MILITARY COLLEGES.

From tabulated data, results during last scholastic year not materially different from those reported for preceding year. Thirty-one thousand eight hundred and twenty-eight students present; 29,147 over 15 years of age; 26,227 capable of military duty; 15,516 enrolled as military students; 12,221 uniformed; total that received military instruction, 15,608; attendance at artillery drills, 1,214, and at infantry drills, 11,138.

Experience points out necessity of amending law authorizing details. Colleges, etc., must show now that a capacity exists for educating 150 pupils at same time; condition should be that not less than 150 are actually present. At 23 colleges the number of pupils present ranges from 50 to 100; at 7 of them the number was less than 50.

Value of military training as a factor of discipline is evidenced by the fact that, in most instances, degree of discipline is in direct ratio with amount of interest in military instruction manifested by the faculty.

Great lack of facilities for both indoor and outdoor exercises; none indoor at 25 colleges and inadequate at 30 others; none outdoor at 6 and poor at 10.

Good work of the officers successively commanding the Omaha High School cadets (with permission of War Department) steadily increasing; battalion of four uniformed companies, a drum corps, and one ununiformed company; average drill attendance, 248; satisfaction with the uniform (costing, complete, $12.65) shown by the voluntary purchase of over 200 uniforms.

High schools embrace an element that makes our greatest strength, but it is not extensively reached through the institutions having now a military detail. Looking to dissemination of elements of military instruction to youths at the most receptive condition of mind, high schools are logical objectives. Capable sergeants, however, could perform these duties.

MILITARY ACADEMY.

Number of cadets September 1, 1897, was 338 (including 1 foreigner)-largest ever present at the Academy at one time; 68 cadets graduated, 48 discharged for deficiency, 1 for disability, 6 resigned; total admissions 129, leaving 34 vacancies. (Three hundred and seventy-one legal strength; 384 could be accommodated.)

Recommends that the adjutant, whose duties are important and exacting, receive pay of captain mounted. (The adjutant receives now pay of regimental adjutant, $1,800; recommendation would give him, $2,000.)

Hope expressed that the bill favorably recommended by both military committees, giving master of the sword the pay, etc., of first lieutenant of infantry, will become a law at approaching session of Congress. (Master of the sword, a civilian, receives $1,500; first lieutenant of infantry, the same; the only difference, apart from military reasons, would be giving him the allowances, etc., of the grade.) Improvement of library building has become a pressing need.

Discipline and drill of cadets maintained at usual high standard; gratifying to state that health of command decidedly better than during preceding year.

WAR 97-2

CHAPLAINS.

Law deficient in not fixing age limit at appointment; over half between 40 and 55

when appointed.

Recommends no appointment of men over 30, or at most 35; candidate to be examined by board of 3 chaplains of same denomination as applicant and 2 medical officers, to determine physical, educational, and mental adaptability and qualifications; if chaplains not available, eminent clergymen attached to universities of denomination of candidate, to be employed as members; details of subjects, etc., determined by War Department as in case of other officers.

Conditions of chaplain's field differ widely from ordinary parish work; difficult for a middle-aged man to adapt himself to changed ways of life and new modes of thought and action; chaplains commencing when young can go where and do what an older man, as a beginner, would not even think of, or if thinking, would hardly ever learn to do effectively.

DETACHED SERVICE OF OFFICERS.

Details at colleges, with militia, etc., a heavy draft on effective strength, being additional to details for Military Academy, service schools, and recruiting; present number of such details can not be enlarged without serious injury to the service; artillery suffers especially, as subalterns of long service seek detail to colleges to aid in education of their children, which small pay and advancing years make a heavy tax on this meritorious class. Recommends number of officers at colleges, etc., be not increased. Service of artillery officers much needed now in their regular duties.

LAND FOR MINOR TACTICAL EXERCISES AND RIFLE RANGES.

Grounds for above needed at all permanent cavalry and infantry posts; recommends that they be provided for at Columbus and Washington barracks, Forts Sam Houston and Myer; also tract of ample size, say, near Columbus Barracks, Ohio, for instruction of Army with militia of several States in field duties; provision to be made by law for command and service of camp and for calling militia to it.

INCREASE OF THE ARTILLERY AND INFANTRY.

Urgently recommends that Congress be asked to pass bill now before it adding two regiments of artillery and two companies to each regiment of infantry. Bill has been reported favorably by both military committees and strongly recommended by Secretary of War and Major-General Commanding; is an absolutely necessary provision for care and use of seacoast defenses to meet the emergencies of the country's service.

ENLISTED MEN.

Character and efficiency of men in the ranks never higher. Short term of service, elimination of disadvantageous element, through purchase or order, careful recruiting, physical training, instruction, athletics, etc., coupled with judicious and humane discipline, have placed in the Army men of good character and conduct, fine physique, and highly efficient. Officials and press speak warmly of Army men when brought in contact with militia at camps of instruction and other places.

PAY OF NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

Earnestly recommended that attention of Congress be called to measure pending regulating pay of noncommissioned officers. Too much stress can hardly be laid on importance of duties and responsibility of the noncommissioned officers of the lineof artillery especially. To retain the best, remedy of inadequacy of present pay a factor of no small importance. Early passage of comprehensive measure covering the subject deemed of vital importance to best interests of the Army.

NEWSPAPER PUBLICATIONS.

For obvious reasons, all possible safeguards taken within sphere of military jurisdiction to prevent preparation for lake or coast defense being made known, but publication of articles on subject mischievous and dangerous. Their preparation, possession, or use, except for official purposes, should be forbidden by law under severe penalty.

