The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-12-07

There were also in the service twenty.
six officers and $40 enlisted men Of the
Porto Rico regiment, ninety-nine officers
and 4S05 enlisted Philippine scouts, and
2,S07 hospital corps men.
These figures show a total net decrease
during the year Of 11,97S
The acting adjutant general reports
that the number Of enlisted men who will
be entitled to increased pay for length
Of service during the next fiscal year
that is to say, the men who viii be SerV-
ing under re-enlistment after the eXpira-
ton of one or more terms of service
VIII be 1876, and Of these 10.ll3 will have
had continuous service Of five years and
upward
The total number OF enlistments IN the
army during the year ending June 20,
1865. mot including hospital corps and
Philippine scOuts), was 1921 OF these
6906 were re-enlistnents and 1885 were
new enlistments; 1881 were native born,
~ were of foreign birth, and seventeen
were born i'm Porto Rico. OF those en-
white, 193 colored and twelve Indian. Five
hundred and seventy-seven were enlisted
for staff departments and 17.714 for the
line. The reports snow Cnat these Il,I4
were selected from 81 $50 applicants, of
whom "A, 256 were rejected. OF these 1,536
were rejected as aliens and 264S as iliit-
crates.
The aggregate Of all enIistments ana
re-enlistments during the year. including
the hospital corps and Philippine scouts,
was 1897.
Health, Supplies and Discipline
The health of the army has been good.
except during an epidemic of cholera in
the Philippines, which occurred in the
early part of the year, and is now ended.
The detailed reports for 1902 show a total
death rate. from all causes. of 1919 men
for each 1000 OF strength; 3-54 per loo OF
these died Of cholera. so that, including
the victims of cholera, the record IS I55
per 1,OO0 worse than the record Of 1901,
and. excluding them, it is l99 per 1,0st
better than the record of 1901.
The reports of the generals command
ing and Of the Inspectors general show
that the food and clothing furnished
have been satisfactory. and the arms
and equipments Of good quality. The
transportation OF troops and supplies has
been promptly and effectively accom-
phshed- The officers charged with main
tanning the discipline and morale of the
army have had to contend with the re-
Taxation of orderly habits which always
results from active military operations.
and with the injurious effect produced at
large number Of posts by the abolition
Of the canteeu; and the burden Of the
older and more experienced officers has
been increased by the fact that so large
a proportion OF the junior OFFICERS
brought In upon the enlargement of the
army were necessarily without mucn
military experience. 1t is evident, how
ever, that throughout the army there has
been during the year very active and
faithful work. In many organizations a
very high standard Of discipline has been
attained, and in all very gratifying prog
ress has been made
Organization Of the General staff.
The important military event Of the
year affecting the regular army has been
the reorganization of the system OF mill
tarv control under the general staff act
approved Feb. IA, 1903. For more con-
Venient reference a copy of that act is
annexed hereto as appendix A. This act
abolishes the separate office of general
commanding the army. provided for a
military chief Of staff to the president
who. acting under the directions OF the
president. or Of the secretary OF war
representing him, should have supervise
not only of all troops of the line bur ut
the special staff and supply departments
which had heretofore reported directly TO
the secretary Of war: and IL created for
the assistance of the chief Of staff a
corps Of forty-four officers. who were
relieved from all other duties