF the armies Of ECTope ara al.,I ~ ~ =
he 100 ol DAttc, ItINlI