The times., 1898-12-03
ARMY REORGANIZATION
Alger Invites Miles to Submit
His Plan to That Ind.
FOR MILITARY EXPANSION
One Soldier to Every Cne Thousand
of PoTuiation-An Increase in the
The Ideas Embodied in BILL
Congressman HuIfs Measure.

The Army and Navy Register, in to-
days issue, will say:
Mai. Gen. Miles has been invited by
Secretary Alger to submit plan of army
reorganization, and he is having prepared
the draft of bill embodying his ideas
of military expansion. The general plan
will be, of course, that outlined in Gen.
Miles's annual report, and contemplates
having Congress fix a standard FOR the
army. As the nation grows the army
grows.
Gen Miles believes that there should
be one soldier to every 1000 of population,
and that the same system should apply
to the national guard in such proportion
as may be decided upon. He favors the
allowance for the militiamen, not only for
equipment, but for the pay of men while
they are under instructions for fifteen or
thirty days That arrangement would
give in the United States 1000 and the
proportion of two soldiers To every 1000
of population in the colonies would give
nearly 25, 900 men, making an approximate
total of 100C0o men. Gen. Miless bill pro-
vides for an organization of six divi-
sions, eighteen brigades and fifty-four
regiments of infantry; fifteen regiments
of cavalry. ten regiments of heavy artil-
lery, two regiments of light artillery, two
regiments of engineers, besides men in
the other staff corps.
THE bill aise provides for one general,
two lieutenant generals. six major gen.
erals, one major general of cavalry, one
H.. lAt.ffy
adler generals of infantry. two brigadierS
OF cavalry. and two of artillery.
The interesting feature of the bill Is
that devoted to the increase in the stan
corps. Secretary AlGer is in receipt OF
communications from all the bureau
chiefs outlining the organization of their
respective branches on the basis of mil
itary force of 100, GO. The increase In
strength is about the same proportion
throughout, four times the present number
of officers Thus the quartermaster gem
eral furnishes this estimate of officers re-
smired: One brigadier general, eight
colonies and assistant quartermasters gen.
eral, sixteen lieutenant colonies and dep
uty quartermasters general, twenty ma
jors and quartermasters, ninety captains
and assistant quartermasterS ana one cap
tain and military storekeeper or tota
of I44 officers. There are at present nftN-
$500 men.
the IMPORTANT departure proposed II
the rotary system in staff service, vacan'
cies in the staff grades as they occur here
after, and the new places to be created
will be filled. according 10 Gen. Miles
proposition. by the detail of officers oi
Corresponding grade from the line of tins
army who shall retain their relative
status in the lineal list of their grade o.
the branch of the service to which they
belong, and shall serve on the staff for I
period of years unless promoted earlier |,
a higher grade in their branch of the ser
vice. Upon completion of their term, ol
upon promotion. these officers TO be re
turned to their branch of arms. theii
places filled by similar details subject I,
the same limitations.
This IS Gen. Miles's idea of giving lin
officers practical experience, fitting then
the better for general command.
IN the arguments presented in favor
Of this change, 1t will be shown that of
fcers of the line who distinguished them
selves in battle or show an aptitude fo
commanding men and conducting opera
tions are transferred to the staff usually
as q means of reward. There is no plan
for the establishment of general stat
similar to the German army organization
Congressman Hull is also at work ol
a bill which he will report 10 the com
nittee on Tuesday. and which he hope
to have passed before the holidays. l
provides for 10000 men"