New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-03-18
ARMY ON A WAR FOOTING.
AN IMPORTANT EMERGENCY MEASURE
1rucED BY THE ADMINISTRATIONS.
A BILL, SENT no THE MILITARY COMMIT FEC
CONGRESS- AND IT'S IMMEDIATE PAs'A"N
DESIRED SECRETARY ALGER's ARdC-
MENT FOR THE MEASURE.
inv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

Washington, March l'-SecFe'ai'
direction OF the President, has ashe" |
to provide by prompt enactment io' nj
,,,ra tho Army and thereby enable the Pres
dent I'm an emergency to place '"e 49, ,~,,,,
,or, service on a war footing without de'AS'
go -. National defence preparations nave
.ronbas,zed the weakness OF the oId-i"Sii'o.e'
....,or, ub,ch ,s incapable Of efficient expansion
-, ,,o- number Of conferences In "h'ch INV
p.os,d.rt and Secretary Alger learned '"e
,. ~ Acknowledgement Corbfn ana o'ne
rroyre..,ve officers a bill was sent TO Se""'o
uaw1ev and Representative Hull, chairna" Vi
tbs Military Affairs committees. win reP'e''
.,,s ,,o, its immediate passage was eSSe"''"'
at the present time.
SECRETARY ALGER'S LETTER.
so.o,ar,. ,,csr went to the Capitol to-day 10
,,.,.n oc,,on on the proposition. In send'hs
tho hill 70 the charmen Of the two cofniI'''e-''
,,,o cnoro,orv accompanied 1t with the following
explanatory letter:
,,r. ,,o h,nor 20 submit for the conslderat,fon
nave INC t'ommittco on Military Anars ne
6roft OF a bill which while pro'dlng Iot . IN war
tin ~ infantry on three ttaon pass n N
Iru Ieaves it's peace establishment ION
as ut present. the only cnanse pS ters authorized
OF Que ,'I rogIment change which would invovSs
a maximum annual outlay OF so'."W t,.foiinrs
~ tor is needed TO command one OF the Datta ,
n"Io n n1ganized under Section All the captains
who would be promoted TO me Gra e vHose promo
IONS have been already long deferred ., the
The bill further PROVIDES for tne The war or
ppeni2otion proposed corresponds very nearly WIN
ha Of most modern m tsan Ee Substitutes for H.
r. 1881 OIvth Congress; second nrs S,,n and re-
mended by the House M ~ 5 o oFoHson Contained
In that measure for recruiting ne Army u1'f foT
crediting the recruits obtained to these States as
part OF their respective quotas 49,, ,,u,,,-,. C,,r,
mittee in support Of the substitute olll reierred ~
ga o spPy T,n f2 outb fGe@f Of war the
bulk Of the enlisted men of each infantry regimen
could be into sns two a of
approximately war strength. These orGanZauons
would together with the available Eationa, Gara
service At the same time the nuclei Of the sksie-
S Gn n aRa T04i and to
Join their regiments after completing their organ
IL Se A rnS HsG eEs viii
sist of 1910 officers and q, i30 men. might. under
sde2 and 1qa he men, 1aifd 10 M
Cavalry. $50 officers and 1900 men: artillery. 469
7si25 men: engineer troops 752 men. The increase
leaving out of account the officers ASSIGNED TO the
time are taken from the Corps Of Engineers would
fessional officers and non-commissoned officers
sanzed BODY differed by men new to the service
both as regards effectiveness IN action ana economy
CT WHIT ae in Se b relative @
deserters and the payment OF hountes are based on
stages In that war desertlons assumed such proper
tons as to paraiyze the operations OF our armies IN
aGS are now bs o. the pension
their colors throughout the contest at least until
their terms Of enlistment expired Common PrIi,
beforehand that henceforth deserters need not ex-
a
desertions from its ranks AS to the effect OF the
sveiy by State authorities Tor the sole purpose OF
hnS Their Gu1tas 1t may be VEL pr to quote here
general Fry who 9 had charge of tn. Of
the volunteer forces page 7e): In general those
marked by the highest proportion of assertions.
The bounty b was ar to be 1T to s
The purposes Of other provisions Of the bill are
likely to fall into permanent command OF regiments
and captains and leutenants into the command OF
be the case In the regular regiments. upon whose
work. ard nfa the Of the S
1t is but fair that the pay of officers should he COM
their Intrinsic justice these provisions and the one
giving The status of mounted officer to the com.
100 necessary for the maintenance Of the efec-
80 OF coa % f a and e
than service IN the ranks and sh9Td
yours. r. A. ALGER Secretary OF War
DETAILS OF THE BILL.
The bill. which was speedily introduced by
Representative Hull and Senator Hawley. pro-
vides in its first section that hereafter the peace
organization Of each regiment of infantry now in
the service shall embrace one colonel. one lieu
tenant colonel. two majors ten captains. twelve
first lieuenants, ten second lieutenants one ser
geant major. one quartermaster sergeant. one
two battalions OF four companies each. and two
skeleton or unnamed companies. the organized
companies to be constituted now authorized
by law The provision for a chaplain in each
regiment Of colored troops is retained.
Section provides that in time OF the
President. in his discretion. may establish
third battalion for each infantry regiment con- |
sistlng Of four companies to he supplied by |
manning the two skeleton companies and by |
organizing two additional companies. The va |
cancies Of commissioned officers in the addi- |
tional compa MES shall he filed by promotions by
seniority in the infantry arm. and by appoint |
ments in accordance with existing law.
Section enables the President to increase the |
enlisted war strength of each infantry company |
to go men, each cavalry troop to 100. each |
battery OF heavy artillery TO 200. each battery |
OF field artillery to l73. and each company OF |
engineers 20 $50. Authority is thus given TO |
divide battery Of heavy artillery for continu-
Gus service into two relefs. each requiring ser |
geants and corporals as follows:
sesS,spora:.,
For For MAJ masazns service suppiy Of powder and
For r. ngc- finding service ................... -
For plotting and ye.se-,rackns. .............
Electricians ..............''..'' .''''''''.'
Steam engineer. Observation-Disclosures. ] -
Hi"ehinis ....'.'..'''''''''' ''''''''''''''''' /