OFFICERS.

12. An increase of officers necessarily accompanies an increase of enlisted men, 40 officers for each 1,000 men being the minimum number that should be authorized. As at present constituted, the Marine Corps is underofficered, especially in the higher grades. In this connection the department's attention is invited to the recommendation contained in my last annual report as to an increase of officers.

13. During the last five years brigades of marines have been engaged in foreign expeditionary duty on six different occasions. Each of these brigades has been commanded by a colonel, for the reason that there are no brigadier generals in the Marine Corps. In military organizations other than the Marine Corps brigades are commanded by brigadier generals, and justice, as well as efficiency, demands that the grade of brigadier general be authorized by Congress. If two brigadier generals be appointed, the increased expense to the Government would be inappreciable, while the increased efficiency resulting therefrom would be incalculable.

14. There are insufficient officers of field rank in the Marine Corps, and, due to this fact, I have been compelled to assign captains to commands to which field officers should properly be assigned. For instance, the recruit depot at Port Royal, S. C., where about 1,000 men will be stationed, will be commanded by a captain, notwithstanding the fact that the great importance of the duty calls for the detail of at least two field officers-one in command of the post and one as executive officer of the depot. For these reasons I have embodied in my recommendation for additional officers a slightly increased proportion of field officers.

INCREASE RECOMMENDED.

15. The following recommendation as to the increase in numbers in each grade of officers and enlisted men is submitted:

16. Relief for second lieutenants from the present stagnation in promotion is imperatively needed, as nearly one-third have served in that grade over 6 years. At the present rate of promotion, more than 15 years' service in the grade of second lieutenant is what may be expected. Officers of the Navy are promoted to the next higher grades upon the completion of 3 years' commissioned service, and second lieutenants should receive the same promotion. If this provision is not made, our young officers, feeling the discrimination, will become discouraged and disheartened, and their usefulness to the service greatly impaired. The department's attention is further invited to the fact that if the action herein recommended is adopted, 3 years' service in the grade of second lieutenant will be compulsory, and a repetition of the very undesirable practice of promoting second lieutenants after a few months, or no service, which has sometimes occurred when large increases have been made, will be discontinued.

DETAIL SYSTEM FOR STAFF DEPARTMENTS.

17. The detail system in the staff departments of the Army has demonstrated its superiority over the former system of permanent appointments. The present Army system provides that all vacancies occurring in the staff departments shall be filled by promoting the permanent staff officers of the respective departments as formerly required by law, and that the vacancies thus created at the foot of the lists of such departments shall be filled by the detail of line officers of corresponding grades for periods of four years. The arguments in favor of this system are, in my opinion, unanswerable, and its adoption by the Marine Corps is therefore recommended.

WARRANT OFFICERS.

18. There are no grades of warrant officers in the Marine Corps to which our noncommissioned officers may be promoted. These grades would, if established, not only offer a just reward for faithful and efficient service, but would also provide a class of officers of great value to the service. Very recently the Navy pay clerks have been made warrant officers, and the same necessity exists for warranting Marine Corps paymaster's clerks, and the quartermaster's clerks assigned to duty in the field. Similarly, the assistants to the adjutants at Marine Corps brigade and regimental headquarters,

as well as at the posts, and the experts in the various technical branches of advance base work, should be warranted. This policy is in line with that of the British Royal Marines, in which branch of the service warrant grades were created many years ago.

The titles suggested for these grades are warrant officers, quartermaster's clerks (field), and paymaster's clerks.

The statute creating these warrant grades should contain the following provisions: (1) Sergeants major, first, and gunnery sergeants only should be eligible for assignment to the position of warrant officers; (2) quartermaster sergeants only should be eligible for warrant as quartermaster's clerks (field), except that, in order to provide for the present field clerks, four of the original appointments may be made from field clerks now in the Quartermaster's Department; (3) the paymaster's clerks now in the service, and quartermaster sergeants (pay department) only should be eligible for warrant as paymaster's clerks; (4) Marine Corps warrant officers should be on the same basis as to rank, pay, and allowances as are boatswains in the Navy; (5) quartermaster's clerks (field) and paymaster's clerks should be on the same basis as are pay clerks of the Navy, and (6) the quartermaster's clerks (field) should be transferred from the civil to the Military Establishment of the Marine Corps.

NONCOMMISSIONED OFFICERS.

19. Heretofore the Marine Corps has not been allowed a sufficient number of noncommissioned officers to perform its great variety of important duties. I have, therefore, in the recommendation contained in paragraph 15 of this report, endeavored to rectify this condition to some extent. The department's attention is invited to the fact that there are only six grades of noncommissioned officers in the Marine Corps, while in the Army and Navy there are a great many more grades than the number above mentioned. I deem it undesirable, as stated in my last annual report, to create additional grades of noncommissioned officers, but recommend instead an increased proportion of sergeants major, quartermaster sergeants, first sergeants, gunnery sergeants, sergeants, and corporals, in order to povide men of suitable rank to perform the numerous important duties assigned to the Marine Corps.

CERTIFICATES OF MERIT.

