Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-26
THE ARTILLERY CORPS
GEN. RANDOLPH, THE CHIEF,
SHOWS NEED OF AN INCREASE.
Support by Militia of the Seacoast
States-Greater Efficiency as the
Result of Practice.

Brig Gen Wallace +. Randolph. chief of
artillery, in his annual report calls atten-
ton to the fact that only about "a per cent
of the total number of artillery officers
present for duty have had over five years
experience in the artillery.
1.-The gravity of this situation, he says.
will be readily appreciated when it is re-
called that AT the present time the duties
and responsibilities of artillery officer
are greater than ever before
General Randolph declares that 1t is
neither good administration nor fair to the
officer concerned to put an inexperienced
one in position of command, where ig-
norance may result in the loss of human
life or in the destruction of thousands of
dollars of government property.
The report states that the regular estab-
lishment coast artillery consists of l26
companies, of aggregate maximum
strength of 80 officers and 13,734 enlisted
men. General Randolph believes 1t to be
essential to efficiency in war that the regu-
lar coast artillery establishment be ulti-
mately increased to 751 officers and about
22,00O enlisted men for existing armament
He states that the companies of coast ar
tillery now stationed in Hawaii and the
Philippines should be returned to the
United States before any increase of the
coast artillery is asked for. las they are
not now performing artillery duties proper
and there are no Notifications in those
places"
Support by the Militia.
To secure efficient support by the militia
in the mobilization of the coast defenses,
Gen. Randolph says, is problem. Before
suggesting that an invitation be extended
to the seacoast states to adopt the regular
organization of the coast artillery for their
present National Guard regiments and bat
talfons which are being instructed in coast
artillery duties, Gen. Randolph says that
a general study has been undertaken in his
office to determine the assignment to fort
and batteries best suited to develop the
maximum efficiency of the coast artillery
militia, having in view the kind and amount
of instruction which can be impaired 70
them. 1t is now estimated that the total
number of militia coast artillery needed TO
complement the regular coast artillery for
the defenses they now exist is 500 com
missioned officers and 14,000 enlisted men.
Manning the Lighter Armament
THE chief of artillery" says Gen. Ran
dolph. is fully alive to the necessity and
desirability of fixing the relations of the
organized militia to the coast artillery for
the manning Of the coast defenses. and
anticipates the development of marked eff
cheney in the militia and a corresponding
sense of satisfaction and security in the
artillery corps soon as these relations
are established. 1t is believed that the
militia can find its greatest usefulness in
undertaking TO furnish the manning body
Tor the lighter armament, particularly the
rapid-fre guns. An action between forts
and ships will be short as the ships can
make it. The volume of fire from single
battle ship equals that of the average fort.
Every shot from the fort must count aud
successive shots must be delivered with
great rapidity and accuracy. 1t is believed
that an adequate artillery defense of the
coast harbors demands a complement of
coast artillerymen sufficient for the heavy
armament installed which it appears is
about three-fourths completed as pro-
jected."
Increased Efficiency.
Gen. Randolph refers to the increased
efficiency of the corps the result of artiI-
lery practice, and urges more liberal appro-
pr.ations by Congress for maintaining ar
tillery troops in an efficient state of pre-
paredness and extra compensation for gun
merry specialists.
With the adoption of the new rapid-fire
fielo gun, Gen. Randolph expresses the con-
viction that the field artillery is about 20
be placed on a footing of equality with
that of other armies. THE change will be
revolutionary" he says, land it's quick and
effective accomplishment will call for close
study on the part of officers of the field
artillery"