Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1905-12-11
WAR DEPARTMENT
/ REPORT IS MADE
Secretary Taft Tells
of Condition of
Army.
PANAMA WORK PROGRESSES
Much Has Been Done---War
Footing of Country at
Large is Good.

washington, d. c., Dec. lin the
report OF Secretary of War William Fl.
Taft, he says, in part:
The army of the United States
consists of 3,744 officers and 56,439 en-
listed men, total of G0,1S3. In addi.
ton there are in the service 3,167 men
OF the Hospital Corps. There are also
IN the service 81 officers and $40 men
OF the Porto Rico regiment, and 100
officers and 3,97S enlisted Philippine
scouts.
During the year 4,535 Filipinos
were enlisted for the Philippine
scouts. AS required by law, they were
all natives of the Philippine Islands.
OF the total number, 1852 were origin
al enlistments and 2,173 were re-en.
listments.
Including the Porto Rico Provision
al Regiment and the Philippine scouts,
there were killed in action or died OF
wounds and disease, SIT; discharged
upon expiration of term of service,
26,5l4; discharged for disability, by
sentence of court martial and by or.
der, 9,752; deserted, $3.50; retired,
24S.
Conditions in Army.
There have been no military opera
tions of serious proportions. In the
Philippines there have been numerous
encounters with savage and half-sav-
age natives. In the whole army the
lessened rate of sickness and mortali-
ty is most gratifying, and even bet
ter results may be anticipated in the
future"
The lack of officers of late years has
assumed proportions which constitute
a menace to the discipline of the army
and to it's effectiveness as a fighting
machine. Attention is called particu.
larly to the need for additional officers
for the ordnance and me,lical depart
ments.
submarine OeTenSeS.
During the past year eight Pinch
guns, one S.inch gun, seventeen NOR
tars, and forty-siX rapid-fire guns have
been mounted for coast defenses. Plans
for the submarine defense of all i'm
portant harbors of the United States
have been prepared by the torpedo
board. Preliminary projects for the
emergency defense of the most i'm.
portant harbors in our insular posses.
sions have been prepared and have
been approved.
The Militia.
Under wise and liberal laws passed
by Congress a closer relation has
been established between the army and
the militia. The combined maneuvers
of the army and the militia were very
successful and of great value to the
troops engaged. 1t is gratifying to
record the growing appreciation of
the Importance of good craftsmanship.
Great attention is being paid to tar
get practice, and the results have been
in the main. The re-or-
ganization of the militia has pro-
gressed steadily during the year. The
aggregate strength of the organized
militia of the states and territories, is
121 1,9OS
Roster of Troops.
The compilation of the roster of
officers and enlisted men of the Union
and Confederate Armies has been con-
tinued, but the collection of Confeder-
ate records is far from complete. 1t
is hoped that they will be further aug
mented by additional loans of original
records. A resolution of Congress, au-
thorized the surrender certain captured
battle flags of the Civil War.
All of these battle flags that could
be identified have been returned to the
governor of that state, but there still
remain 1854 Union and 28S Confeder-
ate flags that it has been found i'm
possible to trace to the former owner.
ship.
Panama Canal.
The Panama Canal is to be built by
manual labor and machinery. The
number of laborers required will per-
haps be $4,000. Panama is a sparsely
settled country, with few laborers
available. When Mr.. Wallace left, the
pay roll contained the names of 5000
persons, but in three months, this has
been increased from 5000 to 10000.
The towns of Panama and Colon
and the sixteen towns and villages ly-
ing between them along the line OF
the canal and the railroad, all must be
furnished with water. Sewers are now
being constructed in Panama, and
about fifty per cent. of them have been
completed. Preliminary to the work
of construction proper, much OF the
tima of the engineer and his assist