The labor world., 1899-10-14
GEN, MERRITT'S REPORT.
Strong Arraignment of the Whole
Southern Artillery Branch.

Strong Arraignment of the Whole
Southern Artillery Branch.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 13.-The annual
report of Major General Merritt, COM
manding the department of the East,
headquarters at Governors Island, N.
Y, was made public at the war depart
ment today. The report is a strong
arraignment of the whole sout'tfn ar
tillery branch of the service, being par
ticularly directed against the ordnance
bureau, and incidentally the quarter
masters department, the latter for fail
ure to furnish what General Merritt
considers proper quarters at artillery
posts.
General Merritt says that the system
on which the artillery is organized is
wrong, in that the artillery man who is
held responsible for the work he has to
do with his guns, he has no voice in
the making or selection of them. this
being left entirely to the ordnance bu-
reau, but, he adds that since the engi-
neer department in the same indepen-
dent way furnishes the artilleryman
with his emplacements, and there has
been no fault to find with this portion
of the equipment, there must be some
thing more than the mere system to
blame for the unsatisfactory condition
of affairs.
General Merritt says he resumed
command of that department Jan. 2,
last, since which time most Of the in
fantry and cavalry in the department
have been ordered on foreign service,
leaving at the present date only four
troops of cavalry and three companies
of infantry. He says he has no specific
recommendations to make regarding
any one place. The officers, are known
to be intelligent. Industrious and SER
ious in their efforts to improve the ef-
fciency of their commands. ~
That Il the coast artillery is
Fsrot met toda5 IN an efficient condition.
General Merritt says, "is due to
causes over, which artillery officers
have no control: nor can these impe-
diments be. reached by the depart
ment commanders. Some require the
action of the secretary of war and 9TH
ers can be remedied only by congress- -
General Merritt says he comedies
with the opinion of the department
artillery inspection that the artillery is
in need of remedial construction. He
continues: "Our cavalry and infantry
as they are organized on a modern ha-
sis, are splendidly officered, and we'll
equipped, contain within themselves
the elements of complete efficiency.
This is not true of the artillery. The
officers are we'll educated and Jealous,
but their efforts are cramoed by an
imperfect organization, and responsible
ity for the efficiency and efficiency of
their army lies, not as it should, with
themselves, but largely in other quar-
ters. Either through defects or law
or their own inefficiency, the supply
departments upon which the artillery
are wholly dependent, have frequently
failed to Loyalty and energetically give
Its interests. The facts that the de-
partment, working under the same law
and under its present chief. given the
artillery no cause for complaint. would
seem to indicate that something is
wrong. besides the law.
'"This condition gives rise to the Of
ten expressed desire of the artillery for
chief Of that arm of the service who
would see that it is supplied with wha:
it needs to be effective; but I per-
sonally have very grave doubts as to
this being the most suitable remedy, as
it may result only in adding another
bureau to the war department which
it may be as difficult to make efficient
as some of those already in existence.
II desire to call special attention tC
the following points in the artillery in
spection:
"1-The failure of the quartermas-
ter's department to make timely pro-
vision for housing the new artillery
posts.
''2-The necessity for providing ar
tillery posts permanent post non
commissioned staff of specialists, elec-
trician and observing sergeants.
"3.-That the artillery be fixed at the
number of officers and men fully man
the guns.
"It is also observed that the artillery
should be inspected by artillery Off
GERS, and the fact that the department
commanders artillery inspector has nc
power to inspect is patent absurdity
and one which l urge may be disposed
of at an early date. The means of max
ing any arms of the service it shall
rest with the general geographical de-
partment in which the said artillery is
stationed.'
u
3 Want 800 Miners.
DES MONIES, Ia, Oct. 13.-Mana-
gers Of the large mines in the Des
NoiDoS diet riot cav thev want 500 min