The San Francisco call., 1898-12-07
PLAN FOR ARMY
 REORGANIZATION Bill Drawn by Nelson A. Miles. REVIVES GRADE OF GENERAL PROVIDES FOR ONE HUNDRED
 THOUSAND MEN. Will Be Submitted to Congress After It Shall Have Been Passed
 Upon by Secre ,ary
 Alger.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6.-The meas ure which will serve as the basis for the action of Congress this session looking to the increase and remodeling or the regular United States army has been completed by the commanding general of the army, and to-day was handed by him to Secretary Alger, who will transmit it to Congress, probably through the chairman of the House 1 Committee on Military Affairs, Repre- | sentative Hull, after he has had an op- portunity to make any changes that he may deem desirable.
 The features of the bill are disclosed in the following letter:
 Headquarters of the Army, Washington, D. C., Dec. ,.
 To the Hon. Secretary of War-Sir: I nave the honor to submit herewith the oratt or bill for the reorganization of the united States army, based on a strength of one soldier to one thousand or the population of the United States, ana two soldiers to one thousand of the population in the dependent colonies-ap- proMmately 100000 men.
 My recommendations are for what I be- neVe to be the best interests of the Gov ernment, not only at present, but, as Tar Tar as we are able to see, for the future. gardless of any personal consideration of any ofncer or soldier now connected with the military service.
 ne proposition of artillery, cavalry and ln1antry Is in accordance with the imme- Qlate necessities of the United States We nave 4O0O miles of coast, with twenty s6Nen s5 IPrinclpal harbors, where are locat- ' eu II HIll,iilons or people and property of al- most 1nestfmable value That they should properly be defended is demanded by eEeay aHsloy conslderaton of'prudence and good admlnistration. In addition to this we nave the important harbors in Porto Rico. Cuba and the Philippines to defend re- qGTrtLIhs large force of artillery.
 ne organization recommended is such as 10 give rank in proportion to the i'm portant duties and great responsibilities requlred of the different officers in our service, ana IS similar to the organization Whlch has been found most efficient in the armies of all other civilized nations ana ana also to that which was found to be most effective in the Confederate army between the years 1861 and 1865 sin1i Tar Tar organization has been recommended oS,, oy general sherman and Lieutenant Gen earnestly recommend favorable con- slaeration of the organization as present. ed. Very respectfully,
 Major General Commanding.
 The bill contains the following nrovi- sions: pio'i- .Pee.l Pe lL enacted, etc., that the military es- ,aras pllsnIneht eeht or the United States shall hereafter consist of fifteen regiments of cav.anIry, fourteen regiments of sea coast arllllery, two regiments of field artillery. two regiments of engineers. fifty regi. corn nTnss of or i5nfantry the professors and tary academy, and such other force as sShall be provided for by this act, to be hH3wn Se" as ,ri1 the army of the United States.
 sec Z mat the regiments of cavalry shall be organized as now provided hy law. each to consist of three souadrons or four troops, each troop to be organized as snail De provided in this act; provided Una that eacn Gdoo regiment of cavalry shall con slst or 1000 enlisted men with the neces- sary complement 1s of officers.
 coast shall consist of sea coast and haiS artillery; that the sea coast artillery shall consist or fourteen regiments of twelve laf Da.1erles each, and that the field artillery shall consist or two regiments of twelve patterles each. The organization of the batteries of sea coast and field artillery shall be IS provided in this act:
 Provided, that each regiment of sea coast artillery shall consist of 1900 enlist ed men, and each regiment of field artii- lery oI IoSz enlisted men, with the peces-
 Provided. further, that[t the President may, in his discretion, convert such field batteries as may seem to him to be neces sary from time to time into siege batter ies, horse artillery batteries or mounted batteries.
 Sec f. That the infantry arm of the service shall consist of fifty regiments of three battalions of four companies each. each company to be organized as shall be provided in this act;
 Provided that the regiments of infantry shall consist of 1900 enlisted men; and
 Provided further, that the infantry arm of the service be organized on the basis of two army corps of three divisions of three brigades of three regiments each
 The bill then specifics the officers and men for each regiment of cavalry, in- fantry and artillery. In each case there are to be one colonel, one lieuten- ant colonel, three majcrs, twelve cap tains, fourteen first lieutenants lone first lieutenant to be appointed adju- tant and one first lieutenant to be ap- pointed Quartermaster), twelve second lieutenants, besides minor officers pe- culiar to each branch of service Cap tains are to be appointed for colcred regiments. The bill continues:
 Section S-That there shall be one gen eral of the army, two lieutenant generals six major generals of infantry, one major general of cavalry, one major general of artillery, eighteen brigadier generals of infantry, two brigadier generals of cav airy and two brigadier generals of artil- lery who shall be entitled to the personal aids-de-camp and the military secretary -now provided by law.
 Provided that the major generals and brigadier generals of artillery and cavalry shall be assigned to duty as chiefs and inspectors of artillery and cavalry and to such commands as the President may direct.
 Rules for details and promotions in fba ana erro Sf er'c dar,a fol1oxv