Norwich bulletin., 1913-07-12
CHANGE IN COAST ARTILLERY Will Follow Experiment In Administration In New London District-Wll Reduce Number of Staff Officers And Enlisted Men In All Coast Defenses.

tration put into effect by Colonel Davis will be a model for the other defenses.
 According to the report of Colonel Davis, in crying out the plan in the old New London district the office es- tablishment of the post of Fort Terry and Fort H. G. Wright were discontln- ued, and all of the administration was conducted from the district headquar- ters at Fort H. c. Wright The senior officer on duty at Fort Terry was des- ignated as executive for the fort and was responsible for the enforcement of all district orders with respect to troops. He was directly responsible for the discipline and instruction, and Tn case of emergency issued such instruc- tions as the conditions required, re- porting his action to headquarters as soon as practicable.
 District Supervision.
 The district quartermaster and com missary at Fort H. G. Wright receipt ed for all quartermaster and commits sary supplies and funds, and admins tered the affairs of the two depart ments for the district. The district ordnance officer at Fcrt Wright per- formed similar duties with reference to this department The district artillery engineer took charge of all power plants, telephones, fire control in staIlation in the district, issuing such y V rious forts on memorandum receipts. The senior surgeon in the district was made responsible for medical admins tration.
 All official communications concern ing troops at Fort Terry were trans mitted through the executive there, who initialed them below the sigma lures.
 The commanding officers of the or ganizations at Fort Terry telephoned of their organizations to the district headquarters before g a. m. and mailed by the morning boat transcripts show ing all changes. A similar report was made by the sergeant major at Fort Terry for the noncommissioned staff and prisons. All descriptions and ;- signment cards of the noncommission- ed staff and hospital corps at Forts Terry and NTltchie were forwarded to the headquarters.
 Conclusions Drawn.
 Tn discussing the experiments at New London. Colonel Davis concludes:
 'FThe results under some of the items are direct consequences of the unit system, but it is believed more logical to enumerate the items under practi- cability rather than direct conse- quenceS.
 with respect to item IA. it may be stated that there has been no trouble whatever as to Quartermaster supplies. At times there has been inconyenience in the matter of commissary supplies, owing to failure of boats to land and errors in delivery. There has been an occasional loss of packages and dam ages to stores, the value of such loss es which could not be placed not ex- ceeding $75 for the year.
 Errors Now Very Rare.
 'At first these errors and damages were comparatively frequent, but now are very rare. 1 required company commanders for time to send in dai- ly slips showing their supply service; after a time satisfactory came in so generally that it was @ waste of time to require the reports, and now reports are made only when the service is not satisfactory, and reports are very linn tied.
 'I did not require, but invited off, cers to send in complaonts as to supply for personal esrvice. There have been small n1ixups, of course, but evidently not of enough importance to be made of record, as practically no complaints were received.
 T assembled the field officers and