regiment of mounted troops. During the summer months, as the distance is but 131 miles, the three arms of the service can be assembled at Riley or Leavenworth or one large camp in the Indian Territory for field maneuvers and encampments to such extent as might be deemed advisable. BICYCLE AND MOTOR WAGONS. As very great progress is being made in European countries in the use of the bicycle and motor wagons, and as both have been found practicable in this country and would certainly be utilized to a great extent in case of war, I recommend that a force equal to one full regiment of twelve companies be equipped with bicycles and motor wagons and their utility thoroughly demonstrated by actual service. There are more than 4,000 officers and men in the Army who are able to use the bicycle as a means of transportation. The officers and men for such a regiment to be so equipped should be carefully selected from the most efficient and skillful in the use of this modern appliance, and I recommend that authority for such transfer be granted with as little delay as practicable. The bicycle has been found exceedingly useful in reconnoitering dif ferent sections of the country, and it is my purpose to use to some extent troops stationed at different posts to make practice marches and reconnoissances, and thereby obtain a thorough knowledge of their own country, especially the topographical features, condition of roads, sources of supplies, and all information of military importance. GENERAL CONDITION OF THE ARMY. As to the general condition of the Army, I would invite attention to the fact that in the reorganization of the Army in 1866 the available strength was 51,605; in 1869, 35,036; in 1870, 32,788, and during the great panic following 1873 it was reduced in 1874 to 25,000. At that time the nation was burdened with a great debt, and its financial condition was a problem then unsolved. The Army has been kept at that standard for twenty-one years, and is the same to-day as when we had 30,000,000 less population than we have now, with all our increasing wealth during that time. There is no more significance in the number "25,000" than in any other number that might by chance be selected. The Army should grow as the nation grows. There is no reason why it should become crystallized. It is one of the pillars of the nation. It is the main dependence of the civil government, that guarantees protection to life and property, and is the main reliance of the nation in case of war with any foreign Power. In my judgment it would be wise and patriotic to fix a reasonable standard by which the strength and numbers of the Army would be conditioned upon the ever-increasing wealth, population, and requirements of the nation. When such a standard is established the census of 1890 should determine the maximum and minimum limits of the Army during the decade following; the census of 1900 determine the strength of the Army for the following ten years, and the same way for 1910. We have now approximately 75,000,000 of people, and in a short time it will amount to 100,000,000-in the lifetime of many now living 200,000,000. I believe a safe standard for such a Republic would be the minimum of 1 soldier to every 2,000 population and the maximum 1 soldier to every 1,000 population; the increase and decrease within those limits to be determined by the necessities of the nation in the interest of judicious economy and public safety. I believe that the Army should be one great school of patriotism in which the young men of the country could enter, and thereby render good service to the nation and at the same time be so benefited as to enable them to return to civil life better citizens and experienced soldiers; or, should they desire to continue in the service, they could render their country valuable service in times of peace or war. Ten years ago, in my annual report of 1885, I called attention to this subject, as follows: One of the principal causes of the great number of desertions in the Army is, in my judgment, attributable to the present defective and very expensive system of recruiting, and I recommend that it be discontinued. The position of the soldier should be made such as intelligent Americans would seek, rather than desert. Sufficient extra compensation should be made to induce men to enlist in the various regiments and companies. The officers would then know the kind of men they were getting, and a less number would come from the lower wards of our great cities, and the Government would be spared the great expense of transporting them from 100 to 3,000 miles to their stations. The enlistment should be for three years and reenlistment for one year. In this way many of the best soldiers would continue in service and the worthless characters be discharged. The penalty for intended and actual desertion should be imprisonment for a definite term of years. One source of disappointment and discouragement to the ambitious and intelligent soldier is the impossibility of obtaining promotion above the grade of that of an enlisted man. As there are but few vacancies other than those filled by graduates from the Military Academy at West Point, it would be well to allow ambitious young men, after five years' service, to go before an examining board, and should their records as soldiers be found perfect and they be able to pass a rigid examination, then they should be entitled to their discharge with the rank of second lieutenant. It would be a material and social advantage to many worthy young men and would disseminate military knowledge and experience in the care of troops among the people of the States and Territories. Three of the above recommendations have since been adopted in the military service, and I earnestly call attention to the last as most important, and renew my recommendation in that respect. The condition and requirements of a soldier are now entirely different from what they were a hundred years ago and there is no necessity for enlisting any except young men whose mental, moral, and physical condition is of the highest order. The first requirement of a soldier is