The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-11

city and large garrison. without reapins
the fruits of victory then practically IN
our hands. he wanted SO marines OF the
navy placed under his control; he eX-
pressed the opinion that proposed force
OF 16.i52 men. mostly volunteers, was
10000 more than viii be required" for
General Merritt's Philippine expedition.
and while in Porto Rico he cabled 10 the
War Department a recommendation that
the manufacture OF Springfield rifles,
.45-calibre ammunition, all white canvas
teutage and black leather equipments OF
every description be discontinued, as they
are obsolete and should not be part of
the army equipment" In answer TO this
last communication the following dis
patch was sent:
War Department. Aug. 8, 1895
General Miles. Porto Rico: As you
ought TO know, the last .45-calibre
Springfield rifle was manufactured in
'ninety-three. Smokeless-powde car
tridges are now being manufactured, and
will be forwarded. 1 suggest that you
get along with what the government has
on hand. r. A ALGER,
Secretary of War"
During the week in which war was
declared he recommended that the man
ufacture Of Krag-Jorgensen rifles ''be
reduced to the minimum, If not entirely
suspended" advising at the same time
the SuDSNlNullOH OF announcer SIIldH
twice previously rejected by the military
experts who had selected the adopted
type of gun then in the hands of our reg
ular army. or the generals numerous
disapproyed recommendations none dem
onstrated his lack of judgment more
than this. To suddenly change the type
of the magazine rifle meant also a
change in the machinery and methods of
the government armory. where these
arms are made. Even If his recommend
ations in this respect enjoyed the ad-
vantage of some reason or excuse, a
crisis like the outbreak of war is not
the time to change the type of arms or
the machinery for their manufacture
Moreover, the law making appropria-
tons for the manufacture of arms at the
Springfield armory always designates the
model of the gun to be fabricated, a fact
which the president of the board of ord
nance and fertilization, and the officer
bearing the highest rank in the army
certainly should have known.
General Miles is what we get in the
Army by the system of seniority promo
iona system which is rather a good
hing to keep the peace between jealous
officers but an amazingly bad thing for
he efficiency OF an army. However, |
n time Of war, seniority promotion does |
lot always determine commanders. |
md that is the saving of the country. |
OUR great civil war heroes were jumped |
o high commands as soon as their |
merit became known-Grant from a 1
olonel and brigadier-generala and Sheri- |
Ian from a major and quartermaster, |
10Th outranking men still in active SER
ice, who were from two to four grades
bove them when they entered the
rmy. In the Spanish-American war
he promotion Of Wood who was a
aptain and surgeon in the early part
{ 1898 and is now. perhaps, the best
officer among the major
enerals. was the most conspicuous il
Istration of the merit rule afforded.
n the Navy Captain Sampson was
lmped over the heads of all flag Off
ers, and if this did not prove to be the
-isest possible choice. it at least prov
4 that the seniority rule is not so rigid
s to keep the President, in time of
ar. from free choice of naval com
landers.