Evening star., 1909-04-19
AMERICA TOIRAN CUBAN ARMY
THREE ARMY CAPTAINS SAIL
THIS WEEK FOR HAVANA.
Gomez Asked for Them-Coast De-
fense, Artillery and Cavalry
Corps to Be Bettered.

Three young officers Of the United
States Army will sail from New York for
Havana this week to undertake the work
OF creating an effective, well drilled and
well disciplined Cuban army
These Officers. who have been assigned
by the Secretary Of War to undertake
this work. are Capt. P. s. Golderman
Of the Coast Artillery Corps, Capt. George
G. Galley OF the Field Artillery and Capt.
Frank Parker OF the 11th Cavalry. Each
Is under thirty years Of age.
To Capt. Golderman. q native Of New
York, will be intrusted the creation OF
a Cuban Coast Artillery Corps, trained
with the view Of manning the defenses,
particularly OF Havana and Santiago
Capt. Parker, South Carolinian. will
see to 1t that the youngest OF republics
has cavalry detachment trained along
American lines.
Capt. Gatley, who halls from Maine,
will give his attention to the mobile ar
tillery. paving special attention to the
training OF field and mountain gun de-
tachments.
Gomez Asked for Detail.
President Gomez Of Cuba is primarily
responsible for the detailing Of these Of
fcers to duty with the Cuban troops. he
having personally requested that Capts
Galley and Parker, both Of whom are
familiar with Cuban conditions be sent
to take charge OF the training Of the
field artillerymen and cavalrymen. For
the present no effort will be made to
train an infantry arm of the service.
That will come later.
Capt Golderman's job is perhaps the
most important, for to him will be given
the task Of perfecting the sea protection
OF the Cuban capital. There are at pres
ent in the Cuban army two so-called coast
artillery companies, and these organiza-
tions are to form the nucleus Of the
coast defense that Capt. Golderman is to
create.
After he has finished his Havana work
Capt Goiderman is expected to divide his
attention between Santiago. Matanzas
and other ports. wf1ere 1t is proposed to
have coast artillery commands perma-
nently detailed for service.
American Standards to Be Followed.
Capt. Gatley's duties will take him from
one end Of the island to the other. He
will begin work with the two companies
OF field and two companies of mountain
artillery already enlisted in the Cuban
army.
For the present the numerical increas-
ing Of this force is not contemplated, and
Capt. Galley will devote all Of his time
In bringing these four organizations up
to the American standard IL such thing
can possibly be done. There are many
officers who believe that II is not in the
Cuban to be soldier OF the first rank.
Capt. Parker. who is one OF the finest
horsemen In the United States Army, will
work with the so-called rural guards and
police. Out Of these organizations he is
expected to find enough partially trained
horsemen to develop an effective cavalry
force. The Cubans are naturally good
horsemen, and to Parker has apparently
fallen the easiest task OF any assigned
to these young officers.
At present the so-called Cuban army
consists OF about 5000 men, and the ex-
pectation is that the Americans will de-
crease the numerical strength and bend
their energies to perfecting a smaller
better trained and more easily controlled
force. Such an army, 1t ID believed, will
prove vastly superior, SO far as the needs
OF the troubled republic are concerned.
The new army will be equipped with the
krag-Jor6ensen rifles, the weapon used
by the regular army Of the United States.
and negotiations are now pending be-
tween the American and Cuban govern.
ments Tor the purchase by the former of
the necessary number Of these guns The
Dill has been introduced In Congress that
Will make this sale OF Krag-Jorgensens
possible.
While on duty Capts Parker. Galley
ana Golderman will rank as lieutenant
coIonels and will draw the salary paid
omcers OF that rank by the United States.
1ne CUBAN government will foot the bill.
Tne omcers will be away probably q year.