that he should be a good citizen-that is, imbued with the true principles that make perfect citizenship in this country. On entering the service he takes an oath to "bear true faith and allegiance to the United States of America," and hence it is important that he fully understand the principles of our Government. This should be one of the first and essential elements of his instruction. He should have the opportunity to study and become thoroughly informed as to the history and development of free ideas in our Government and the history of our nation. He should understand fully the principles of the Constitution and the laws based upon it and the vital importance of sustaining the supremacy of the civil law. From the time he enlists until his discharge, or at least for a term of years, a portion of the time should be devoted to acquiring such knowledge as is essential to a perfect soldier and intelligent, patriotic citizen. While this is being done the military instruction teaches him habits of industry, regularity, sobriety, respect for his superiors, and how not only to properly care for and control himself but to care for and control others, which are qualifications of very great importance should he remain in the military service or return to civil life. A very small number of noncommissioned officers are now promoted to the grade of officer after two years' service. There have been but 87 so promoted during the last ten years. Owing to the very limited number of vacancies to which soldiers can be promoted, I would recommend that where a soldier has rendered honorable and meritorious service for five years, and desires to leave it, he should be given an opportunity of going before a board of competent officers and, after passing a thorough examination, he should be commissioned a second lieutenant and given his discharge. In this way he will have gained a title and an honorable record. He will have saved a small sum of money and acquired a knowledge which would be valuable in any community. Such men would be a benefit to any community, and constitute a valuable reserve for the Government in case of war. They would be very useful should they become members of the National Guard, and I believe that such a recognition would be but a just reward for five years' faithful service, provided they qualified themselves as herein indicated and possessed all the requirements essential to be an officer of the Army. In my opinion, the pay of noncommissioned officers could be judiciously increased, especially that of first sergeants, considering the amount of responsibility required of that position. Concerning the officers of the Army, it is, in my judgment, desirable to adopt some system of improvement regarding the advancement not only in rank but in qualification for the service that may be required of them. I believe there should be such rotation in duty as will give all the officers a thorough knowledge of all departments of the service except the Medical Department; that their experience, instruction, and training should be such as to qualify them eventually to become general officers should the condition of the service require them in that capacity. It is important that we should educate men that will be able to organize, discipline, instruct, mobilize, and command regiments, brigades, corps, and armies, and men skilled in any one particular branch of the Army and devoting their whole lives to that service are not as well equipped as they should be to organize and control an entire force, be it a division or an army, composed of all its branches and elements. That promotion during the last thirty years has been to some extent discouraging, if not disheartening, is a fact well known. The artillery have been obliged to occupy, during much of that time, disagreeable, expensive, and unhealthy stations; and many of the men whose names were distinguished and had rendered invaluable service to the Government thirty years ago are now found on the list of captains, and in some instances lieutenants. During that time the infantry and cavalry have been performing invaluable service on the frontier and have made our entire Western country safe and secure for the millions of people who are now enjoying its benefits, and while they have endured all the hardships and privations and dangers incident to such service, many of the officers who commanded regiments, posts, and brigades in our civil war are now on the list of captains, with very little prospect of immediate promotion. Such a system, in my judgment, does not render the service as healthful and efficient as should be desired, and an improvement in that respect is, in my opinion, necessary and advisable for the best interests of the service. In my judgment, officers below the grade of colonel who have served thirty years and who also rendered distinguished and valuable service in the field during our great war should be permitted to retire with increased rank of one grade higher than that they now hold. Very respectfully, NELSON A. MILES, Major-General, Commanding. Hon. DANIEL S. LAMONT, Secretary of War. I have the honor to submit the annual returns of the Army: A. Showing the actual strength of the Army, June 30, 1895. B.-Showing position and distribution of the troops, by departments, taken from the latest returns on file in the Adjutant-General's Office. C.-Geographical departments and posts, with distribution of troops, post-offices, telegraph stations, and nearest railroad stations and boat landings. D.-Statement showing gain and loss in the enlisted strength of the Army during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1895. The number of enlisted men in service June 30, 1895, receiving increased pay under the acts of Congress of August 4, 1854, and May 15, 1872, was as follows: Five years' continuous service ($2 per month). Total.. 3, 344 2,067 1,050 620 338 9 4 1 628 8, 061 POST LYCEUMS, The reports from department commanders evidence commendable progress in the course of instruction and that, generally, officers have followed it during the year, with zeal in professional study and research. |