The times., 1898-12-25

artillery. In other words. the essential of
| artillery organization is the bate y.
these batteries bsing grouped according 10
the necessities of each case.S necesstiss
differing from harbor to harbor.
The conditions are entirely different
for infantry and for cavalry. In these
| each individual carries a weapon, which
is not the case with the artillery when
used as such. The fighting strength of
| infantry or cavalry is measured by the
| number OF the weapons it can bring into
the line, but no such measure can be uni
sformly applied to the artillery. Experi-
ence has shown that the regfmental Or
ganization is suited to the infantry and
to the cavalry, the unit selected namely
the regiment being the greatest number
of muskets and of sabers, respectively,
that can be directly controlled by one
man, and this unit .is necessary one
But evidently no such necessity exists in
| the artillery.
Why, then, perpetuate a syetem that
Is essentially relic of the past, and
wholly out of harmony with present
and with future conditions? There Is no
| sentiment connected with the mainten-
ance of the regimentaI organization, be-
cause. as already explained. the chances
are against an officers serving wholly in
one regiment. For the purely local feel
ing for the regiment alone has been SUBJ
stituted strong feeling of pride in the
arm as a whole. a feeling born of the de-
sire to see this long-neglected arm at last
rise to a full realization of its opportu-
mites and its duties 50
Let 1t be borne in mind how compli-
Gated, is the artillery service, how many
different kinds of guns 1t has to serve
that In future 1t will be charged with the
! torpedo service. and that the nature of ar
tiliery service in general will depend en-
tirely upon local conditions, conditions
| that differ from harbor to harbor, and 1t Is
at once evident that an arbitrary division
of the personnel into regiments is inher-
emily vicious The corps system, on the
other hand. gives the artillery the adapta-
bility and fiexibility that are demanded
| by the eyer-varying- conditions of its SER
vice.
In respect of the number of batteries
Recommended by this bill, one argument
tonly need be. brought up. If the necessary
personnel Is not to be provided, why are
millions appropriated every year for guns
ana forts? The complicated ordnance of
the present cannot be intrusted to un-
| trained men.
BY June 3d. 1899 1876 batteries of coast
| artillery will be needed for the guns actu-
ally installed. The bill asks for IA such
batteries. According to reliable obserya-
| lions the deterioration of electric ma
|
| for. Is 30 per cent per annum; of other
machinery, 20 per cent, and of guns and
| carriages, % per cent. battery Of two
| iZ-inch guns complete, with all its ma
chinery. costs $4,000: If uncared for the
yearly loss would be about $4,000
| IN the organization of the infantry
regiment the change has been made in
the number of enlisted mem In a company
from los to li5 The object of the increase
| n Dda IN
very lowest cost to the Government. 1t
has not been the object of the committee
! TO sacrifice efficiency for economy. bur
taking the number of men necessary 10
| carry out the purpose of the Government
we believe that an organization on the
basis of 1i5, which would give us but liz
priVates, Is more efficient in actual SER
| wee than one of Y privates as proposed
| IN the Senate bill. The largely Increased
number of regiments which would be
made necessary by the reduced number
| OF priyates would entail an increased ex-
pense each year on the Government for
| omcers, and would materially impair the
effectiveness of companies and regiments
! on the line of battle. Gen. Sherman in
MS report TO the War Department in 1876.
1 after full study of the armies of Etirope
and after he had seen their opera ton on
the held of battle, recommended a com
pany of go enlisted men in time of war.
| ana further stated that we could count ON
one-third OF the men being absent from
duty In an army serving in the field. I
Gen. Schwan said that after twenty
one years service as lire officer he re-
garded li5 men as the best organization.
Gen. Miles in his testimony before the
committee recommended 100 enlisted men
The organization provided for in this
bill gives as a maximum a smaller regi-
ment than is the minimum OF the leading
nations,
THE committee inserted a new section
in regard to the record and pension office.
believing that the present chief of that Of
flee has, by his wonderfully efficient sery-
ices, made it only proper for him to have
the rank of brigadier general His admin
istration of the office has resulted in a
saving to the Government of over 100000
a year IN clerk hire alone.
'-The committee has placed in the bill
certain limitations as to age. The Gov
eminent retires an officer at sixty-four on
three-quarters pay. If men are placed in
the army at an advanced age they render
the Government absolutely no adequate
service for the obligations the Govern
ment assumes to care for them during life.
.The question of how long man should
serve before being retired was one the
committee was not at all agreed upon,
but a compromise was finally placed in
the bill, limiting appointments to those
not over fifty years of age
The retired list should not be used as
an asylum for men who have spent their
active life in civil employment. An ex-
ception was made in a new section ex-
empting all the staff corps now open TO
| appointment from civil life from the
operation of the age limit, all men who
served in the civil war and In the recent
war with Spain. The reasons for the in
corporation in the bill of section is found
in the following, submitted by an officer
/ from the War Department:
81 have made a calculation that the
bill prepared, provided all promotion in
each arm is by seniority in each arm, re-
spectively, would give the following re-
suits as regards promotion to captain: In
the infantry all the present first lieuten-
ants and sixteen second lieutenants: in the
artillery, all the present first neutenants
and forty-two second iieutenants: total for
infantry and artillery, fifty-eight. In the
cavalry, fifty-seven of the present first
lieutenants would be left such. The scheme
| to equalize promotion to captaincy would.
| therefore, give fifty-seven captaincies in
the artillery and infantry to the fifty
seven remaining first lieutenants of cav
airy. All the first lieutenants In each arm
| would be captains and all the second lieu
tenants in each arm would become first
lieutenants, leaving the vacancies at the
foot of list of first lieutenants and all the
second lieutenants to be filed by promo
ton from the ranks, from the volunteers
and from civil life.''
DISTRICT BILLS IN CONGRESS.
Rapidity With Which Local Meas