The San Francisco call., 1898-03-11
Gen eral Demand for the Reorganization of the
 Infantry.
Long Range Rapid-Fire Guns Suggest a Change in Line
 of Battle.
Work on the Notifications - The Mortimer Blew Down Trees at
 the Presidio.

Officers of the army stationed at the l Presidio now express the hope that | Congress will at once take up the sub | ject of infantry reorganization. The infantry consists of twenty-five regi- | ments, each composed on war foot | ing of ten companies of 100 men and l each regiment is organized as one bat | talion. On a peace footing two com- panies of each regiment have been | skeletonized. making the regiment con- 1 sist of eight companies of thirty-five | officers and 525 men organized as one | battalion.
 There Is an earnest demand in the army for the establishment of the three | battalion plan. This was recommend ed by Generals Grant and Sherman, and IS now recommended by General Miles. Under modern conditions con- forming to the use of long range, mag azine rifles, the battle unit is the com pany, and the company should consist Of 200 men. Four companies should compose battalion and three battal- ions should make the regiment of 2400 men. The leading argument in sup port of the three battalion plan is the economy of officers, for it only requires one regimental staff for every 2400 men as organized in one regiment, as against three regimental staffs for the three regiments.
 In recent speech delivered in the House of Representatives MT. McClel- Ian of New York remarked that our | present infantry organization had been. taken from that of Wellington in the Peninsula, and Wellington's was taken from Oliver CromwelPs new model The l organization was excellent for the sev- | enteenth century, but now at the be- ginning of the twentieth century is out of date. The President, with $50, ,00o, 900 at his | disposal for the national defense, can- not change the system of organization. | Congress alone can provide for the new organization, and since the modern for nation has been adopted by the leading nations of Europe and recommended | by veteran army officers of the United States it is now urged that Congress in taking steps for the national de- l fense should not neglect this most i'm | portant duty.
 l Commendable progress is noted in l the work of fortifying the harbor of l San Francisco. Some inconvenience | is caused by the distance from the Pre- sidio barracks to the line of works near | Fort Point. In daily drills the troops must go out to the guns and return to ! the barracks twice a day. Money may be available now to provide artillery | quarters at some point near the forts commanding the harbor.
 The mortimer which swept across the
 bay and peninsula early yesterday
 morning caused little damage at the
 Presidio. The trees were prostrated,
 but as the forest of the reservation is
 already too dense the loss of the trees is not regretted. In fact there has been
 a good deal of talk about asking per-
 mission from the authorities to thin
 out the groves.
 Colonel E. B. Williston is packing his
 l,s- z.
 New York It is his intention now to leave for the East tomorrow evening.
 The squadron of the Fourth United
 States Cavalry stationed at the Pre-
 sidio, under the command of Lieuten-
 ant Colonel Louis T. Morris, is ready
 to mobilize" at Atlanta or any other
 convenient place. AS the chances of
 war diminish the chances for another
 tour of duty in the Sierra increase.
 The men and horses are ready, how
 ever for any kind of duty.
 General Shafter has issued orders di- recting Major Edward Field, artillery inspector of the Department of Cali fornia, and First Lieutenant John D.
 Miley, aid, to proceed to Los Banos, and thence to Fresno, on public busi- ness in connection with the eXamina- tion of grounds suitable for a target
 new Sixth Regiment of artillery.
 Pursuant to telegraphic instructions
 from the General of the Army. Lieu tenant Colonel Edward B. Williston, Third Artillery, has been relieved from duty in this department, and directed
 to report without delay to the com
 manding general, Department of the
 East, for assignment to duty at Fort Slocum, N. I. Lieutenant Colonel
 Williston will be the colonel of the
 new Sixth Regiment of artillery.
 First Lieutenant w. w. Galbraith,
 Fifth Cavalry, who has been on sick
 leave at the Army and Navy General
 Hospital at Hot Springs, Ark. is visit
 ing San Francisco. Lieutenant Gall braith is registered at the California. | Second Lieutenant William S. Mo
 Nair, Battery G, Third Artillery, Angel
 Island, Is temporarily stationed at the
 Presidio, on duty in connection with
 mounting guns at Fort Point and Fort
 Winfield Scott.