The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1904-12-24

hcNtioh " icsiSHdtion, anu III 80 uoiHS
render an absolute loss to the guard, but
they are compelled to pursue this course
by reason of the continuous expense,
which, coupled with loss of time and
small service pay, there being no provfs-
ion to assist them in meeting the same,
become oppressive. They serve the pub
lie whenever required, often at person
al sacrifice; and as relief from this bur-
the States service, they should receive
some monetary allowance that would in
part cover necessary expenses. |, there
fore, repeat my recommendation Of last
year, that an annual allowance be pro-
vided by law to the officers of the Ma
tional Guard and Naval Reserve for the
purpose of part payment to them for
the purchse of uniforms
General Breintnall concludes his own
report with a tribute to the relations ex-
isting between himself and Governor
Murphy.
Lieutenant-C Colonel Charles w. Parker,
assistant acknowledgement, submits a
report as chief of the bureau of enrol
ment and drafting. This shows that there
are 5.154 line officers and enlisted men
and ffty-four staff officers in the active
militia in service in the State. Colonel
Parker estimates the total reserve militia
| comprising the able-bodied males of mill
tary age in the State, at 473, ,032. He re-
marks that under the supplement to the
State census law State enumeration Of
males of militia age will be made next
year and every tenth year thereafter. as
| part of the State census. In the absence
of such an enrolment this years figures
| are estimated from a comparison of the
number of males of militia age as ascer-
| tanned by the national census of 1890
| and 1900, respectively, and the average
annual rate of increase indicated thereby.
| Just what proportion of all males be-
tween the ages Of eighteen and fortylfve
years are not table-bodied' it is not prac-
| ticable to state, or to estimate with even
approximate accuracy, the construction
to be placed upon the term table-bodied'
being doubtful says Colonel Parker.
IF it be assumed that the term includes
only such males of statutory age as would
be accepted for enlistment in the regular
army, then about twenty per cent.
would not be fable4bodied,' and among
others, healthy men who are under the
prescribed height or weight would be ex-
empt from service. In the Spanish
American war about one-quarter of those
volunteering were rejected in the first in
stance, and others afterward discharged
on further examination. 1t is likely, how
ever, that the standard of physical ca
pacity required under those crcumstan-
ces was much higher than would be APP
propriate in case of an emergency draft.
npon the reserve militia, when every man
reasonably able to shoulder a rifle in his
country's defense would be liable to ser
vice, and minor physical defects would
necessarily be disregarded Viewed from
this standpoint, it is not likely that over
ten per cent of those of militia age
would be entitled from exemption as not
sable-bodied.
Surgeon General j d. McGill reports
that the administration of the medical de-
partment for the year has been without
especial incident. He remarks that the
hospital service at the camp grounds was
efficient and satisfactory and that the
sanitary conditions of the grounds was
in every way hygienic Commenting up
on the military manoeuvres in Virginia, in
which the Fourth and Fifth regiments
participated, the surgeon general says
that owing to delay in the reception of
medical reports he is unable at this time
to state the result as regards the ability
of the State troops to endure the physical
strain and fatigue incident to field ser
vice
Inspector General Joseph w. Congdon
says in his report that it is pleasure
to present the showing made by the Ma
tional Guard, which is an evident i'm
provement in the general morale and eff
cheney Of the State troops.
The fostering care of the State gov
ernment and the personal interest and
influence of his excellency the Governor
and commander-in-chief have been prime
factors in working this increased
efficiency" says General Congdon. Il
fully believe the new dignity and respon-
sibility which attach to the National
Guard, as a whole, by reason of the rec
ognition, cooperation and assistance Of