Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1898-08-30
SOME ARMY PROBLEMS
Proposal to Increase the Number Of
Artillery Regiments.
OFFICERS LOOKING FOR PAY.
oimeuity Arising Over Status Of Those of
several Regiments - Department. Au.
snsritics Appeal From q Deci-
sion by tho Comptroller,

washington. Aug. 3O.-The artillery
oihcers OF the army baye promptly be.
gun their campaign FOR a reorganized
ana augmented army The necessity
OF an adequate military force at Ha.
WALL Guam. Porto Rico. Manila and Gu.
pa VIII give work for the artill ry the
| scope and duties of which are gradually
oeing enlarged. The manning of the
new coast defenses at home will add Ia
| the demands Of this branch, and it Is
proposed to increase the number of reg
lments from seven to IA, each to con-
sist Of 1850 men.
AT the navy department It is said au-
thoritatively that nothing has been
heard there of Rear Admiral Dewey's
reported desire for an increase in the
naval force under his command. The
plan OF sending battleshlp and cruis-
er is under consideration. however.
Questions growing out of war condi-
tons continue to engage the attention
OF the authorities. Among the most
troublesome is that relating to the stat
us OF commissioned and noncommis-
stoned officers of the Third Missouri.
First New Jersey and Seventh Ohio vol
unteer regiments.
The personnel Of these commands in
,c1uded officers for whom no provision
mad been made in the general law ap-
plying to the organization of the infan-
try, and 1t has been a question wins Their
these surplus officers could be paid from
the government funds. The comptrO' Ter
decided that these officers were entitled
to salaries since they have been accept
ed and mustered into the service Of the
United States.
Stands by His Decision.
This view was opposed by the depart
ment authorities. who appealed again
to the comptroller for a revision of the
matter, and that officer now declines to
modify his original decision.
Another question, preferred through
the army paymasters, was regarding
clothing furnished by a state to a SOL
der The comptroller decides that the
clothing drawn in this manner should
be charged to the soldiers account in
the same manner and subject to the
same conditions as II 1t had been drawn
directly from the United States; other
wise the United States would make a
double payment in every case to the
amount Of clothing furnished by the
state
A volunteer officer Of the navy, En-
sign W. A. F. Smith, has had an inter-
esting question before the navy depart
ment. He was an officer of the St. Louis
while that steamer was a transatlantic
liner and was on leave when the vessel
was taken into the navy. On his return
he found that the St. Louis had gone to
Cuban waters, and he journeyed from
New York to Key West and thence by
transport to Santiago. On arrival on
board he accepted his volunteer COM
mission. He claimed leave pay from
New York to Key West. but the treas
ury department authorities have decid-
ed that he is not entitled to this allow
ance, as he was not at the time of the
Journey an officer OF the navy and that
his connection with the ST. Louis, his
leave status and his offer of services do
not affect the question.