The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-22
REVIEWED BY GENERAL CORBIN IN HIS
ANNUAL REPORT.
MANY RECOMMENDATIONS MADE
Many Enlistments of Troops I'm Philip
pines to Expire In Next SIX Months.
Casualties During Last Fiscal Year.
Strongly Advocates a Pacific able
Needed Changes IN Uniforms-To Re.
strict Promotions to Commissioned
Ofices to Non-Commissioned or.
ficers - Three Retired Lieutenant
Generals
Generals

Washington, October IS.-The animal
report OF Major General Henry c. Cor
bin, adjutant general of the army conn.,
~prehensively reviews the work. condi-
ton, and needs OF the military estab-
lishment.
General Corbin submits a table To
show that the army in the PHILIPPINES
is TO be reduced by expired enlistments
at the rate or about 1000 a month from
now until June, 1902. The question
whether the regiments thus depleted in
strength are to remain so or be recruit
ed to their full roster, he says. is one
requiring the very earliest considera-
ton, for if the latter is contemplated
1t Is already time to begin special re-
cruiting.
The losses from all causes in the regu-
ular army and the volunteers from JULY
1, 1900, to June Both last. totaled 1s e24
oIlcers ana men in the former and
25,eO9 in the latter. The casualties to
the troops in the Philippines since the
oate or the hrst arrival, June 80, 1898.
to June Goth, last, were lis officers and
1878 men killed n 1872 officers and 9. GAG
men wounded.
General Corbin recommends that the
cadets of each graduating class be sent
to Fort Monroe for practice and in
Structlon in SeacoaS
General Corbin recommends that the
old law requiring that each candidate
from the ranks for a commission in the
army be a non commissioned officer in
good standing who has displayed an
aptitude for command and control of
men" be revived. While a great many
excellent young men have came into
the service as officers under the present
law, which opens the way for commits
sions to enlisted men who have had two
years service, General Corbin says there
have been a number of others who have
entered the army in this way who are
not up to the requirements of their
rank.
General Corbin'S recent tour of the
Philippine islands and his brief visit to
japan and Eastern China bears fruit in
some interesting suggestions. He be-
lieves that the army transport service
on the Pacific is costing the government
considerably more than the use of COM
mercial steamship lines would, for the
latter would nave the advantage, de-
MED to the government, of transporting
passengers. freight, and mails to the
Orient, both on outward and homeward
wy ages anu WOulu Inject TIE HteuS LOT
increasing American trade in the
Orient. He, therefore, suggests that
congress-, with safety, could offer in
ducements to United States shippers to
install a. line of steamers under char
ters that would permit them in time of
necessity to serve as reserve army and
navy transports.
An equally important need of the ser
vice, General Corbin says, is a domestic
cable from the Pacific coast to the Phil
ippines. The present cable communica-
ton through Europe, Asia, China and
Japan. he says, for obvious reasons,
should be discontinued at the earliest
/ possible date. The rates charged by the
existing cable service are exorbitant,
s2.3S per word being the regular tariff
| on messages between Washington and
| Manila.