Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1901-10-31
GEN. NILES REPORT.
The Anti-Canteen Law Spoken Of
in Favorable Terms.
MANAGEMENT OF MILITARY AFFAIRS.
Tho Commanding General Of the Army
speaks Against Centralizing All Author
ity In the War Departmsnt-Gen.
BuAingt0n's Report

Washington, Oct. SJ.--Llcut' ucH.
Miles, in his annual report, gives the
total strength Of the army at the
present time as s4,513, Of which num-
Der 1854 are in the United States,
1920 in the Philippines, 4,0l4 in Cuba
and the remainder in small detach-
ments being in Porto Rico, Hawaii
and Alaska. He says it Is expected
that the force in Cuba will be very
much reduced and hopes that the
force in the Philippines also can be
reduced. Gen. Miles does not approve
of the present organization Of the ar
tillery corps, saying that it estab-
fishes another bureau in Washington.
He believes in the former regimental
organization.
Speaking Of the army canteen,
which is abolished by the army reor-
ganization law, he says that no injury
has resulted and in the main the law
has been beneficial.
Gen. Miles states his objection to
the management Of military affairs
in the war department in the follow
ing language: "While congress has
made ample provision for the man.
agement of military affairs in the
organization of the army, yet the
tendency has been to absorb and
usurp the entire conduct of the mil
itary establishment in the city of
Washington and especially in the
staff departments. | recommend that
decentralization be effected as far
as possible and that all proper and
lawful authority be restored to
subordinate commanders who are
provided with an efficient organiza-
ton and who can safely be intrusted
with responsibility for the efficient
and faithful administration of mill
tary affairs commensurate with their
important commands"
AS a large portion Of the army is
stationed in the western part of the
United States and over one-half west
of the Pacific ocean, Gen. Miles rec
the establishment of mil
airy school in southern California.
He also recommends the establish
ment of war college in the city Of
Washington.
Gen. Bufhngton's Report ON Ordnance.
Washington, Oct. 29.-Gen. Buffing-
ton, chief of ordnance, in his annual
report argues strongly against the
detail system so far as concerns his
own department. lie points to the
by European countries of
special ordnance experts, as show
ing the necessity for making this
service life work. lie refers briefly
to the necessity of reforming the
system of allotting contracts, point
ing to two cases where for three
years and for seven years respective
ly the department has had contracts
along which it had been
forced to make by congress. Gen.
Burlington submits bill looking to
the complete equipment of the ma
tional guard with the Krag-Jorgen-
sen. He says that this rife has met
with approval, but he has not been
content with that and has made
sample rife much simpler, cheaper
and stronger which will give ball
velocity of 200 feet per second more
than the existing model and will be
with a rod bayonet. Refer
ence is made to the disapproval OF
the ordnance departments efforts to
supply the army with an advanced
field piece of three-inch caliber with
separate leaders, and it is pointed
out that as a result of waiting upon
the field gun trials the army must re-
main for a considerable time with
what has been called antiquated and
obsolete material.
Gen. Burlington tells at length Of
the experiments that have been made
by his department during the past
year to find high explosive and a
proper fuse for it and says that the
long, conscientious and laborious
work under discouraging conditions
has resulted in obtaining two high
explosives for field and siege guns
and two for sea coast. The latter and
the fuse are superior to any known
to the department.