In addition to the above grades created, the bill provides for a slight increase in pay for certain grades already in the service, as follows: 44 casemate electricians, at $108 per year in addition to pay. 170 observers, first class, at $108 per year in addition to pay. 170 plotters, at $108 per year in addition to pay 44 chief planters, at $84 per year in addition to pay 44 chief loaders, at $84 per year in addition to pay. $4, 752 18, 360 18.360 3,696 3, 696 14, 280 170 observers, second class, at $84 per year in addition to pay. 31, 752 31, 752 These men are now drawing the pay of sergeants and corporals in the Army, which is $18 and $15, respectively, with certain allowances for length of service. The total annual cost of the additional grades and the increases provided for as above is $243,324. But it is proposed that no enlisted man shall receive more than one addition to his pay, and since it may be assumed that all these men for whom additional pay is proposed would be first-class gunners anyway, drawing $2 a month in addition to their pay, there should be deducted from the above $34,608, representing the firstclass gunner's pay which these 1,442 men would draw. This would make the corrected total pay for experts $208,716. The estimated annual cost of this legislation, including the special grades enumerated above, is as follows: Since the increase of officers is to be 20 per cent per year, the principal cost the first year, as far as officers' pay is concerned, would be simply due to promotion of certain grades and the addition of onefifth of the officers at the bottom. The cost of this the first year would be $261,830, or about $200,000 less the final cost five years from now. The cost indicated for the men is based upon an assumption that all the companies are full. The companies would certainly not be all filled up the first year, and it is safe to say that we may assume them as short during the first year as the companies of Coast Artillery now are, i. e., a general shortage of about 25 per cent. This would reduce, therefore, the cost of enlisted men the first year for pay, rations, and clothing to about $1,427,785. This added to the $261,830 indicated above as the cost of additional officers for the first year would bring up the cost of this increase for Coast and Field Artillery to $1,689,615 as the cost for the first year. EFFECT OF THE BILL UPON THE MAXIMUM STRENGTH OF THE REGULAR ARMY. In establishing a maximum strength for each branch of the line of the Army the act of February 2, 1901, provides in each case, "but the total number of enlisted men authorized for the whole Army shall not, at any time, be exceeded; and section 36 of that act provides, "and the total enlisted force of the line of the Army, together with such native force (Philippine Scouts), shall not at any one time exceed one hundred thousand." That is, a maximum is prescribed for each branch of the Army and a maximum prescribed for the whole. The sum of the separate maxima of the different arms is greater than the maximum of the whole; thus Maximum for line of Army, together with native scouts (section 36)--- 100,000 That is, the President can, by Executive order, maintain any branch at its maximum or can increase each a certain amount, but he can not maintain them all at their maximum strengths at the same time. This bill, section 8, proposes to raise the maximum of the artillery, but to retain the maximum of the whole the same as it is, i. e., 100,000 men. The maximum for the artillery would be increased 7,266 men, and the sum of the maximum for the separate branches would be increased to about 114,000 men. The increased maximum for the artillery will not necessarily be at the expense of either cavalry, infantry, engineers, or Philippine scouts, but under the proposed law the President will not be able to raise all of the different branches to their maximum at the same time. This he can not do under the present law. Under the proposed law, and according to the necessities of the case, he may maintain the cavalry at its maximum, the infantry at its maximum, the engineers and native scouts at their respective maximum, and the artillery at such a figure that the total strength of the Army will not be a hundred thousand; or, he may maintain any of them at such numbers as the necessities may require, provided the total of them all is not more than 100,000. It is now wholly discretionary with the President whether or not the different branches be maintained at their respective maxima. Under the new law this will be continued. He may, in his discretion, increase the Army to its maximum by cutting a little from the maximum from each arm, or he may do so by cutting it all from the maximum of any one. 59TH CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. 2d Session. BRIDGE ACROSS CALUMET RIVER, INDIANA. JANUARY 18, 1907.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed. Mr. WANGER, from the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 23939.] The Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 23939) to authorize the board of commissioners of Lake County, Ind., to construct a bridge across the Calumet River in the State of Indiana, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The bill has the approval of the War Department, as will appear by the indorsements attached and which are made a part of this report. [Second indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, Respectfully returned to the Secretary of War. The accompanying bill, H. R. 23939, Fifty-ninth Congress, second session, to authorize the construction of a bridge across Calumet River, appears to make ample provision for the protection of navigation interests, and I know of no objection to its favorable consideration by Congress so far as those interests are concerned. A. MACKENZIE, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers, U. S. Army. [Third indorsement.] WAR DEPARTMENT, January 16, 1907. Respectfully returned to the chairman Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce, House of Representatives, inviting attention to the foregoing report of the Chief of Engineers, United States Army. ROBERT SHAW OLIVER, Assistant Secretary of War. |