Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-02-04
Adjutant General Dill Sui
mits Annual Report.
Tells Of Work Done During
The Past Year.
Armory Commission Is Proving to
Be Of Much Value.

states the annual report CT Ad1utant
General Elliott c. Dill. which was filed
with the governor today, is the trans
fer of the First Infantry to Coast Ar
tillery, announced in General orders,
No. 26. dated September first, ana ell
fective January l. 1910. This change
was made in accordance with the pro-
visions of Section 30 of The Military
Law. and was in fultillment OF what
might be termed an written but bind
ing pledge to the federal government.
The report says further in part:
"Facing constant shortage of Of
ficers and men TO man its coast de-
fences and seeing no likelihood OF Sc
curing immediate and material m
crcases in the Coast Artillery branch
of the regular army, the war depart
ment mapped out plan for coast ar
tillery reserves, urging the sea-board
states to provide the necessary troops.
with a view of increasing the states
in the plan, the War Department insti-
tuted in 1903 series of coast defence
exercises in which National Guard In
fantry was given an opportunity to
act as coast artillery reserves in SER
vice at the guns and mOrtars. The
trooys of this State participated in the
exercises of that year They again par
ticipated in 1907 but still as infantry,
no change in law having been made
Under which it was permissible to es-
tablish coast artillery corps.
"The War Department. however.
was informed that such changes would
be made and last year the assignment
of the First Infantry to part in the
Coast Defence Exercises was accepted
by the War Department with the I'M
Outstanding that the formal transfer
to coast artillery would be made with
in a reasonable time.
while it would have been possible
to have affected the transfer of the
First Infantry to the Coast Artillery
when the new law became effective on
the third of July. the fact that the or
sanizatior had already been accepted
for this wears work and the still more
important fact that there was only q
month intervening before the COM
m"nc"ment of tic tour of duty made it
seem better to defer the formal trans
fer. BY the publication of the order
for transfer early in September, with
tuc DTONlSo tllett lllt tllotISc Sil'ulu iiol
become effective until January I. 1910
the officers of the regiment were given
ample time to make preparations for
the change. This plan also made it
possible for accountable officers to
close their infantry accountability at
the regular time for making their an
nual returns on November 30th, there
by starting the new organization with
a clean sheet.
"In preparing for the transfer many
new problems have arisen but it is a
pleasure to state that this office has at
all times received the cordial and
healthfrl corporation of the officers of
the Division of Military Affairs of the
War Department. and the officers of
the Regular Coast Artillery in the Ar
tillery District of Portland. Colonel
Charles Collins. the commanding Off
Ger of the First Infantry, and the COM
man6er of the newly created Coast Ar
tiIlery, is entitled to official comnen-
dation for the difficult duty which ne
has performed in working out the
many intricate details attendant on the
transfer.
I'm taking up their new duties. the
officers and men of the First Infantry
are brought into closest possible and
almost constant touch with the regular
service; their local armories are to be
ultimately equipped with expensive
range finding apparatus and working
models of the guns and mortars which
they would man in time of war: and
they will also receive instruction at
their armories from an officer of the
Coast Artillery Corps. u. S. A.. spe-
clally detailed for that purpose.
While even the War Department
regards the Coast Artillery reserve
more or less in the nature of an exper-
iment it is being given serious thought
and strong support. The department
IS disposed to do everything that it
can TO make the service attractive to
the National Guard and throughout
eV'nceS a disposition to meet the State
fully halfway in building up an eff
cient force. The change from infantry
to coast artillery for Names First
Regiment of Infantry has long been
foreshadoWed and having come as it
has after fair opportunity for pre-
liminary test. believe that the future
will show it to lave been a step in the
right direction.
"The new law did not affect existing
conditions in the Second Infantry and
that organization is for the most part
an efficient body of National Guard
troops. very largely Differed by men
who are giving The nest that it in them
to attain highest proficiency.
Certain cl anges in the Medical
Department resulted under the new
law. first lieutenants Of the Medical
Corps being advanced to the grade of
captain at The erd of three years as in
the regular service. The Hospital
Corps DetachTents which were for
merly scattered in squads at the home
stations of the several officers of the
Medical Corps are now recruited at one
station for each Detachment. a change
which has greatly increased the eff
cheney of this branch of the service.
Contract surgeons now form a Medi-
cal Reserve Corps, bringing this part
of the state service in closer harmony
with the Medical Department of the
Army. A large amount Of new equip
ment was purchased for the Medical
Department prior to the summer field
service and the Department as a whole