The San Francisco call., 1904-04-14
THE INSTRUCTION CAMP.


/ the Government provide the places and the
for instruction in artillery gunnery and small
craftsmanship. This practically that land
forces shall be trained as sea forces are
The Importance of such training proved in the
Spanish war Our men behind the guns ships
had been long drilled the service and aiming of naval
artillery The Spanish ships in tonnage and equip
ment the equal of But the poverty indifference
of the Spanish Government had made consider
wastefu the of ammunition in practice. When
ships engaged the Spanish fleets shots home,
while the Spanish gunners had skill enough hit
the islands they defending much less the ships
fleets.
The land battles of Spain were in the same condi-
ton Indeed some of them had ammunition al all.
This furnished the only humorous incident OF the brief
war. When Captain Glass sailed up Guam and took
crack the fort the Spanish Governor, who had not
heard of the thought it salute and put off for
Gasss ship with his staff full uniform to apologize for
returning the salute because his Government fur
nished him powder He carried off prisoner
of war without change of shirts
Our Government, pursuance OF its policy of making
land troops efficient the actual operations OF war,
has provided for the location in different parts of the
country of instruction camps of such ample to
accommodate cavalry and infantry drill furnish space
Tor artillery practice large scale and for training in
rifle shooting One of these camps is TO be located
this and for climatic and other the War De-
partment prefers that it be in California commission
appointed for the purpose reported two three sites
in San Luis Obispo County and adjacent territory The
of these rival properties of antag
other with the result of holding the selection
abeyance and another commission has been appointed
to re-examine the whole subject and make report
AS evident that in the Philippines have hand
the kind of job, with difficulties, the sub
lection of our warlike Indian tribes, there will be upon
for long time the necessity of forwarding and
returning the islands considerable military force
xOftI erl;ro
nit the force remain there than years.
so change of must be going all the time
camp of instruction here Mill have be occupied
nualIy by force of from FIVE thousand men,
and their commissary and maintenance matters of
importance which transportation and supplies must be
considered
The first public movement to promote proper location
undertaken by the State Board of Trade which
has appointed committee to cooperate with the
military commission and ask the assistance of the
other commercial bodies of this city This is practi-
cal and worthy started none
right consult and assist the economical fea-
of the selection, which all the taxpayers
For immovable and Interchangeable physical reasons
economy requires that the location be in California 1t
should be made at point where the large ranspor
tation of equipment and supplies may be monopoly.
but be affected by and rail competition 1t
unreasonable ask that be also where the largest
number of people may enjoy whatever benefit there in
AS the effect of such location is felt benefcaly by
the State and reciprocaly by San Francisco this city
cannot be Indifferent it.
AS the State Board of Trade has led off in the
all of people should manifest their interest lend
hand in the work Army officers familiar with our
military posts and entirely of climatic
conditions. They know the latter be favorable above
any other part of the country The difficult part of their
task finding location OF sufficient for artillery
practice and cavalry drill and rightly placed as to
economic in transportation and the purchase of sup
plies
Surely such place can be found somewhere around
the bay and be acquired reasonable price Here
the health of the best assured and their training
will be but little interrupted by adverse weather 1t is
that there theorists who deprecate the forma-
tion of such camps because they imply training for
But the day has when a nation can afford
snub the defensive and when the necessity for
their appears the theorists have never been found
ready step from their protection and stand the
risk 1t is practical and theoretical matter
and should be treated from the standpoint of military
efficiency and public economy alone.
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The Berkeley moths have temporarily let go of the
university professors gowns take utter at the noble