Evening star., 1901-05-06
REDUCING THE FORCE
Army infthe Philippines May Be Cut
to 10000 Men.
JUSTIFIED BY IMPROVED CONDITIONS
Forwarding Newly Organized Reg
Is ~ =,
,lments to Manila.
RETURN OF THE REGULARS

RETURN OF THE REG ULARS
The Secretary Of War has decided that
the improved conditions in the Philippines
will Justify reduction Of the army in
those islands to at least 10000 men. There
are now there about 1000 regulars IN addf-
tion to the volunteers already ordered
home, SO that the Secretary's decision will
affect about 10000 additional men.
1t was at first the intention Of the de-
partment to take no action in this matter
until after General Chaffee, who will sue
ceed General Macarthur in command OF
the troops, had arrived in the Philippines
and reported upon the military necessities
of the situation. But as 1t will be nearly
two months before General Chaffee will
conclude his proposed. extensive tour of
inspection of the, Philippine garrisons, it
was concluded to act information al
ready received on the subject from General
Macarthur and the Philippine commission
The surrender of numerous Filipino lead
M ers ana other encouraging DEVELOPMENTS in
the Islands are held at the War Depart
ment to justify a reduction of the standing
army to 10000 men. 1t is confidently ex-
pected that the present favorable condi-
definitely and that military operations will
hereafter be confined mainly to the preser--
walton of order and the apprehension Of
maraudfng bands in the interior.
Recently Organized Regiments.
There are now in the United States about
$500 men Of the ten new infantry and
cavalry regiments recently organized in ad-
dition to about 2,500 Of their number al
ready sent to the Philippines as the relief
Of volunteer troops. All of these troops
are to be forwarded to sthe Philippines as
soon as convenient during the next few
months, with a view to relieving the regu-
lar troops, which have had long and ardu-
Gus service In the islands.
Their arrival and the reduction of the
army to 10000 men will permit Of sending
home about 10000 soldiers who have had
over two years service in the tropics. The
regular troops longest in the Philippines
are the 18th. 18th and 21st Infantry regi-
ments and four companies Of the Sd Artil-
lery. These troops formed the first 'expedi-
ton In 1898 under Gen. Anderson.
The main army that originally went to the
Philippines after them was composed Of
regiments were replaced by regular troops
1t Is the present intention to bring home
the regular organizations gradually, in the
order in which they went out.
The plans of the War Department are
based on the theory that a large army will
be required in the Philippines for many
years to come. With that end in view it
has been decided that troops shall not have
more than two years continuous service in
the Philippines, thus insurng them one
year out of three in the United States
An Army of 10000 Men.
Officials of the War Department are per-
fecting the Encouragement of the army on
basis Of 10000 men. This is 24,OOO less
than the maximum limit fixed by the army
reorganization law. In order to maintain
existing units and yet keep the army within
the limit of 5000 liked by the department,
1t has been decided that cavalry troops
shall consist of So men each instead CT 100.
as heretofore. and that infantry moanics
shall consist of 100 men each instead of $50.
as heretofore. .-ov-7
This reduction in those arms permits the
enlargement of the artillery arm to the
limit of 1900 The law directs that mot
less than one-fifth of the total increase"
shall be made before July 1, and not less
than one-fifth each succeeding year until
the total number provided for shall have
been obtained.
The Secretary of War interprets this to
mean that not fewer than one-fifth Of the
Increase may be made. not that more than
one-tifth shall not be made; and he has or
dered that the entire strength authorized
shall now be raised. 1t gives promotion to
the next higher grade to five lieutenant
colonels, ten majors, twenty captains
eigthy-sx first lieutenants and 1856 seoDnd
lieutenants The Secretarys Interpretation
of the law will result not only in promoting
everybody now in the artillery corps, with
commands instead of skeletons to the newly
promoted officers.
Artillery Corps Promotions.
Under this plan the following named ar
tillery officers have been advanced:
To be colonels-Lieut. Coils Woodruff.
kenzfe, Myrick, Tiernon and Andruss
To be lieutenant colonels-Majs. Story,
Fose, Greenough, Day, Merrill, Ennis,
Grimes. Davis, Roberts and OHara
r, TO be maJorsICapts. Danes. Anderson,
Burkhimer, Adams, Lundeen, Crawford,
Whistler, Smith. Reed, Cummings, Dyer
Walker. Duvall and Andrews.
To be captains-First Lieuts. Davis. Maui
din, Ketcham, McNair, Snow, Galley Lam
oreaux, Lyon, Hero, Horn, Harris, Blakely
Chase. Foe Smith, Whitney, Kephart, Bur
CESS, shipton, chamberlaine, summerill.
Gruickshank, Heiner McManus, ,Timberlake,
Gilmore Gardner, Smith, Knowlton, Arnold
Wheeler. Fleming, Payne, Jackson. Callan,
Guignard, Landon, Mcneil. Tracy. England,
guson, Abernethy. sarratt. Bowley, Gilbert.
Miller, Overton, Buckley, Johnston, Pearce.
Conklin koehler, Brady, Applewfite. Car
michael. Bishop, Moses. Ashburn, Bottoms,
NeWbtll Cooke, VeStal, McIntyre McMas-
ter. Ward. McCloskey. Stephens Merrill.
Nugent, Hamilton. Cole, Conner, Rutner,
Johnson, Newbold, Scott, Jenkins. Willie
ForSe and Young.
Progress of Enlistment
1t Is stated that enlistments will soon
bring the army up to the maximum Of 76.
600 men. At present the infantry and cav
airy are practically complete, or would be
If the excess Of men in different regiments
were transferred to other regiments In pro-
cess OF formation. The artillery Is still
short. and the transfer proposition contem-
plates taking men Of experience in the
infantry and cavalry arms and ASSIGNING
them to the artillery. If this is NOT done
made for the artillery in order to Increase
that branch to the maximum of IS 900 men
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