The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1900-11-24
OUR ARMY.
In teresting Extracts from the Annual
Report of Lent. Gen. Miles
The Coast Defenses.

Washington, Nov 1.-THE feature Of the
annual report OF Lieut.. Gen. Miles, COM
manding the army. Is chapter dealing
with the need for a general reorganization
OF the military service. In regard to this
question, he says: 'The events of the
past two years and half have resulted In
condition that the nation must prepare
to meet. The need for an efficient and Well
organized land force for an indefinite period
IN the future Is most obvious, and the or
ganization OF such force cannot be wise
ly avoided. There are weighty reasons why
such a service as Is now demanded or the
army cannot be performed by a temporary
organization"
Gen. Miles renews his recommendation
that the permanent force of the army
should be one man for each thousand OF
population of the United States. ~ sub
mits draft of bill embodyng his views
and recommendations on army reorgani-
zation.
The report shows that the urgent de-
mands for troops for remote stations has
reduced the number In the United States
to a much smaller force than has been
maintained at any time during the past
80 years. In fact, says Gen. Miles, the
force has been so much reduced that at
the present time there are not one-fourth
enough troops properly to care for and
man the Notifications which have been
erected on the sea coast at an expenditure
of nearly SJ5. 600 900. In addittonto the ar
tillery deficiency. the present home force
is not sufficient to occupy the interior garri-
sons properly, or TO protect life ard prop
erty on the western frontier, and what
Is still more serious, the government is left
without troops to relieve those who have
had too much tropical service. The ac-
tual number Of troops remaining in the
United States after the dispatch Of SOL
diers to Cuba, Porto Rico. Alaska and the
Philippines is said TO be 99S officers and 49,
SOS enlisted men
Gen. Miles says that during the past two
years the army has been engaged in two
hemispheres, under all conditions and
hardships, and has on all occasions exhib-
tied courage, stability, excellent marks
manship, and devotion to duty.
Touching upon the Chinese campaign,
Gen. Miles compares the American con-
tingent in the Picking expedition with
those of other nationalities, and says: 1T
would be difficult to name any occasion
on which troops engaged in action were
better commanded, were more steady under
fire, or where they made the soldiers sac
rifice with more unselhsh patriotism, or
rendered a higher tribute to the honor Of
their country"
Gen. Miles calls attention to the fact
that under the law the volunteers in the
Philippines must be withdrawn and dis
charged before July next, wherefore. re
says, IL Will be necessary TO begin their re-
turn home almost Immediately
On the extension of the coast defense
system, Gen. Miles says that in this great
work S55, coo 600 have been expended already,
and at least s45.0 10000 will be required 10
carry out the Present project. For the
next fiscal year the sum OF 81, Se1 600 is es-
timated as necessary TO defray the cost OF
fortihcations. barracks, and sites on the
coasts. The largest figure is S272i,4S5 for
New York; next comes California, with
Sl4lI.7s6; Maine, S,2S.925; Oregon and
Washington, $,lo6,602, and Virginia, $3.50, 450.
Porto Rico Is assigned $685., 400, while the
national capital Is set down for $4,000.