This regiment disembarked from ships, for encampment ashore, at San Diego, Cal., March 20, 1911, returning to their proper stations during June and July, 1911. Owing to the limited number of men available on the Pacific coast when this regiment was formed, approximately one-half its enlisted personnel had had less than three months' service. In the opinion of this office, it is inadvisable to send men on expeditionary service who have not had at least three months' service, and, so far as practicable hereafter, only men who have passed through the recruit depots will be assigned to this duty. INSPECTION DISTRICTS. The office of the assistant adjutant and inspector, South Atlantic inspection district, at Norfolk, Va., was closed on June 1, 1911, and that of the assistant adjutant and inspector, North Atlantic inspection district, at Philadelphia, Pa., was closed on June 10, 1911. WITHDRAWAL OF MARINE GARRISONS. In accordance with the orders of the department, the marine garrisons at the naval training station, San Francisco, Cal., and Newport, R. I., and at the naval stations, Culebra, P. R., and San Juan, P. R., were withdrawn in July, 1911, and at the navy yard, Pensacola, Fla., and the naval station, New Orleans, La., in September, 1911. This, together with the transfer of the Advanced Base School to Philadelphia, increases the number of men available elsewhere and relieves the Marine Corps from the expense of maintaining these small posts. NEW SPRINGFIELD RIFLES. The sum of $200,000 was appropriated by Congress in the last and current years' naval appropriation acts, for the procurement from the Army of a sufficient number of the new Springfield rifles to fully equip the Marine Corps. These rifles have been secured and steps are being taken to distribute them amongst the various garrisons of the corps. RATIONS. A new system of providing rations has been instituted at all posts of the Marine Corps, which for convenience has been designated the "Component system." Under this system dealers are requested to quote unit prices on the various components which constitute the ration. Awards are made by items and supplies are contracted for by items. In this way dealers in specialties can bid and supply the articles in their particular line, which was not possible under the old system. The inauguration of the component system has resulted in stimulating competition with a further result of a very material saving to the Government. It is estimated that a saving of approximately $50,000 will be effected during the current year by this method of procuring the ration. The detachment of 100 enlisted men under command of Capt. Harry R. Lay, United States Marine Corps, who acted as markers and scorers during the matches at Camp Perry, Ohio, performed its duties in a very satisfactory manner, and received favorable comment from all officials and visitors at the matches. The discipline and conduct of this detachment were above reproach, and brought favorable notice to the Marine Corps at Camp Perry and vicinity. The showing of the rifle team this year, the extra compensation which qualification under the Small Arms Firing Regulations carries, and the award of cash prizes for the individual, post, and interpost competitions have combined to stimulate the greatest interest in rifle practice, and will result in increasing proficiency in markmanship in the Marine Corps. EXPEDITIONARY FORCE. A provisional brigade was formed at Philadelphia, Pa., under command of Col. L. W. T. Waller, United States Marine Corps, for special temporary foreign shore service, Guantanamo, Cuba, the first regiment of which embarked on the U. S. S. Prairie March 8, 1911, consisting of 31 officers and 731 enlisted men under the command of Col. George Barnett, United State Marine Corps. The second regiment, consisting of 31 officers and 685 enlisted men, under the command of Col. Franklin J. Moses, United States Marine Corps, embarked on the U. S. S. Dixie March 9, 1911, at Philadelphia, Pa., and March 11, 1911, at Norfolk, Va., 140 enlisted men embarking at Philadelphia, and the remainder at Norfolk. On March 13, 1911, 22 officers and 666 enlisted men, under the command of Maj. George C. Thorpe, United States Marine Corps, fleet marine officer, were landed at Guantanamo, Cuba, from the following named vessels of the United States Atlantic Fleet: Connecticut, Michigan, North Dakota, Minnesota, Idaho, Mississippi, Vermont, Georgia, Nebraska, Rhode Island, and Virginia, and were organized as the Third Regiment, Lieut. Col. Ben H. Fuller, United States Marine Corps, being assigned the command. The detachments of the above-named vessels, together with the first and second regiments of the provisional brigade, were returned to their proper stations in June of the current year. It is believed that better results would be obtained for the service at large if the strength of the Marine Corps permitted of all expeditionary forces being taken from shore stations, using the marines of the fleet as a landing force only on those occasions where immediate action is necessary, and in conjunction with the fleet itself. A regiment consisting of 12 officers and 503 enlisted men, under command of Col. Charles A. Doyen, United States Marine Corps, embarked on the U. S. S. Buffalo March 11, 1911, for expeditionary service on the Pacific coast. This regiment was distributed as follows among vessels of the United States Pacific Fleet: This regiment disembarked from ships, for encampment ashore, at San Diego, Cal., March 20, 1911, returning to their proper stations during June and July, 1911. Owing to the limited number of men available on the Pacific coast when this regiment was formed, approximately one-half its enlisted personnel had had less than three months' service. In the opinion of this office, it is inadvisable to send men on expeditionary service who have not had at least three months' service, and, so far as practicable hereafter, only men who have passed through the recruit depots will be assigned to this duty. INSPECTION DISTRICTS. The office of the assistant adjutant and inspector, South Atlantic inspection district, at Norfolk, Va., was closed on June 1, 1911, and that of the assistant adjutant and inspector, North Atlantic inspection district, at Philadelphia, Pa., was closed on June 10, 1911. WITHDRAWAL OF MARINE GARRISONS. In accordance with the orders of the department, the marine garrisons at the naval training station, San Francisco, Cal., and Newport, R. I., and at the naval stations, Culebra, P. R., and San Juan, P. R., were