Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-07
GEN. GREELY'S REPORT
Work of the Signal Corps
During the Year.
ENLISTED MEN PRAISED
ENDURANCE AND FIDELITY IN
ALASKA COMMENDED.
Excellence of the Instruction at Fort
Myer Observation-Disclosures Of the
Post-Estimates Rendered.


General Greedy, chief signal officer of the
United States army, in his annual report
shows that during the year the system OF
military telegraph lines and cables in Alas
ka authorized by Congress has been COM
pleted and consists of 40 miles.
In speaking of the extreme difficulties en-
countered in running telegraph lines in the
far north General Greedy says:
livery early springs, late autumns, enor-
nous snowfalls, summer foods impossible
canons, and, last of all, gold fever which
stripped one officer of every civilian en-
ploye save one, have alternately impeded
progress, but the energy and resourceful-
ness of the officers in charge of the work
have met and overcome difficulties which
seemed insurmountable." 1t is stated that
one line was pushed along a route pro-
nounced impracticable, and another across
a country that had never before been trod-
den by the foot of a white man. Attention
Is called to the fact that not twenty miles
of constructed wagon roads exist in the
country traversed. and that as rule all
material was sledded into the interior in
midwinter are carried by pack animals over
the toughest trail.
OF the enlisted men of the signal corps
who made up the construction parties, Cen
eral Greedy says: ut Is doubted whether In
the peaceful annals of the army there nave
been met with nobler fortitude by the en-
listed men equal conditions of hardship and
privation." Tribute also Is paid to the line
of the army for it's service in connection
with telegraph construction in Alaska
AS to automobiles and balloons, Gen.
Greedy says: I'm view of the prospective
value of auto-propelled vehicles to tele-
graph and balloon trains the chief sig
nal officer of the army has continued eX-
parimpOtS with automobiles. The Signal
Corps experiences have demonstrated the
rracticability of self-propelled vehicles
for such military purposes. While the
good points of electric and steam vehicles
are thoroughly recognized, yet the inter-
nal combustion type. using kerosene or
other OIL seems preferable for war pur-
poses. This type has especially valuable
features from a military standpoint in
it's small fuel and water consumption, es-
sential qualities to any army In the field.
1t may be added that experiments in for
eign service confirmed the experience of
the Signal Corps to the adviSability of
using auto-propelled vehicles for special
military purposes.
1T has been impossible to do any ball
looming work during the past year. First
there were neither men nor officers avail
able for that purpose. Second repeated
efforts in the form of applications to
forty or more firms in the United States
disclosed the inability of the Signal
Corps to obtain from private manufac-
turers compressed hydrogen gas, which
Is aDSOlutoly necessary 1Of SuCCeSS1ul
aeronautical work with captive balloons.
With additional officers obtained by de-
tail under the law, it is hoped that some
advance may be made in placing this i'm
efficiency during the coming year. 1t
now seems certain that. permanent
plant for making and COMPRISING hydro
gen gas will be necessary for successful
work.
Plan of Reorganization.
General Greedy submits a plan for the re-
organization of the signal corps to meet
the increased requirements of the army. 1t
is recommended that the enlisted force con-
sist of three battalions of four companies
each. each company to nave a minimum
force of 100 men. General Greedy says
there should be additional colonel to
give the signal corps the proportion of
field officers equal to the minimum accorded
any other staff corps of the army. The or
ganization he says, should be under the
same conditions those which characterize
the admirable organization of the corps of
engineers.
THE condition of the enlisted men in the
Philippines" says he, has been deplorable
and that of the men in Alaska only less SO.
1T should be possible to relieve men in the
Philippines and in Alaska by the detail of
companies which would guarantee to the
men of the signal corps the same certainty
of equitable service abroad as is granted
to other branches of the service, but which
corps of the army in the past as impracti-
cable. This despite the favorable action of
the Secretary Of War"
Signal Corps Estimates.
The estimates for the Signal Corps proper
cover two itemS-the first for the general
work of the corps amounting to $2OS,5OO
and the second for the continuance of the
Alaskan cable system amounting to $321, $50
There was appropriated for Alaskan cables
during the present year the sum of $685.
600. The new estimate is for the purchase
installation, operation and maintenance of
a submarine cable connecting the head
quarters, Department of the Columbia with
military garrisons in Alaska, extending
from Sftka to Fort Liscum. This extension
General Greedy says, is necessary to con-
meet the western Alaskan military tele-
graph section of 1918 miles with the east
ern section of 1900 mics and make it a
homogeneous system extending from Nome
Alaska, to Seattle, Wash. 1t will give the
United States, he says, direct telegraphic
control of Alaska Independent of the Can
adam telegraph lines, over which all mill
tary messages are now necessarily trans
mitted to and from the western military
telegraph section, .619 miles in extent.
The estimates for the fire control install
lation In coast defenses aggregates $1.O24.-
1874. an increase of $685., 7G4 over the amount
appropriated for the current year
There has been no appreciable reduction
OF expenses in the Philippine Islands during
the fiscal year, and the demands upon the
Signal Corps for service have continued.
The Post at Fort Myer.
Referring to the Signal Corps post at
Fort Myer, Gen. Greedy says that the
primary function of the post is the instruc-
ton of unframed officers and men, while
secondarily 1t serves as depot of repairs
and issues. Its value as a school of in
struction,; he says, is shown by the fact
that IFS enlisted or transferred men have
joined during the year. The necessities of
the service have reduced the period of in
struction to four and one-half months.
which, he says, is too limited a period for
proper training. He says the excellent
quality of the recruits and character of the
garrison is shown by the fact that despite
the unpleasant surroundings that have
grown up since the canteen system was
modified there has been during the past
year but one trial by court-martial and
nineteen by summary courts The trans
portatfon facilities at the post are de-
scribed as inadequate, it being necessary to
haul all supplies to and from the post six
miles each way by wagon.
unfortunately ii has been impossible"
says Gen. Greedy, lowing to the great
scarcity of officers to furnish the technical
instruction for the officers at the post. the
N o. koi,,