Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1898-12-08
THE MILITARY ACADEMY.

An increase of the number of cadets for
this great school has been recommended
for several years by boards O: visitors,
and the recommendation OF the present
boards is concurrcd in that twenty cadets
annually. IN be appointed 10y the Prc>t-
dent. and one appointment at large, to To-"
nominated ny each senator, be auth"rizti
it, edition to the present number pTov!i-
ell by law. This increase is urgently need
,,l.
While all army. corrs and division COM
mandcrS in the late var We're graduates
of West Point or officers of the regular
army. a. were all of the chief engineers,
quartermaStcrs, CoulmiS>arics OF suos'St-
cnce. raymastcrs. surgeons, and ordnan. .
officers. Yet there was great lack Of
subordinate stan officers for 50 large an
oICanization.
The present organization Of the army j.
otiicrrci for c5.HlA men. and 10 such an cN-
tent was ii necessary to appoint regular
army officers to places in the volunteer
force that scarce a company had more
than one officer, although filled ~ its
maximum with recruits; and in many
cases, when an officer was killed, wound
ell. OF taken sick, tho company was COM
mauiva by non-commSSionod officers
This should not no; ii can be rcmci!td III
futurr by increasing the corps of cadets
thus supplying officers for increasing
needs.
The other recommendationSof the board
are iudicious. and the department W.
carry them ont as far as ii can; hut whert
nrcraralions arr necessary, II Is recon-
mendcd that they be granted 50 that III,
important work of tho academy may ot
conducted in the best possible manner.
/ COMMlSSARIES NEEDED.
The experience of our late war demon
stratei III, need of a regime ntal commits
sary, and also Tor Commi>sary-Svrs
Tor each regiment in service. The recon-
incubation OF the commiSsarN general i
this respect Is therefore CurCurret in.
THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT,
Jpon the declaration of war. surgeons
w,rr appointed Tor ur!Cadr. division an,
CORPS headquarters. hut no proviS on Wa
made in the law for large hospitals; ,vn
s,Qucntly r,s.mcntal surgeons were DE-
tailed 10 these hospitals ana their reg!
m,ntS LETT with one surgeon only, and h
= Junior. This should not be. The brca n
ing up Of the rvSimental hospitals was
in my judgment, after the experience W
yaSScd through, a mistake; hut il cou'
not pc avoided and maintain the division
and general hospitals. when were lnH.s
p,nSablc. This branch of the service
should be thoroughly equipped and ampl
provision made 10 supply the PAGES -
surgeons who call sick or are othcrwiS
unable 10 attend 10 their duties. one o
TN, great mcrc!-S ~ the campa Sn We.
The irua.c nurses. Cntil one has had ~
pvrivnce or made careful observation h
can not realize the work that these nohl
women aid Tor our sick soldiers in hoSp'
tails; hu, they can not well he cmploNe
nj resimontal hospitals, especially N al
active campaign.
The division and general hospitals ar
an absolute necessity. Where large mum
bcrS Of sick are Eathcrod together sun
ply of all icliCaClvS can bo kept N apGnd
anCc, and rctr.SvraturS, cooking oNiNi
and evcryihius needed :or the sick can b
constantly kept ON hand. The general u
division hospitals should, however, in m
opinion. l., i Vidvd into wards assigned I
separate regiments, ana. aS FAR a. posi-
blc, 10 the companies nj those regiments
, thus keeping the men who serve IN III
same command as much together durin
their sickness as possible. II cheers TN,
, when their comrades are near At han,
and they arr more confident and hopvi'
than when placed upon cots among sirAt
SCrS,
: Thc Red Cross and other re- of asSocid
r lions contributed in a very large drSrt
To the care and comfort Of our SICK 50
, dierS. and should receive the Ert;ct'
. thanks Of the nation for the work :
| noSly and unSclnshly performed.