Evening star., 1901-10-28
GEN. MIIts' REPORT
Objects to Capitalization Of the Mill
tary Establishment,
he APPROVES ABFI-ChEfEEN LAW
Strength and Distribution Of the
Army.
LOCAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Lieut.. Gen. Miles commanding the army,
in his annual report to the Secretary OF
War, made public today. pays high trib-
ute to the American soldier in the following
words:
War is now more than ever before a
most progressive science, and armies re-
quire an educated skilled disciplined per-
sonnel, having thorough knowledge OF
the use of the most modern and destructive
appliances Of war, most Of which were
wholly unknown a generation ago. -Four
years ago we had small but most efficient
army of only 25,000 men, many of whom,
with majority of the officers, had been
schooled in the military profession in the
great civil war, or by years of campaign
ing on our western frontiers. Hence, at
the commencement of the war with Spain
our army, in point of experience, intelli-
gence, efficiency and physical excellence,
was not excelled by any like body of troops
IN any army of the world. Since that time
1t has been put to the test over a wider
field OF duty than any army within my
knowledge. From the rigorous climate of
northern stations troops have been moved
10 tropical countries and there opposed to
the trained troops of a European army,
enduring great hardships and privations
and suffering under the depressing and de-
they have served in the difficult regions of
the Philippines: they have borne our flag
to the capital OF the Chinese empire, at the
same time carrying on extensive explora-
tons in the arctic regions Of Alaska-at all
times and places exhibiting the most COM
mendable fortitude and under all circum-
stances maintaining the honor and high
character of the American army. During
this period many of our experienced officers
and men have fallen in battle, have become
disabled by wounds or disease incident to
the service, OF, from various causes, have
been Obliged to retire from active service.
Ihelr places have been filled by new men
and large number Of new officers, yet
am gratified to say that the same high tone
and character prevails in the army today
as In former years. By personal inspection
Of troops that have gone to and are now
serving on stations beyond the sea- of those
that have returned and of those that have
been added recently to the service, I am
prepared to affirm that the personnel Of the
army today Is most satisfactory and cred
table to the nation"
Strength and Distribution of Army.
General Miles gives the total strength of
the army at the present time as "a, ,513, of
which number 1854 are in the United
States, 1929 in the Philippines 4,914 in
Cuba, the remainder, in small detachments,
being In Porto Rico, Hawaii, China and Alas
ka. He says it is expected that the force in
Cuba will be very much reduced in the near
future, and it is hoped that the force in
the Philippines can also be very much re-
duced. 1t will. however, be necessary, he
says, to occupy with military and naval
forces for an indefinite time certain strate-
gc positions IN that archipelago
General Miles does not approve of the
present organization of the Artillery Corps
saying that it establishes another bureau
in Washington He believes In the former
regimental organization. The corps or
sanization has been tried once before with
a much smaller force than we now have,
| M fcno ff,~,,a 4
because it was considered defective and i'm
practicable, and with the increased force
| at the present time there is mucn more
| probability of inefficency and greater IL
ability of injustice.
Our Military System Opposed.
General Miles states his objections to the
| management of military affairs in the War
Department in the following:
while Congress has made ample provi-
| sion for the management Of military affairs
| in the organization Of the army, whereby
| the companies, regiments, brigades, divi-
| sions and departments are made the units
| of administration, and by statute has
! clothed the officials not only with executive
| authority, but with judicial powers and re-
! sponsibility, yet the tendency has been to
| absorb and uSurp the entire conduc. of
! the military establishment in the city Of
| Washington and especially in the staff de-
| partments. This has been found most in
| furious in other armies, and Is one of the
| principal defects In our own system. The
| evil has been increasing during the activf-
| ties of the wars of the last three years to
| an extent that, in my judgment, requires
| serious consideration, and I recommend
! that decentralization be effected as far as
| possible, and that all proper and lawful au-
| thority be restored to subordinate COM
| manders who are provided with an efficient
| organization and who can be safely in
| trusted with responsibility for the efficient
| and faithful administration Of military af-
| fairs commensurate with their important
| commands ....,-.. ..s.. ......
The Coast Defenses.
VERY marked progress has been made In
| the last three years In equipping the coast
| defenses with modern high-power guns, and
very expensive concrete fortifcations have
| been built. More than 400 modern guns
have been mounted for the protection of
our principal harbors, SO that safety has
been secured to great extent so far as
| the fixed armament Is concerned vet the
expenditure that has been made of $50 OOO-
600 would be entirely useless unless suitable
and ample ammunition is provided with
which to destroy hostile fleets therefore
earnestly recommend that Congress be
| asked to make appropriations to provide in
addition to the high-power guns, a suitable
proportion of small caliber rapid-fire guns,
to constitute auxiliary batteries, and an
ample amount of ammunition for the guns
of all calibers in order to render them ef-
fective."
AS large portion Of the army is sta
toned in the western part of the United
States and over one-half west Of the Pacific
coast, General Miles recommends the es-
tablishment OF a military school In south
| ern California. He also recommends the
establishment of a war college in the cttv