Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-12-10
Secretary Of War Endorses Them
And Wants Congress to Make
Appropriation for Them.
FoRTIFIcATIoN OF CANAL
Twenty Million Dollars Wanted for
Iurposc--Army Needs
More officers.

Washington. Dec. 9.-As might have
been expected after his personal flights
In neroplanes in Franco. Sccy. Dickin-
son comes out In his annual report
with strong Endorsement Of the NY
ing machine. and with Il recommended
ton to Congress- for an appropriation
TO provide the signal corps with Il rea-
sonable number of the better tyne OF
machines for instruction purposes and
field work. He recalls the fact that
the United StatcG was the first nation
officially to recognize the aeroplHnc for
military purposes and conducted at
Fort Myer in 1908 the first public flight
of a heavier than air machine, yet 1t
has since that date made no addition
to its acronautica equipment. which at
present consists Of one small dirigiblc
balloon, one Wright aeroplanc. and
three small! captive balloons. Nor has
II added to its trained personnel which
Mt present consists of one signal corps
lieutenant anC nine enlisted men. or
duty in connection with aeronautics.
There is only one officer who Is II IL
ccnscd pilot for free balloons
CHESAPEAKE BAY UNPROTECTED
The secretary calls attention to the
fact thut the entrance to Chesapeake
bay, one. Of the most important points
strateglc,Llly on the Atlantic seacoast.
Is wholly unfortined not a single gun
being mounted to defend the channel
between Ca pc Charles and Cape Henry.
At another important po.nt-the east
crn entrance 10 Long Island sound-ad-
ditional guns are needed. Except for
these ,nstance,s, so far as gyms alone are
concerned. the sea coast dCfenses at all
hbme ports are in a very satisfactory
state. but nich remains to be done in
providing such auxiinries as search
lights and in developing the fire con-
troll system. which will require about
81. OO0.0 900 expenditure.
FORTIFYINGy THE PANAMA CANAL
Congress lie asked to authorize an
expenditure OF s19,546.S43 for the forth
fication Of the ten'mini of the Panama
canal, including the construction OF
posts for the permanent garrison. and
s7.O0o.00O of this sum should be made
available Immediately In order to COM
plete the project within three years
The additional sum of 900 is also
wanted Immediately, to be applied to-
wards the creation of naval establish
ments in the canal zone as n necessary
part Of the defense of the canal.
The secretary notes with gratificatio
a reduction by 3O.6 per cent In the
number of assertions last year. COM
pared with the preceding year Alto
gcther there were 3,46i assertions. or
percentage of 1866 of the strength OF
the army. which was less than any fis-
Cal year since 1899. The decrease was
most marked in the engineers, field ar
tillery and cavalry.
DEsERTEEs.
This is believed to be the result of
the extraordinary effort made by the
department in the direction OF prompt
and vigorous pursuit of u desertcr by
means practically certain to result In
his apprehension and subsequent pun
lishment as n military convict under
the hard and rigorous conditions of
prison discipline.
The attitude OF the department Is
that Its duty Is to safeguard and pro-
tect tho interest OF the army, to cor
rect the evil rather than to reform the
cvillocr, and to impress the fact that
desertion from the army, which in time
of war may. be punishable by death. Is
In time of peace u criminal Offcnsc and
that the punishment of the descrter will
be severe
The death rate in the army last year
was the lowest that has ever occurred
the total number being $40. of which
ooS were from disease and 142 from
injuries. six of the latter being killed
by hostile Noros in action or while on
sentry duty. Tuberculosis claimed
the greatest number of victims, NUM-
bcrinS 43, and there We're 81 deaths
from gunshot wounds. There were 80
suicides and 10 homcldes.
~ A remarkable fact Is that no deaths
occurred from sunstrokc or snake bite
among the troops in the tropics. nor
from cold among the troops in Alas
5ka and along the northern frontier.
Alaska. by the way. as In former
years. has the bcst health record, de-
@cidedly cxcelling the United States,
which came second, followed by Porto
Rico, Hawaii .nnd the Philippines. The
rate for tho Philippines. however. i'm
proves year by year. and now APP
lproximntes more closely to those of
the United states do to Alaska
MORE OFFICERS NEEDED.
& Dealing with the regular army or
'snnlzution, the secretary urges the
adoption of II provision of law, similar
to that governing the navy, for the
elimination of inefficient officers. There
Is pressing need for efficient officers
to replace those detailed from their
regiments on necessary staff ana mis-
celaneous duty and the secretary
Of the pcntling bill providing for the
addition OF GLE officers Of various
grades Last June every officer on de-
Ftuched duty who could possibly be re-
lleved was ordered to join his proper
command, but the net result was dis
appointing, ls few of these officers
could be spared from the important
"details to which they have been as
signed.
Z The most serious feature of the pres
8cnt military situation and one that
should be corrected immediately, In
Athe opinion of Secy. Dickinson, Is the
shortage Of field artillery material.
There Is "a very inadeluate supply Of
of guns, carriages ana ammunition,
'idue largely, to lack Of approximations.
The types needed have been develop
ed and some OF each arc under manu-
facture, but the appropriations do not
permit of the production OF any con-
siderable quantity
- - The chief OF ordnance already has
called attention to the fact that much
time Is required to manufacture this
material and II would be impossible
TO obtain enough to supply the army
in time of war unless provision was
,smade accommodating the stock far in
advance.
RAISING THE MAINE.
y Touching the progress OF the work
3tof uncovcring the wreck OF the Maine
In Havana harbor, the secretary states
THAT the plans for the construction of
u Golfer dam OF intcrlockin~ steel pil-
Ing around the wreck have been an
proved and are now under execution. |
II Is proposed to draw off the water MS
soon as the dam Is tight and remove
the everything mud and other material |