The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-08-29
NOW COMES OUT
UN0FFlCIALLY
Last Communication of General
Miles TO War Department.
AUTO INSTEAD OF TIE HORSE
NEW CORPS IN THE ARMY REC
olIMENDED.

Chicago, Aug. 2S.-The Chronicle to-
morrow VIII print q dispatch from
Washington saying:
Lieutenant General Nelson a. Miles
last communication 10 the war office
Vas made public today through un-
official sources IN the war department.
II is in the form OF n letter to Secre-
tary Of War Root in il are recon-
mendations for the Improvement OF the
army service. The general regards the
cavalry as obsolete, saying the auto
mobile viii take the place of the horse
in the next war. For that reason he
advises reducing the cavalry branch
70 the minimum anG the building OF
military roads of strategic Importance
throughout the country in time of
peace. General Miles letter says:
AT the commencement of the Span
ish war, when we had well trained.
thoroughly equipped, hardened and ex-
pefienced cavalry, a portion Of it was
o6hged 10 remain at Tampa and in its
place newly organized troops were sent
10 the front. Now that was either all
wrong or the present organization Of
the army with the great expense at
tached thereto is unwise and iniudi-
cious, and this subject requires. in my
judgment the serious attention of the
government.
Thousands of Them.
1T is safe to say that there are tens
OF thousands of men in our country
VINO are in the saddle every day. who
are skilled in landcraft and use of
arms and who can be easily converted
INTO q most formidable corps of mount
ed rlHemen. In fact, there could easily
De modified in our country at least
ten times as many mounted men. MANY
or Whom have had military service. as
could be landed on cur shores by anv
government or governments within any
reasonable time. We have 100. 600 men
accustomed to the saddle and rife that
could be used 10 luicEl~ overrun either
Canada or Mexico. Hence the disnro-
portion Of our mounted forces to that
OF the main body of the army is I'M
necessary and injudicious.
The marvellous development in mod
ern arms-rifles. machine guns and
quick firing field artillery the
cavalry. as formerly used on the bat
tleheld obsolete while the wonderf,,l
development in the use of motor power
ana electrical appliances has rendered
the horse far less important than for
merry. These facts are dOubIv s;e-
nit1cant and should be recognized bv
tne military authorities and the gov
eminent.
In Place of Cavalry.
There is, however. a corps of force
required in our army that could he
feacered Of great utility. not only to
the military, but to the people of this
country This power is being recor-
nized by European governments. and I
nave several times recommended its
use by ours. II will be utilized in the
next war. and preparation for it's usa
by our army should no longer be neg.
Iected- have reference to the bicvcle
motorcycle and the auto. which tbev
nave developed TO the extent that thew
nave become most valuab bic means of
communication and transporta ton.
tlVe regiments Of cavalry should he
discontinued and corps of five reoi-
ments should be organized thorouebIv
trained ana constantly employed in the
use OF these modern appliances.
lne modern appliances Of road
oulldlhS are vastly superior to those
formerly used Tin fact. the work is now
zone principally by machinerv) and
TINS corps should be supplied with all
the recent inventions and ir7orove-
ments for that purpose.
The millions OF dollars that are now
uselessly- expended for one-third Of the
mounted force could in this W., he
utilized in bringing about a great i'm
pIONfinent IN the army, comforting a
great oeneht upon the country. at the
Same TIME training a most important
coIps Tor military service. and I urge
mat this measure be recommended IN
ana authorized by congress"