withdrawn in July, 1911, and at the navy yard, Pensacola, Fla., and the naval station, New Orleans, La., in September, 1911. This, together with the transfer of the Advanced Base School to Philadel phia, increases the number of men available elsewhere and relieves the Marine Corps from the expense of maintaining these small posts. NEW SPRINGFIELD RIFLES. The sum of $200,000 was appropriated by Congress in the last and current years' naval appropriation acts, for the procurement from the Army of a sufficient number of the new Springfield rifles to fully equip the Marine Corps. These rifles have been secured and steps are being taken to distribute them amongst the various garrisons of the corps. RATIONS. A new system of providing rations has been instituted at all posts of the Marine Corps, which for convenience has been designated the "Component system." Under this system dealers are requested to quote unit prices on the various components which constitute the ration. Awards are made by items and supplies are contracted for by items. In this way dealers in specialties can bid and supply the articles in their particular line, which was not possible under the old system. The inauguration of the component system has resulted in stimulating competition with a further result of a very material saving to the Government. It is estimated that a saving of approximately $50,000 will be effected during the current year by this method of procuring the ration. COOKS AND BAKERS. Authority has been obtained for a limited number of enlisted men of the Marine Corps to take the course at the Army schools for cooks and bakers; eventually it is hoped to have trained cooks at all the barracks and available for duty with companies on expeditionary service. INSTRUCTION OF OFFICERS AT ARMY SCHOOLS. Two field officers of the Marine Corps took the course of instruction for field officers at Fort Leavenworth, Kans., during the month of March, 1911. These two officers have been detailed to take the course at the Army War College, Washington, D. C., for the school year beginning September 1, 1911. Two captains are taking the course of instruction at the Army School of the Line at Fort Leavenworth, Kans. RECRUITING. There are now 12 recruiting districts and 99 stations. The following comparative statement shows the progress of recruiting during the fiscal year ended June 30, 1911: Cost of recruiting per man enlisted, including transportation... $57.998 38. 88 At the present time the Marine Corps is short of its authorized complement by only 61 men. The endeavor has always been to emphasize quality, rather than quantity, in the matter of enlistments, and, with the corps almost recruited to the authorized strength, the standard will be raised still further. During the year acting assistant surgeons, United States Navy, were detailed for duty at all but three of the headquarters stations of recruiting districts. As a consequence, a reduction in the number of applicants rejected at posts is expected. It is expected that during the current fiscal year, greater economy and efficiency will result from the adoption of a new system of recruiting. Under this system applicants are not enlisted at recruiting stations, but are examined physically, mentally, and morally. If deemed desirable they are then forwarded to recruiting depots for reexamination, and enlistment if found qualified. This system has been adopted in the United States Army with marked success. Under date of August 8, 1911, the Comptroller of the Treasury decided that it was legally applicable to the Marine Corps, and its adoption was approved by the Acting Secretary of the Navy on September 6, 1911. It is anticipated that the following advantages will accrue from this system: (a) The desirability of the applicant from a mental and moral standpoint will be passed upon by an officer of experience, thus tending to raise the standard of men accepted. (b) It will allow the medical examination of an applicant by a naval medical officer of experience prior to the completion of the enlistment, and will reduce to a minimum the number of men necessarily discharged by medical survey. (c) It will result in the saving to the Government of the value of the clothing actually issued to a recruit, or of his clothing allowance if not issued; his pay and rations while awaiting discharge, and the difference between the prescribed travel pay of an enlisted man and the cost of Government transportation of an applicant from the place of rejection to the place of application. There have been about 600 men discharged annually from the Marine Corps by medical survey for physical disability not in the line of duty, and the saving to the Government on these men will range from $30,000 to $60,000 annually, depending upon the length of time they were retained in the service. (d) Prevention of many fraudulent enlistments through the detection of "repeaters" by the finger-print system prior to their actual enlistment. After enlistment, recruits are retained at a recruit depot for a course of instruction in their duties, in order that they may be thoroughly grounded when transferred to stations for regular duty. Effort is also being made to ascertain and eliminate the causes of desertion and when it may be attributed to inaccurate or incomplete information furnished at recruiting stations, a thorough investigation is made. Whenever practicable, officers and enlisted men detailed for recruiting duty are being sent to the headquarters station of a large recruiting district for preliminary training prior to their regular assignment to a recruiting district. A comprehensive set of instructions embodying all existing orders on the subject, is now being prepared and will be issued in the near future to the recruiting service for its information and guidance. GOOD-CONDUCT MEDALS. During the past year 703 good-conduct medals and 92 good-conduct medal bars have been issued to enlisted men of the Marine Corps. CAMPAIGN BADGES. Since the date of the last annual report the following campaign badges and bars have been issued to officers and enlisted men of the corps: Nine Civil War campaign badges and bars, 45 China campaign badges and bars, 33 Spanish campaign badges and bars, 149 Philippine campaign badges and bars, and 1,182 Army of Cuban Pacification badges. The Italian Red Cross Society conferred medals, with diplomas, upon 2 officers and 52 enlisted men, composing the marine detachment of the U. S. S. Illinois, for services rendered in connection with the earthquake at Messina, Italy, December 28, 1908. |