20. Medals of honor are awarded to enlisted men of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps for heroic conduct. In addition, enlisted men of the Army may be awarded certificates of merit for gallant or meritorious service of a degree not sufficiently distinguished to warrant the award of medals of honor. These certificates of merit carry with them an increase of pay of $2 per month. The object of awarding these certificates is to encourage men to do more than their duty, and to reward men who seek opportunities to distinguish themselves. It is, therefore, recommended that a proviso be incorporated in the naval appropriation bill permitting the award of certificates of merit to enlisted men of the Marine Corps by the Secretary of the Navy, under conditions similar to those now in force in the Army.

MARINE CORPS RESERVE.

21. The Marine Corps has no reserves. During the last session of Congress a naval reserve, consisting of men who have seen service in the Navy, was created. The adoption of a similar proviso for the Marine Corps is recommended.

MARINE BAND.

22. I deem it proper to bring to the department's attention the present status as to pay of the Marine Band, which has maintained and is still maintaining its high reputation under great disadvantages. The Marine Band is practically the President's band, and is used for all official functions both at the White House and elsewhere, and therefore only men of the highest standard of excellence can be recruited for this service. The present organization of the band was effected some time since, and the pay and allowances were fixed at a time when the cost of living was not nearly so high as it is now, and when conditions were entirely different. At the time when the present pay table was adopted the band was much in demand for private entertainments, and the members were allowed to accept liberal remuneration for the service, which materially added to their pay. This condition, however, has entirely changed, and the band is now denied competition with local organizations, due to protests made by the labor union. The question, therefore, of a reorganization of the band, and especially a modification of the pay table, is, in my opinion, highly essential, in order to maintain the band at such a state of efficiency as will not impair its usefulness. This matter is now receiving my attention, and at the proper time there will be submitted for your approval, and submission to the Congress, a bill providing for the reorganization of the band.

MEMBERSHIP GENERAL BOARD AND ADVISORY COUNCIL.

23. Under date of June 2, 1915, the Major General Commandant was made ex officio a member of the General Board, and reported for this duty on June 5, 1915. This detail is believed to be in the line of progress, and will add very materially to closer cooperation between the Navy and Marine Corps and contribute greatly to the efficiency of the service.

24. Under date of June 28, 1915, the Secretary of the Navy abolished the office of aids and merged them into an advisory council, of which the undersigned was, on the same date, appointed a member.

PERSONNEL BOARD.

25. By direction of the department, a board consisting of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy and two officers of the Marine Corps as members has been organized, with instructions to consider and recommend legislation for the personnel of the Marine Corps. The necessity for Marine Corps personnel legislation becomes apparent upon an investigation of the age and length of service of the officers of the corps. At the present time the average age of captains of the Marine Corps is approximately 38 years, and that of first lieutenants 31 years. During the next 15 years there will be, in the line of the

Marine Corps, only 7 retirements on account of age. Allowing, in addition to these vacancies, 2 per cent per annum for casualties, the 17 senior captains only can expect promotion to the grade of major, the 36 senior first lieutenants to the grade of captain, and the 54 senior second lieutenants to the grade of first lieutenant during that time. In 1930, therefore, provided there be no increase of officers, or other legislative relief, in the meantime, the average age of captains will be 51 years, that of first lieutenants 44 years, and 20 of the second lieutenants now on the list will still be in that grade. Efficiency demands that company officers should be comparatively young men with great physical and mental vigor. They must not only march with their men and endure the same hardships, but they must command and lead them into battle. Manifestly, men of the age that the captains and first lieutenants will be in 1930 can not possess these qualifications, and some system of promotion and elimination must be adopted which will enable officers to reach the grade of field officer at an earlier period in their service.

If the Marine Corps be increased as recommended in this report, conditions as to promotion will be temporarily somewhat improved, and the necessity for personnel legislation will, therefore, for the time being, be less acute than it now is. A solution of this problem, however, is essential to efficiency, and must eventually be the subject of congressional action.

EXPEDITIONS.

26. At the date of my last report the First Brigade, United States Marine Corps, formed a part of the army of occupation of Vera Cruz, Mexico; the Fifth Regiment was serving in Santo Domingan waters on board the U. S. S. Hancock, and the Fourth Regiment was in camp on North Island, San Diego, Cal.

27. On November 23, 1914, the First Brigade embarked on board the transports City of Memphis, Denver, and San Marcos, and proceeded to the navy yard, Philadelphia, Pa., arriving there on December 3, 1914. Shortly after its arrival it was distributed as follows:

Brigade headquarters, Third (Signal) Company, First Regiment, and six companies of the Second Regiment, at the Navy yard, Philadelphia, Pa.

The Artillery Battalion, at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md. One company of the Second Regiment at the United States naval aeronautic station, Pensacola, Fla.

One company at the naval station, New Orleans, La.

One company on board the Washington for expeditionary duty. 28. On December 23, 1914, the Hancock, with the Fifth Regiment on board, returned to Philadelphia, and the officers and men were, as far as practicable, returned to their former stations.

29. On December 10, 1914, the Fourth Regiment was assigned to exposition duty, the First Battalion, consisting of three companies, being stationed at the San Francisco Exposition, and regimental headquarters and the Second Battalion, consisting of four companies, at the San Diego Exposition. This regiment has, however, at all times been held in readiness for expeditionary duty, and on two occasions a part of it has been assigned to such duty.