Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-19
AN ARTILLERY RESERVE
BUILDING UP AN IMPORTANT
BRANCH OF THE SERVICE.
Report Of Gen. MacArthur-Conditi
in the Department of California
Specific Recommendations.


According to Major General Macarthur,
commanding the Department Of California,
the principal feature of his annual report,
made public today, is embodied in the fol-
lowing statement:
THE present allowance Of ammunition
for small arms and field artillery is entirely
inadequate; indeed, 1t Is hardy sufficient
for a good preliminary course for lrained
troops, whereas the American army at
present is composed largely Of inexperi-
enced young officers and men. requiring for
proper training not only infinitely careful
supervision but greatly increased amount
Of ammunition, which is accordingly recon-
mended to the extent of four times the
present allowance
He says the artillery as a special arm of
exclusive necessities has received careful
and nourishing attention. The service OF
the coast batteries is being systematiZed
and a fine professional spirit pervades the
arm, which inspires confidence in the early
solution of all the perplexing questions now
under consideration.
Toward an Artillery Reserve.
He says that the instruction of the officers
and men of the artillery arm of the Cali
fornia National Guard at the forts around
San Francisco harbor has been carried for
ward with intelligent energy and with very
satisfactory results. Referring to this &C
ton as the initiatory step toward the crea-
ton of an artillery reserve for the Pacific
coast, Gen. Macarthur says that the i'm
portance of such a reserve can hardly be
over-estfmated. Under the most favorable
conditions, says he, the regular estab-
lishment can furnish hardly more than one
NTH OF the force necessary to mobilize all
the batteries. The other eighty per cent
must. In case of emergency, come from the
contiguous population. Fortunately the har-
Dor defenses of San Francisco are in the
midst of Il hardy and valiant people ready
and willing to defend the important ma ton
al interests committed to their keeping To
accomplish this end, however, Intelligent
direction is necessary, for the accomplish
ment of which in the first instance 1t is re-
specially recommend that the entire or
ganiZed militia of all arms. located within
easy distance of this city, be invited to
participate in a course of coast artillery
training at the Preside. The rudimentary
instruction can be quickly impaired and II
Systematically carried out would In few
years create an artillery reserve In every
way adequate for the defense of this harbor
against any coalition that could possibly De
brought against it,
He makes a strong recommendation IN
behalf of quadrupled allowance of ammu-
milton for sea-coaSt guns for an unlimited
time. and incidentally for such experimental
Investigations as will be made possible H.
consequence of such an increase.
Value Of Target Practice.
Treating of the value Of target practice
he says: ....-...-
Permanent military efficiency depends
almost entirely upon skill in the use or
ballistical weapons. The military strength
Of an arma ment, either high-power weapons
or small arms, does not depend upon the
number of guns. or even upon the NUMBER
of shots that can be fired therefrom oue
upon the number of hits that can be made
thereby In a given time. In other WORDS
gun power is the useful effect of an arma-
ment expressed in hits per minute Inc
practical value of this formula may be
readily understood by a cursory considera-
ton Of the fact that soldier who car
make five hits per minute ts Tor all pur-
poses of fire action, equivalent to nVe men
who can make only one hit per man per
minute" ...a- p ;
Desertions From the Army.
Referring to the fact that 1.344 men in
the Department of California deserted our
ing the past fiscal year General Macarthur
says:
ut is not apparent why so many men re-
sorted to this violent method of separating
from the service and if the depressing re-
suit could In any way be attributed to
American methods it would certainly JUS
tify the deepest solicitude on the part OF
all concerned in the military adminfStra-
ton of the nation. AS matter OF fact,
however. the American soldier Is SO well
provided in respect of all his material neceS-
sites. and his personal rights are so care
fully safeguarded in respect of all matters
of discipline, that a conclusion arises spon-
taneously in the minds of experienced in
yestigators to the effect that desertion, to
q large extent, is incidental to human ma
ture, rather than an expression of specific
defects in a military system. and as such
Is not within the scope Of ordinary methods
of punitive control
In the light of past experience and Of
present conditions 1t seems apparent that
the United States, as nation, must accept
desertion as a necessary evil unless enlight-
ened public opinion can he induced to real
lie that it is not only inimical as it affects
the army a separate organization, but In
remote consequences Is menace to the
stability of our institutions, through its cor
rupting effect upon the military ideals Of
the population that must furnish the i'm
provised troops. upon which the republic
must always rely in time Of war. The prac-
teal value of this view may be determined
with considerable precision by any one who
will take the trouble to inquire into the as
poets of desertion in the Union and confed-
crate armies during the great civil war of
1865. ---
The subject is well calculated to attract
the attention and intelligent considera ton
of such citizens as are concerned about the