Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-11-14
REPORT yOF GENERAL MILES
1t is Extremely Brief and Formal in Char
y acter
Organization of the Army Described
and the Hardships Troops Have
Patiently Endured.

The annual report of Maj. Gen Nelson A
Miles, commszndings the army, was made
public at the War Department today. II
bears date October II, 1899, and is extreme
ly brief and formal in character. 1t an
nounces the transmission to the Secretary
of War of the reports of the department
and staff commanders and makes brief
statement of the strength and distribution
of the army, including the muster out oil
the volunteer regiments, most of the de-
tails of which have been already published
m the reports of the4adjutant general. The
report concludes with the following general
statement: -ltc =. go
'Of the twenty-five United States volun-
teer regiments (the 26th to 49th Infantry,
inclusive, and nth Cavalry, some are al
ready in the Philippines, others are Ell
route, and the balance are being rapidly
organized for service in those islands
The demand for troops for foreign ser
vice has been unusual and has been some
what severe upon them, especially those
of the regular army. Within the last eigh-
teen months several regiments have been
required to leave their stations in the ex-
IRENE north, move to the islands of the
West Indies, there engage in campaign in
summer return to northern stations in
the autumn and winter and move again to
tropical islands in the Pacific and engage
in campaigns under the most difficult cir
cumstances.
Rarely in any service have troops eX-
perienced such unusual changes in climate
as those above indicated, yet, under all
circumstances and at all times, the utmost
loyalty, fortitude and faithful performance
OF duty have been manifested on the part
OF the troops In nearly ali engagements
Where the troops have been brought into
contact with the enemy they have inva-
rlably acted on the offensive, and in not a
single instance have they suffered defeat
the intelligence, discipline and fidelity of
both officers and men have been most COM
mendable.
Owing to the additional and extraordi-
nary expense placed upon officers while
serving in the Philippine Islands. Cuba.
Porto Rico and the Hawaiian Islands, it is
recommended that they be allowed the
same percentage of the increase of pay
that is now provided by law for the en-
listed men.
1T is also recommended that officers CT
the army with a creditable record who
served during the civil war shall be granted
the same consideration concerning rank
and pay as has been accorded officers of
the navy by section II, act approved March
}, 1899.
las far as organization is concerned, the
army is in a transition state. From 1874 to
ISIS 1t was confined to minimum strength
OIL -O,Vfu nlSlls by the ACT approved March
s, 1898, two regiments of artillery We're
added, which increased the enlisted
strength of the army to 26,Gl0 When the
war with Spain broke out Congress, by the
act approved April Is 1898, authorized an
Increase in the strength of the army to
62,519 nien. Under the act approved March
:, 1892 1t Wss RECRUITED to 5000 men,
which was approximately one soldier to
every loo Of the population, according to
the last census. Under the last mentioned
act authority was also given to organize
an auxiliary force Of -, 900 volunteers, and
under that provision the twenty-five reg
imentS of teersTabOVe mentioned have
been organized.
1T is believed that this force will be
ample for the service required of it up TO
the time authorized, viz, July l, 1901. 1t
is gratifying to note that the government
has authorizedsa military force which seems
commensurate with dts requirements, mag
nitude and institutions have for years
recommended The adoption of a standard in
proportion to the pOpulation--viZ., not to
exceed one soldier to every l 900 of the pop
ulation--and l believe that the establish
ment of such a standard would be safe and
judicous in every respect.
During the past few years rapid progress
has been made in the equipment of the
Atlantic, Pacific and gulf coasts with mod
ern defenses, and If the general plan Is car
our coasts will be in a proper condition Of
defense
Some very important discoveries have
been made in relation to ordnance pro-
jectiles and high explosives, and after
careful, thorough and exhaustive tests ap-
planes have been adopted which Will
greatly increase the efficiency of our ar