The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-01-22
Coast Artillery Bill Being Pre-.
pared Will Change Army
Z Standard.
PROVIDES FOR Increased
EFFICIENCY AND NUMBERS
i Five Years see' Officers Of All
| Grades Will be Added, sos Coast
1 9Artillerymen and s5s Field Artillery.
mi: More Electricians, Too, and
ian Increase Of Pay.

r. (sociated Press to The Evening Times.
ashington, d. c., Jan. 22-The
I bast Artillery bill which is now being
pnsidered by the Senate provides for
"a increase during the next five years
SRf 296 officers Of all grades and an in
Serease of 5043 in the number of coast
gartillerymen, together with an increase
esof 1853 field artillerymen. The number
lof electrician sergeants is increased
from 100 to 14s. These one hundred
electrician sergeants now draw $34 per
month each with allowances. The one
/. hundred and ofrty eight provided for in
the bill are divided into classes; seven
ty four of them will draw $35 per
month, and seventy four will draw $45
per month each, allowances being
made for both classes. The total in
crease in cost for these special serv-
ices will be $30,240. An additional
master electrician Is provided at cost
of 5000. Sixty engineers are provided
at $3.50 each per annum, a total of
$46,800. Forty two master gunners at
$4O9 each, are provided for, the total
host being $17,136; also sixty firemen
at $3.50 per annum a total of $21 900.
Slight increases of pay are given as
follows: A casemaker electricians,
sos per annum; 40 observers, first
class, $10S per annum; 40 plotters,
sos per annum; AZ chief planters $S4
per annum; A chief leaders, $S4 per
annum; 40 observers, second class,
$S4 per annum; 37S gun pointers, $S4
per annum, all in addition to their
present pay, which is that of a SER
geant or corporal, or SIS and SIS per
month, respectively, with certain al
lowances for length of service. In this
connection It is worth noting that gun
commander in the coast artillery re-
ceives S24 per month while turret
captain in the navy gets $50 to $40 per
month. Gunners in the coast artillery
stationed at guns of eight inches or
larger caliber, receive So per month
extra for the first class. and 81 per
month for the second class. For guns
of four to seven inches in the navy
the gun pointers receive S. per month
for the first class and $6 per month for
the second class, and for three inch or
smaller caliber, first class gunners
get 81 per month and the second class
So per month extra. The gunners for
the coast artillery for all calibers of
guns receive only 50 per month extra
for first class gunners and 81 per
Cow, a1o
show that the most poorly paid naval
gun pointers receives the same ad-.
ditional compensation as that given
to the most highly paid coast artillery
gunner.
"Of the forces authorized by law"
said Senator Warren, chairman of the
Senate committee on Military affairs,
"The Artillery corps is short from
thirty to forty per cent because of the
inability Of the recruiting department
of the army to keep the artillery sup
piled with recruits. This is due TO
the fact that these men are called on
to do SO much in consequence of a
shortage of men, and get such little
compensation for their labor that they
will not enlist. Many of them desert
before their time expires and the Of
ficers are becoming somewhat discour-
aged. Congress has been adding 10
the defenses from time to time and
turning over to the artillery new forti-
fications and new works, new acces-
sories, new power plants, new electri-
cal installations and new search-lights
until it is about to give way under
the burden. 1t can not properly meet
the responsibility that is accumulating
about it,
The War Department has ruled that
the expense of procuring or preparing
abstracts and title papers to lands to
be purchased for target ranges and
shooting galleries, the cost of neces-
sary services and any other legitimate
expenses entailei In securing the con-
sent of owners to sell are proper
charges against the amount allowed
the state for rifle practice. provided
the purchase of the land involved is
accomplished. Any buildings essential
for storage purposes or for housing
caretakers on a state rifle range would
be q legitimate charge against the
rife practice appropriation, but the
erection of barracks for the accom-
mediation of the state militia is mat
ter for the state to take care of.
The War Department has recon-
mended to the House committee on
Military affairs legislation providing
for the equipment of the militia with
the type of rifle used by the regular
army whenever such type is changed.
At the present time the regular
army is equipped with what Is known