The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-01-15
MORE MARINES WANTED
Mr.. Long Hopes TO Raise the Corps
to Its Maximum Strength.
4 Great Demand for the Gallant Sal
diers ,f the Sea for Service in
Their Country's New Possessions
and TO Police the BattIcships
Soon to lie Placed in Commission.

| a report to Congress on the condition Of tue
Marine Corps, with view &c securing an
appropriation to be applied to bringing the
strength of that branch OF the naval serv-
ice up to its maximum strength of I'll OIL
fieers and 5000 men, it now being about
. 0OJ enlisted men.
The force is also short of about sixty five
officers, but these vacancies are being filed
by examinations which are being held at
the marine barracks in this city.
There has been a great demand for
marines for service in the Phi ippines,
Cuba. Porto Rico, and Guam, and while
| several hundred have been sent to those
stations. there are still more needed, and
recruiting is practically at standstiii,
! owing to the practical exhaustion OF the
funds provided for that purpose. II is de-
1 sired by the Secretary to secure sum sui
! ficient 20 send officers TO several OF the
4 large cities to open recruiting stations, and.
( it is believed, that the 1000 men needed
to bring the corps up to its strength can
be easily secured. The officers of the
Marine Corps insist that service in that
arm offers advantages to the enlisted men
superior TO both the army and the navy, the
privates having the opportunity 10 travel
all over the world on board the finest YES
: sells built and their duties aboard ship, it
/ is said, are less onerous than those of the
1 sailors, and when ashore at barracks they
also have less work to do than the soldiers
stationed in barracks. The pay is the
/ same as that of the private soldiers, and
| they are said to have more time to them
selves than the soldiers or sailors.
The formation of marine brigades at
Cavite, Guam, San Juan, and Havana, to-
gether with the demands of new vessels
that have been put into commission, nave
drawn heavily on the forces of the marines
at the various stations in this country, and
unless more recruits are secured ii will be
impossible TO make desired increases in the
forces in the Philippines and at other dis
/ tant stations.
General Davis, Military Governor of
Porto Rico had conference. with Secre
tary Long soon after his arrival ten days
ago, and is said to have urged that more
marines be sent to San Juan, as the garri-
son there is too small 10 perform all The
duties required. The result of the son
ference was an order, issued Saturday, tor
First Lieut.. A. T. Mark, now at League
Island Philadelphia, 10 report az the navy
yard at New York tomorrow to accompany
thirty-ive marines who Will sail for SIN
Juan. Porto Rico, on the transport Me
pherson-
There are about loo marines at Cavite
and more are wanted as II is the intention
of the Navy Department TO establish one
or two mere naval stations al the princi-
pal ports in the Philippine Islands and
marines will be needed for duty at the new
stations. The marines have taken an ac-
tive part in the fighting in the Philippines
and every time they have been called upon
have acquitted themselves with valor and
ably assisted the sailors in driving the
insurgents away from the various ports.
II is at Guam Island, where the marines
have shown themselves TO be useful as
pioneers Of civilization as well as good
fighters. Under Capt. Richard p Leary,
Naval Governor of the island. about 200
marines have transformed Guam from
pestilence breeding place filed with in
dolent and half savage natives to
healthy spot with its inhabitants fast ac-
quiring the ways of civilization and pros
pering under American rule. There has
been a number of reports from Guam that
The marines we're disconnected under Gov
ernor Leary and that he was a hard task
master and had employed them in building
roads. erecting houses and in many ways
improving the island. 1t was even re-
ported that the marines were On the verge
OF mutiny, but this report was never con-
tirmed. The condition of the marines at
Guam is said to be greatly improved now
and they are enjoying life as well as pos.
sible in that not climate.
ca ,tain McCalla. commanding the Uni
ted States steamer Newark. has written
a letter TO The Chief of the Bureau o. |
Navigation of the Navy Department in /
which he makes the following statements: |
On our way across the Pacific, found |
1t necessary TO stop at Guam for the pur-
pose OF coaling. The island is a very |
beautiful and fertile one. and in The gov |
ernor and his assistant. Stafford, YOU seem |
TO have selected the right men for the |
places. All the officers at the station are |
doing their utmost to improve the con
dition OF the people and in obtaining in
formation which will make it better
known. / feel sure that the governor is |
exceptionally well fitted for the position.
and that his administration will bring
great credit to the Navy Department and
will be satisfactory to the country.
AS sanitary measure the necessity
OF piping water from the mountains IN
Agana and the adjoining villages is press
ing by such Improvement, the shallow
wells. all OF them contaminated could he
hiied in and the health of The natives
would be improved
Gould you have seen four natives snIj,
ting two sticks of timber with two handled
saws. as did, 1 am convinced YOU wouId
nave bought a steam saw with money out
OIL your own pocket and despatched II TO
Guam by the first conveyance
Looking at the question from a pureIv
commercial point OF view. feel satisfied
mat every dollar spent by the Government
on The island OF Guam will be returned 10
our country a hundredfold.
III smiling faces on the part of sill
whom We saw, as the governor drove from
the landing at Pitt TO the capital and re-
turn, we're an Indication of conteptment
and satisfaction with the methods recently
adopted on the island. then | am certain
that the new administration is already
most successful"
he company of marines at SItI,a |
Alaska, has rendered great service IN tba,
country In relieving distress among the
gold seekers. and in preserving
order among the turbulent classes thar
have drifted into that country.
Besides the marines on the various hat
ileships and other vessels. marines are
stationed at the following places: Wash
ngton Marine Barracks and navy ward
Norfolk, Va; Brooklyn. Boston. PhiIadel-
1hia. San Francisco, Portsmouth, n. H.:
'uget Sound. Washington; Erie, Pa: Port
Royal, S. c.: Pensacola, Fla: Annapolis
Nd; Key West, Fla; Newport r. i.
'itka. Alaska; Havana San Juan. Guam :
md Cayite
Ised " Lighted Lamp as IA weapon.
Philip Tyler and John Brown, co!ored had an |
Iteration Saturday night at the nome Of Tie
ormer, at Twelfth and II Streets northwest. {