The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-11-24
As to n Chief of Artillery.

To THE EDIroR or THE SrS-Sr: With tho
confidence that It ia sure way out OF the COM
plicated question Of the future OF our artillery
Il has been proposed varousy to create a
Chief Of Artillery. to form the artillery into q
corps and 10 create an artillery council at
headquarters. Undoubtedly the artillery needs
reorganization. Gen Merritt's report and Col
Stury's report show that need. The question
then. Is, will these suggestions. separately or
together. meet the requirements OF tho
artillery
To those who object TO the creation OF n
Chief Of Artillery because It Ia a new office. It
may be said that Gen Knox was Chief Of Ar
tery to Washington. but the question practi-
caly resolves Itself into question Of desra-
bility. Would such AN ONCE be valuable under
present conditions?
There are now ten stan departments in tho
Army. or these four are concerned directly In
the management of the artillery. namely, the
Ouartermastcrs. the Corps OF Engineers. the
Ordnance Corps and the Signal Corps. Besides
these departments the AdIutant- Generals De-
partmcnt, the head OF which Ia the actual head
Of the Army. Ia also interested In the artillery
and the Inspector Generals Department has
nm official interest. also. Where. then. Is there
room for Chief OF Artillery?
II may he urged that the artillery. the arm OF
the service that uses tho guns. should hnvo
some voice in deciding the questions at out the
guns, But what weight will the voice OF even
"A Chief OF Artillery have against tho united
voices OF the Quartermast"rs Department, tho
Ordnance Corps and the Corps OF Engineers?
There would be simply one more staff depart
ment In which Papers colld be pigeon holed
and acquisitions disapproved.
Some persons have suggested an artillery
council at Army Headquarters Experiences
a.. ,knN
work II does. That fact ia the explanation OF
the existence OF the British Cabinet and OF our
committees Of Congress. A council OF artillery
would he no more powerful for good than a
Chief NJ Artillery: It would probably he less
powerful. In fact. II would not differ much
from the present arrangement for the heads
Of the departments supervising u" artillery
form practically AN artillery council now.
What vii Ia" reorganization OF tn" form ot
the artillery, amount tor The regimentai
brous. but matters viii not be imp "', S by
simply changing the seven regiments OF
artillery into CORDS Something more than a
| organ zation must be- complete. The lIght
batteries may form IA branch by them selves,
with battery as a tactical unit the loot
batteries may be abolished and the personnel
organized hy ilre-un'ts. regardless OF their
beng Gmed batteries centuries or phnlanxss:
%anh, not ooari"s9 bat'sys sca,,ar e ron rom
u,
| but o' some post, large or small, Hs
| the case may be. Our system OF manning the
| forts may lie changed instead OF ten forts UNI
dermanned year in and year out We may have
| nine iorts cared for hy n few trained mechanics
| and machinists, md one fort fully manned
| whore the officers and men may learn their
duties inteliigently and lnterestedy We may
adopt the naval system, under which ten ships
| are sent TO sea fully manned instead Of Twenty
.hips partly Manned and mon are transferred
| from one ship 10 another as occasion requires
| and the welfare Of the service demands All
| thes- changes may be- made. and all will be
| valuable. hut they W not result In nor
| manrni Improvement for the artillery unless
| the system Of management is changed
| when the artillery Is removed from the
care ni the Quarterma'ter's Department. when
| the Engineers aud IN" Or nance officers no
| 10 1R"r control md suppress the men behind
| the guns Il will he time enough to create a
Chief OF Artillery TO be on" OF the stan officers
| OF the Commanding General, whose duties
shall be- advisory. administrative tactical
whose position shall be military. not merely
clerical like tho positions OF the STAFF officers
who nov contro' H." artillery. ARTILLERY.
NEW YORK NJ" M