The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-26
Department Commander Relieved of
Much Petty Detail and Scope
Given for Larger Duties.
INsURGENT MURDERERS TRIED
SENTENCE OF DEATH FOR SEVERAL
PASSED AND APPROVED.
Others VIII Serve Long Terms in
PrisOn-Latest Casualty List Re-
ported by Gen. Chahee.

WASHINGTON, Sept. 25.-Major General
Corbin, the adjutant general of the army.
returned from the Philippines this morn
ing. While he declined to submit to a
formal interview he talks freely of the
condition of affairs in the Philippines,
particularly of the work accomplished by
Generals Sternberg, Weston and Greedy.
The general is greatly pleased with the
conditions obtaining in the archipelago,
and was particularly gratifed to find the
health of the army so excellent. and to
see. himself. evidence of the good feeling
among the officers and the soldiers. The
general is of the opinion that the work of
the heads of the staff departments in the
Philippines has been of great value in the
administration Of military affairs.
It happens that with the authority back
of him, and with the full cooperation of
General Chaffee, commander-in-chief of
the Philippines. what would have been
recommendations by General Corbin al
ready have been put into operation, so
that the report which he will submit to
the secretary of war will be rather in the
nature of a statement of things accom-
plished Large economies have been ef
fected in nearly every branch of the mil
Every action of the staff departments was
based upon a complete understanding with
General Chaffee and the local military
thorities. The organization Of the troops
serving in the divisions into separate bri-
gades within the various departments Will
result in better military administration
all along the line. 1t gives the brigade
commanders substantial commands and in
.zf
general courts-martial, and relieves the di-
vision and department commanders of
many details of ordinary discipline, and
permits them TO devote their time to more
important matters of administration.
General Weston consolidated the depots
of his departments, thereby relieving a
number of staff officers, with consequent
saving in money. General Sternberg re-
duced the number of hospitals and consol
idated the medical supply depots through
three in Manila. On his recommendation
the hospital at Nagasaki was abandoned,
as was also the hospital ship Relief, which
had become no longer needed. The ship
was turned over TO General Chaffee for
the interislard transportation trade.
By the courtesy of the foreign officers in
China, General Corbin inspected all the
foreign troops at Shanghai, which included
contingents from the English German and
French armies. He found them in an ex-
cellent state OF discipline but in no sense
ments superior to our troops in the Phil
ippines.
General Ludington, quartermaster gener-
al, had not completed his work when Gen
eral Corbin left. He is confronted with
problems of greater Importance than those
of the others The troops in Luzon, for
instance, are: almost entirely quartered in
"conventos," or church property, and now
that quiet and order are restored these
are needed for church and school purposes
1t will be diff cult for the troops TO be quar-
tered elsewhere until barracks are erected
and this important question will be thor
oughly investigated by General Ludngton
and a complete scheme prepared.
General Corbin said that the necessity
for a regularly established mail service be-
tween Manila and this country is one of
great Importance not only for commercial
interests, but for soldiers and officers serv-
ing in the archipelago; for there is now
no certainty when mail will be received
from home. The practicability of estab-
fishing an efficient mail service Is illus
trated by the facilities offered by the Ca
the Orient, where the people of the ports
in China and Japan, where the steamers
touch determine within an hour the
date of the arrival of the next mail and
80 strict is the penalty for failure to de-
liver the mall schedule time that the
people can depend on their mail service
with the exaCtness of the service in Wash
ington. AS il is now, the Postoffice De-
partment is doing all In its power to ac-
complish this end, and the local postof-
flee in Manila is reported as being admins
tered excellently, but the receipt of the
mails is very irregular.