The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-11-02
.CO2B|NAAKES REPORT
Military Force of the United
States Totals SO, 100.
AN AGGREGATE OF 65,725
Will be in the Philippines by
December |.
AN AGGREGATE OF 65,72!

I
Brigadier General Corbin to the secre-
tary of war, was made public today.
General Corbin sums up the MILITARY
forces now in the service of the United
States as follows: Regular army, 64.5S6:
volunteers, 1854: total $3.50. The regu-
lar establishment consists of ten regi-
ments of cavalry, seven OF artillery and
| twenty-five of infantry. The volunteer
establishment consists Of one regiment OF
| cavalry, twenty-four of infantry and a
! Porto Rico battalion.
The distribution of these troops up to
! October /, last was as follows: In the
| United States, 80, 229; Porto Rico, 1888;
Cuba, 11.1S7: Philippines, 32,315; enroute to
! the Philippines, 1909; Alaska, 499; Ha-
waiian Islands. 466.
| General Corbin adds the following to the
/ summary: ut is expected that by De-
cember l, next, ali the infantry regiments,
| United States volunteers, shown above
as in the United States, will have sailed
| for the Philippine Islands. These, with
the troops now there, will give a total
strength of 2,117 officers and 63,60s enlist
ed men ian aggregate of 65, 125)
The service of many of the troops after
their enlistment had expired, causes Cen
eral Corbin to say in his report: THE
patriotism Of the regulars and volunteers
who had enlisted only for the war with
Spain, by willingly and actively serving
after the expiration of their terms of ser
vice. calls for evidence OF appreciation on
the part of the department. To this end
it is respectfully recommended that each
officer of the several volunteer organiza-
tions and each enlisted man who contin-
ued in service in the Philippine Islands
after the second day of March, 1899, until
honorably discharged, be awarded suit
ably inscribed medal
During the year there has been 62,175
enlistments and re-enlistments of which
53,O24 were native-born and 9,151 foreign
born. In point of color, 56,154 were white,
5000 colored and 20 Indians.
The following recommendation is made
for extra pay for officers serving In our
new possessions: ''The pay of all officers
below the grade Of brigadier general
should be increased at least SO 1-3 per
cent while on duty in Cuba or our new
possessions Most of these gentlemen
have families that they are unable to
have with them and are therefore COM
pelled to maintain two establishments.
Also, that provision be made that all Off
GERS below the grade of major general,
who retire ny reason of age or wounds |
received in action, shall do so on the next |
grade above the rank held by them IN
the regular army on the date of their |
retirement
OF the criticisms on the staff organiza- |
ton of the army, General Coroin says: |
much has been written of late con-
corning a better staff system. Ours may /
he and doubtless is, open to improve !
ments, but it should be borne in nina |
that the present organization Is the re-
suit of years of legislation born of the |
best thought and labor Of our best mill |
tarv men. and has stood successfully the |
test of all. our wars. The criticism of |
our system are too often the result OF
d,sanpointment. Seldom has there one APP
neared in print whose author has not
been a long-standing applicant Tor
Mace in one of the staff corps Or depart
ments. The suggestion that our stan ON
GERS are not experienced in the duties OF
line officers is not borne out by facts.
The reort dwells on the courtesies
shown our troops by the British govern
ment officials while stopping at Gibraltar
and elsewhere enroute to the philippines
and says this international courtesy VIII
long live in the memories of both par
ties to the spontaneous exchange
The report speaks of the unsatisfactory
conditions in Hawaii in relation to land
for military uses. saying: Sales OF gov
eminent lands and leases of crown lands
have continued to the present time, and
there is very little Of either class left in
immediate control of the government
Should this action be permitted to con-
Time II will result in embarrassment TO
the United States It is urged, therefore,
that certain tracts be taken without de-
Law from the control OF the Hawaiian
government and secured to the future
uses of the United States or have them
declared as reservations for military pur-
poses
Recommendation Is made that military
officers serving abroad as military at
taches be given increased rank and pay
As the increase in the army calls FOR an
additional number of military academy
cadets to fill vacancies. il IS recommended
that the president be authorized TO ap-
point ten annually and that two be ap-
pointed at large from each state. Salts
faction IS expressed that the army can
teen embarrassment has been removed I
from the war department by the action
OF congress in establishing certain re-
strietIons Recommendation 4 made that
officers be given addi-
tional pay, in order to attract 10 these
places a worthy class willing 20 stay in
those grades. and that twenty-five years
service as an enlisted man shall be sufi-
Gent to admit 10 the retired LIST Of en- /
listed men.
The condition OF the artillery service.
especially Of he sea coast. the report de-
scrsbes as not altogether satisfactory. It
Is said that the time has arrived when !
the artillery branch Of the service should
be reorganized and the aeid artillery I
separated from that engaged n the coas-
defense. L IS recommended that the reg ]
mental organization % the artillery - J
abolished and that a corps % field sreil- :
lery and ot sea coast artillery Be prov38- :
p for separate and distinct from each
other
In resume. General Corbin saws: TIE
regular army IS Tow practically A.
as are. also the volunteer reg !
ments- TIE work incident 20 all these
changes brought about by the acts asore- {
said. involving the enlistment q - % Z
volunteers; the Increase Of the regular
army from Ssoo 70 szas: rs subsequent 7
reduction. and then again SIS increase 20
sac nscessitatias numerous orders ard (
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