Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1898-12-16
ARMY BILL Is INTRODUCED
1T IN NOT ON LINES SUGGESTED
by GENERAL MILES.
AT TIE WAR DEPARTMENT
And Has the Full Approval OF Secretary
Asger-Huii Presents the
BILL In House.

A Washington special says: Repre-
sentative Hull, chairman OF the house
committee on military affairs, intro
duced bill Wednesday increasing the
regular army to approximately 100, 900
men. The bill was framed ut the war
department and has the approval Of
the secretary Of war. 1t is not the
bill framed by General Miles, as this
measure has not the high rank pro-
posed by the Miles bill, and some Of
the appointments are open to officers
Of the volunteers or from civil life.
1t provides for lieutenant general
and what is considered sufficient in.
crease Of major and brigadier gener-
ais to command an army OF 100, 900
men scattered from Porto Rico to
Manila. The artillery arm is reor-
ganized, separating them into coast
and field artillery, but promotion to
be by seniority Of the whole arm.
A decrease of the enlisted men is
made SO that the army con DO increased
by recruits in case of war to full
strength. The cavalry is increased
two regiments; the infantry five. The
enlisted strength OF the infantry COM
pany is not TO exceed 145, so that in
case OF war new regiments would have
to be formed, probably all OF which
would be volunteers, but the regular
army would make q substantial first
line.
The bill provides for the three bat.
talon formation.
The staff corps are increased about
40 per cent, and with the exception OF
the adjutant general, inspector general
and ordnance are open to appointments
from the volunteer or civil life.
The most noticeable change is that
in the medical department, in which
provision is made for hospital corps
Of 5000 privates with the necessary
non commissioned officers. with
largely increased number Of surgeons
and assistant surgeons.
All oficess and men serving in the
sub-tropical countries are to have an
increase Of 25 per Gene in pay. Under
the immediate control Of the president
inhabitants Of the new countries may
be enlisted in the organizations there
serving.
The bill gives total OF fourteen
regiments of artillery, twelve Of cav
airy aud thirty of infantry.
Chairman Hull's bill is cast on en-
tirely different lines from General
Miles bill, so that detailed COMPARE
son is difficult. The Miles bill Is
based on the theory Of one soldier for
1000 population, while the Hull bill
is based on the idea OF q total force Of
100, 900, the organization being con-
structed no as to reach that total.
General Miles provides foyl q general
and for two lieutenant gen,rsls, while
the Hull bill makes no provision for
general aud has but one lieutenant
general. Other important differences
are:
Hull hill thirty regiments Of infant
~, Miles bill fifty regiments Of infant
ry; Hull bill twelve regiments Of cav.
airy, Miles bill fifteen regiments OF
cavalry; Hull bill corps Of artillery.
Miles bill fourteen regiments Of sea.
coast artillery and two regiments OF
artillery.
The regimental organization Of the
artillery arm Of the army is discontin.
ued, and that arm is designated as the
corps Of artillery. The distinction
between coast and field artillery is
similar to the Miles bill, but more
elaborate in detail. The Atlantic d.
vision OF the coast 10 defined to include
from the Atlantic and the gulf sea.
boards and the coast Of the great lakes,
"and shall ultimately include the coast
line Of the West Indian possessions OF
the United States"
The Pacific division is defined TO
include the Pacific seaboard, "and>
shall ultimately include the line of the
various possessions Of the United
States in the Pacific ocean,"