The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1902-07-31
WASHINGTON LETTER.
washington, July 90, 1902.

wA0kz4N0 j OGN @S @3Ns
washington, July %, 1902.
Some surprising figures are obtainable
at the office Of Pension Commissioner
Ware these days. Those which are most
surprising relate chiefly to the applica-t
tiens for pensions which have been filed
based on injuries received during the
Spanish war. The peculiar feature of the
situation is that the men who did most Of
the fighting are not the ones who find
themselves most In need of pensions.
Taking the figures of the men who ac-
tually participated in the battle of Santi-
ago, 1t Is shown that of five regiments Of
volunteers, three were killed and thirteen
were wounded, but according to the ap-
plicatiOns for pensions, 2,8O1 were inva-
lided. On the other hand, of five rsgt
ments Of regular troops engaged In the
same battle, 85 were killed and 396
wounded, and claims for pensions filed
show 1856 to have been invalided. Again,
four volunteer regiments, which had no
men killed or wounded, have, neverthe-
less, made applications for pensions In
excess of the applications received from
the Seventh United States infantry, which
had "a men killed and 80 wounded. 1t is
stated that one regiment, which landed
In Cuba $50 strong, has filed applica-
tions for 705 pensions, showing that So
per cent. Of its men were injured. One
company, whose captain was a pension
attorney, has record Of filing pension
claims for almost every man In the COM
pany. 1t Is also noticeable that even
among the volunteer companies the num-
Der of claims filed by those recruited In
northern states far exceeds those filed by
companies recruited In southern states.
Pension Commissioner Ware gives ii as
his opinion that many men who have
filed applications for pensions have done
1t because when they returned to the
United States they were suffering from
the tropical fever, from which, by this
time, most have recovered. This may
also explain the difference between the
northern and southern regiments, as the
northern men would be more susceptible
to the heat than would the southerners.
An interesting volume, entitled "Tar-
get Practice and Remount Systems
Abroad" has just been made public by
the bureau of military Information of the
war department.. The chapters of partic-
ular interest deal with the target practice
~ oavv,v = &C. 1nA1 A1>~A n
many uses a system of targets which
closely resemble line of infantry. Ac-
curate records of the hits made can be
kept by men stationed In specially pre-
pared shelters, and the figures are so ma
nipulated from these same shelters as to
move about and to gradually decrease In
numbers, as would be the case in actual
warfare. The targets can be made to
and the marksman Is confronted with ev-
cry condition with which he would be
confronted on the battle field. Another
unique target Is supported upright by
means of a balloon. These targets are
supposed to represent men lying in a
trench, and when hit by bullet they col.
lapse and fall back into the trench. 9th.
er figures rise out of the trenches, remain
long enough to aim and fire, and then
drop down so that the men are given an
Incentive for quick aiming and firing!
That portion Of the volume which deals
with the remounts of European armies IL
equally interesting. The necessity of ar
ample supply of remounts was emphasized
by the Boer war, and, In view of the de-
crease of the number of suitable horses
In this country, 1t is more than likely that
the war department will, in the near fu
ture, give the matter Of remounts cOnsid
cradle attention.
Secretary Moody has completed tht
system whereby he expects to arrive a.
the exact cost of the Connecticut, which
is to be built in the New York navy yard
Not only Is the pay Of the officers who 81
pervise or direct the construction of tn,
vessel to be taken into account, but tn,
cost of their education as well, 80 that nt
penny which might be properly charged
to the cost of construction will be over
looked. Mr.. Moody figures that asid'
from the pay of an officer during his &C
tive service, he costs the governmen
81, 100 per year, which sum Is arrived a
by adding the cost of his education to tn
average amount Of pay of a retired Office
and dividing the total by 40, which is tax
en- as the average length of active service
Therefore, IL an officer spent three year
supervising the construction of the Con
> necticut, and during that time received a
pay So 500 per year, his services woul,
be figured as costing the governmen
$13 800.
There Is considerable interest taken II
case In the department of the interio
this summer, of which only the meres
details have reached the newspaper men
1t seems that number of large compa
MES have been organized for the purpos
of exploiting the oil lands of Wyoming
> Many of these lands are the property @
the Union Pacific railroad, but under tn
provisions Of the land grant made to thi
company the land would revert to tn
: government In the event that minera
wealth was found on them. The compa
: MES referred to have undertaken to sc
cure title under the mining law, and tn
railroad company, seeing great possibili
ties for cheap fuel, has undertaken to re
tain possession Of the land. That Is tn
story 80 far as 1t Is obtainable, althoug
> 1t is possible that there may be other dc
velopments which will be revealed late
!. on.
a The constant demand for America
9 naval vessels in the waters of the Gul
of Mexico Is causing no little annoyanc
to Secretary Moody, who desired tha