New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-06
ARMY REORGANIZATION.
BILL WILL PROBABLY BECOME \ LAW
AT THIS SESSION.
4 REVIEW OF IT'S MEASURES CHANGES II
ARMS OF THE SERVICE.
fny TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBUNE.

nOlelN agreed 10 DiiUB lllf ii'hH"it w
fore the Senate this week. Adjutant-General
Corbin spent Friday and Saturday before the
committee explaining in detail the features OF
the nroposed organization. and II only remains
for the Senate by It's action upon the Peace
Treaty TO say whether a larger Army IS needed
mr. not II the treaty IS ratified, as now appears
IN no certain. the modernizcd Army promises to
follow promptly.
I'm TO the present time. especially during IT'S
consideration in the House Of Representatives,
the merits of the proposition have escaped pun
lie discussion to a great extent the debate nav
ing been detected almost wholly 10 the subject
Of the Peace Treaty and the policy OF coleman
EXPANSION In order that the new military SyS-
tenn. which is expected to be so benehcial 10 inc
Army. may be thoroughly understood. The Trib-
une has secured from one Of the highest techhl-
chi authorities of the services the following re-
,,eu Of the salient features Of the bill. and the
changes II will effect in our peace establish
mont which may be consid red as having an
official character:
CHANGES IN ORGANIZATION.
An examination Of the first section shows that
three major generals and six acknowledgements
orc added to the general officers making the au-
thorized number in the former grade SIX ana III
the latter twelve. The cavalry regiments are IN
creased from ten to twelve and the regiments VI
infantry from twenty-five TO thirty hotapIe
augmentation and reconstruction Of the artilIery
arm are provided for. The regimental organiza-
ton is abolished. and corrs of artillery equa'
70 fourteen regiments-an Increase equal 10
seven rogiments-has been greatly improved
For the first time a complete three-battalion
(souadron) organization including battalion
and squadron commander. with commissioned
aud non-commissioned staff IS provided for
The rank Of captain Is given 10 regimental adj
Infants and ouartermasters. and the grade or
regimental commissary. with the same rank Is
established Provision is made for two Veterl-
narians. who are to have the pay and allowances
but not the rank Of second leutenants. y COM
missary-sergeant is added to the reglmeh'al
non-commissioned staff. and an adequate com
pensation is provided for that mcritorious and
useful class of officials.
For the first time since the year lN"' a 'eSa'
organization is given TO regimental bands the
members Of which are well provided Tor IN the
matter Of rank, pay and allowances. ms pro
vision will be highly appreciated throughout
the service as It is hard to keep up the Ieel-
mental spirit without good music corps.
SIZE OF INFANTRY COMPANIES
While the bill was under discussion by the
Committee Of the Whole a lively discussion
spranC up in reference to the size Of the IN
fantrN companies IA IAtu ~ w '''7'
and as recommended by the House Military
Committee TIE National Guard influence was
onnosed 70 large companies. and there were
members not under the influence Of that or
panization who regarded 40 enlisted men as
too large a body for one company. Indeed even
the Army was somewhat divided on the queS-
ton Of the best war organization for an IN
fantrv company it being we'll known however
that a great majority favored companies OF
good size The German military system, upon
which most OF the other military establish
ments Of Continental Europe are Houtneu:
gives to an infantry company peace strensth oI
100 and provides for It's expansion 10 -" III
time Of war In the House a compromise Ne
tween the advo 'ates ana opponents 81 o s,nUie
companies was effected. by which heNl"e
enlisted force is allowed To- the infantry com,
Danv the maximum being l4O enlisted men, as
originally provided for. and the minimum w
mon The actual number TO be recruited TOT
/ each company is determined by the President 10
suit existing conditions. similar elastlc or
poniZation is authorized for the cavalry troop,
With a maximum of 100 and a minimum OF %
troopers. o,s lot,
tories Of artillery was left az established In the
/ original IN The coast battery IS TO consist or
! 100 men Provision is made for two mechanics
for each such battery. also for one elcclrlclaii-
| 8. rgcant to each post garrisoned by coast dIth-
! lerv one hundred and twenty enlisted men
| distributed In the different grades are allowed
! to each field battery. The Organization pro
! vided for batteries is n permanent one hol IA
! bic TO be modified by the Presi lent az III the
! cases Of infantry companies ana troops vi ca.
! olrv A feature that will commend Itself 70
| arv enc familiar with the military service -
the provision for cooks at the rate OF t"O t1I
| each company and one for each band. Inns
| nro,.,sion il Is confidently expected. will add
| much 10 the comfort and viii greatly promote
the health OF the troops.
EQUALIZING PROMOTIONS.
A provision which. though IT may be antago-
! nized by those whose advancement IS re'arueu
| nv II. will yet because Of its business commend
itself to the service ut large is contained IN sec
tion ) which embodies a scheme TO cquaH|e
promotions TO captaincies." Lieutenants IN the
three arms are regardless OF their present leIa-
tive standing arranged In a list according 10
| their length Of service as commissioned o'll'c's'
| From this list a sufficient number or ONCE
| will be selected for promotion according |" w
seniority thus established and to I'LL the NaCd"-
cies in the grade OF captain in the several arms
| After being thus arranged they are TO be com
missioned "as far as practicable IN thr I'm ~
| Witch tbev belong as lieutenants. After al va
cances in the grade Of captain nave pee" Ii''u
the remaining lieutenants will continue In the II
own arm with the relative rank th"y o'cuI''u
previous TO the passage OF the act. $500,
| A similar provision Is made Tor equalE'Is pr
motion TO the grade OF first lieutenant alIonb
| the second list and Of the three arms. y meil-
! torious provision Is that when regulates az
! continents to the grade OF second lieutenant
| No ono will be so commissioned who mas passed.
| tho age Of Twenty-Five or who has not attained
the age OF twenty-One years. The sources OF
supply are first. the graduates OF the military
academies second. enlisted men who nave
| oraIiNed as officers under the provisions OF ex-
! Isting law. and third. persons in civil life ana
! distinguished graduates OF colleges ana NH,
/ tary schools where officers have been asSleHeu
| &c Instructors" The passage OF n satisfactory
| moral mental and physical examination Is maze
| an Indispensable prerequisite to appointments
THE CHANGES IL THE STAFF.
No radical changes are made in the stan OF
the Army Some additions are authorized Tor
nearly all the staf departments the Medical
and Pay departments and the Signal Corps re-
! ceivng the largest increase. Appointments 10