CLERICAL DUTY IN THE ARMY.

Duties of this class of, now, civilian clerks assimilate to those performed by clerks in War Department, but compensation graded on much lower scale; especially true of chief clerk at general and department headquarters, whose duties demand large range of knowledge of military administration, Army regulations, laws, etc. To partly remedy existing unwarranted inequality, recommends that chief clerk at general headquarters receive pay of clerk of Class IV ($1,800); chief clerk at several department headquarters pay of Class III ($1,600); partial rerating simple justice to highly efficient men to be benefited. (This force provided for in Army appropriation bill; increase involved, $5,600.)

HALL OF RECORDS.

Crowded condition of rooms with clerks and records demands at least 10 additional rooms, average size; numerous calls from many patriotic persons and societies should, in the encouragement of patriotism, be met in a liberal spirit, and older records made readily accessible; a hall of records, a necessity which can not too strongly be urged, will afford much needed relief to War Department; recommends Congress be urgently requested to authorize additional building.

GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL FOR THE INSANE.

Three officers (1 retired) and 22 men (1 retired) admitted; 2 officers and 11 men (1 retired) discharged; 1 officer (retired) and 11 men have died during the past year.

THE ADJUTANT-GENERAL'S OFFICE.

Legal organization unchanged; entire clerical force actively employed on current work; calls of various offices for information received up to September 1, 1897, were all answered at that date.

Current business satisfactorily dispatched, though conducted under serious disadvantage of crowded quarters and increasing inadequacy of space for records and files.

Duties of clerks in this office second to none in importance, but organization with regard to higher grades below that in other bureaus, and operates to deprive valuable clerks in lower class from reasonable expectation of advancement rewarding intelligent, faithful, and prolonged service. Recommends that number in Class III ($1,600) be increased from 14 to 20, in Class II ($1,400) from 13 to 25, while number in Class I ($1,200) be reduced from 58 to 40, thus leaving total unchanged; recommendation is in line not only of justice but increased efficiency; ratio in Classes III and II will still be lower than in several other bureaus of the Department; increase in appropriation (legislative bill) will be only $4,800.

Concludes by bearing testimony to general intelligence, zeal, and efficiency of the clerks of this office.

Respectfully submitted.

The SECRETARY OF WAR.

SAM'L BRECK, Adjutant-General.

The fact that of the total number of applicants for enlistment 41,058 have been rejected, and 8,285 accepted, shows the care exercised in the selection of recruits for the Army.

The graduates of the military colleges of the country will furnish a trained body of young men available in time of need. The work would be more valuable, however, if the law which authorizes the detail of officers of the Army to colleges having a capacity to educate 150 pupils at one time was amended to authorize the details now provided by law only at such colleges and other institutions of learning as have not less than 150 pupils actually present for instruction.

The increase of the artillery has been discussed by the Major-General Commanding, and my views favorable to the measure follow his remarks.

INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S DEPARTMENT.

WAR DEPARTMENT, INSPECTOR-GENERAL'S OFFICE,

Washington, D. C., October 26, 1897.

SIR: In compliance with instructions, the following summary of matters mentioned in the annual reports of this Department for 1897, and possibly requiring legislative action, is submitted:

APPRENTICE BATTALION.

The apprentice battalion system, so successfully established in the Navy, would be of great advantage to the Army, and it is respectfully recommended that Cougress be urged to enact the necessary legislation for the establishment of a system and organization of a battalion of apprentices from 16 to 18 years of age, representative of the whole country, to be assigned after thorough training under the regulations of the War Department to certain designated permanent organizations until the type is thoroughly established in the service.

NATIONAL GUARD.

The National Guard is our main traditional reliance for the common defense. Its need for funds is most severely felt. A more adequate sum should be appropriated toward its maintenance.

MANEUVERS.

To obtain the utmost effectiveness, exercises simulating war are as imperative as the prior training of the individual soldier, and funds should be appropriated for field maneuvers, combined when practicable with the National Guard. With the passing of the veterans skilled in handling large bodies of troops, this subject demands serious and prompt attention.

SERVICE AND POST SCHOOLS.

To secure the best possible results, the admirable post-graduate service schools need a larger allotment of funds. The enlistment of the ignorant is now prohibited by law, so post should be made military schools intended more for the professional advancement of the enlisted men than their education in merely the common English branches.

ALLOWANCE OF QUARTERS.

The allowance of quarters established by the act of Congress approved June 18, 1878, is far below what is needed for ordinary comfort, and the requirements of the law are practically ignored in the construction of new posts. It is suggested that a readjustment of this allowance be made and presented for Congressional approval.

GYMNASIA.

It is suggested that in order to provide adequately equipped gymnasia at army posts, which are so essential to the physical training of the soldier, a larger appropriation for this purpose be asked from Congress.

REGIMENTAL CAVALRY POST.

The benefit to the service of the establishment of a regimental cavalry post east of the Mississippi River is respectfully submitted.

FUND FOR WIDOWS AND ORPHANS.

It is recommended that a fund be provided for the relief of the widows and orphans of military men by the stoppage of an equitable percentage of the pay of all persons hereafter appointed in the Army until they finally leave the service, in addition to all fines and forfeitures imposed upon commissioned officers by courts-martial and not otherwise expressly dedicated, said fund to be disbursed under such regulations as the Secretary of War may establish. A relief fund could thus be provided without any increased expense to the Government.

MILITARY COLLEGES.

In order to encourage the study of military science and tactics at civil institutions of learning, provision should be made for the appointment in the Army of the best college cadets and for the gratuitous issue or sale of uniforms.