The evening times., 1898-06-18
ENGINEERS FOR THE ARMY.
The Regiment of Experts Now Be-
ing Recruited.
tFrom the New York Tribune.)

From the New York Tribune)
Engineers and men who are engaged In
kindred work are deeply interested in the
engineer regiment which is now being re-
cruited. Officers in the Army watch the
movements with much interest because
they know, probably better than the civ
ilians, how necessary an organization OF
that kind is at the present time. One of
the men who are taking an active part in
the matter said that in all Army opera
tions construction is an important fsa-
ture, and while rifle pits, earthworks and
fortifca;ions were essential in the civil
war. the requirements will be much great
er when the Army reaches foreign and
hostile territory.
The changed character of the ordnance
also requires better class of men for
the work than those who constituted the
Engineer Corps in the civil war. Then
they were sappers and miners, but with
the new great guns of the disappearine
kind. TO which the ammunition is car
ried by electrical machines there must be
men who are versed in electricity. 'Harbor
mining cannot be properly done now ex-
cept by the use of electricity. and in all
the various branches of construction men
are required who have a knowledge Of up
to-date mechanics. AT the close of the
civil war per cent of the regiments were
of the engineer class, and il is desired to
increase the present force so that the
proportion will be the same as 1t was
then. but the men will be of a superior
class.
In the circular issued by the recruiting
officer the following information is given:
The engineer troops will be armed and drilled
as infantry. They are line troops and must
take their place in the line Of battle when
necessary. Their engineering duties will be the
construction and destruction of sortifcations
heid works. intrenchments, bridges. roads, rail
roads and tunnels, and field engineering work
generally. mapmaking and field reconnaissance
work. photography, operation of stationary and
locomotive engines and electric apparatus etc
Recruits. therefore. must be engineers foremen
skilled mechanics n various sorts landowner
and first-class laborers, machinists electricians
telegraph linemen, carpenters, timber trainers
ptacefs, tnnneimen. bridsemen, ereeters, iron
men. regers basters, iumbermen. boatmen.
railroad men, etc. Two cooks are also required
10 each company.
The men who become members of the
engineers organization will not be called
upon to act as engineers at all times
They must be prepared to work with pick
and shovel whenI occasio demands. and
at all times act as, fhandymen. When
large works are TO bs erected, or when
the men forming the Engineers Corps are
unable to carry on the work alone, the
regular troops wifi be detailed to assist.
and at such times the non-commissioned
officers will act as foremen.
The men who are most desirable as off,
GERS of the regiments are not those who
have had much military experience but
men who have had charge of large bodies
OF men. working on large contracts.
1t Is believed that such men, with fore
men and assistants from the engineers
regiment. and regular troops to do the
work, Will be able to accomplish the best
results.
The first regiment of the brigade of en-
gineers will have one battalion from New
York. one from Philadelphia and q third
recruited in Baltimore and Boston. The
regiment will probably be divided. and a
battalion may be sent with the army of in
vasion TO Cuba. another with General
Merritt to Manila and the third possibly
to Porto Rico.
An enthusiast on the subject said that
there was nothing from building a fort
and making map to shoveling dirt that
the members of the corps would not be
called upon to do, and circular from
headquarters seems to justify the asser-
ton This document states:
The officers will be selected for their skill as
military, civil, electrical, mechanical or topo-
graphical engineers. An effort will be made TO
recruit the enlisted men from every branch Of
the engineering profession and Of mechanical
skill. Machinists. steam engineers backsmiths
carpenters, plumbers, telegraphers topograph
ers drauShtsrnen. photographers, railroad men.
rlggers. boatmen and those skilled in the use of
explosives are especially desired.
Volunteer engineer troops will be armed and
equipped as infantry. Their uniform will CON-
form TO that prescribed for the use of engineer
troops of the regular Army.
The pay will be as follows, with ra-
tions and clothing: