30. On June 17, 1915, three companies (300 men) of the Second Battalion, Fourth Regiment, embarked on the Colorado at San Diego and sailed for Guaymas, Mexico. Upon the arrival of the expeditionary force at Guaymas, conditions there having become so much. improved, it was not landed, but after about six weeks' service in Mexican waters the Colorado returned to San Diego, where on August 10 the battalion disembarked for temporary duty on shore and has continued in that status since that time.

31. On July 28, owing to disturbances in Haiti, the commander of the Cruiser Squadron landed a force of marines and sailors at Port au Prince and Cape Haitien. The force of marines consisted of the Twelfth Company and the marine detachment of the Washington. This was reinforced the next day by the Twenty-fourth Company from Guantanamo, Cuba, a total of about 240 marines.

32. On July 30 the department directed that about 500 additional marines be sent to Port au Prince via the Connecticut. In less than 24 hours five companies of the Second Regiment (528 enlisted men) embarked with a full outfit of stores on board the Connecticut, and that vessel sailed for Port au Prince. Immediately upon its arrival at its destination the marines were landed.

33. The commander of the Cruiser Squadron having again requested an additional force of marines, Headquarters of the First Brigade, the Signal Company, and seven companies of the First Regiment embarked on August 10 on board the Tennessee and proceeded to Haiti, arriving there on the 15th. The expeditionary force, together with its stores, was immediately landed, and since that time the brigade, under the command of Col. Littleton W. T. Waller, has been engaged in the restoration and maintenance of good order and the preservation of peace in Haiti. Its service has been conspicuously efficient.

34. Additional marines having been further requested, the Artillery Battalion, consisting of 3 companies of an enlisted strength of 318 men, armed with twelve 3-inch landing guns and two 4.7-inch heavy field guns, sailed on board the Tennessee on August 26, 1915, for Port au Prince. The battalion landed and joined the First Brigade on August 31, 1915.

35. The force in Haiti includes the technical companies which have been engaged in advance base training in Philadelphia. Owing to this interruption in the training of the fixed defense force, its efficiency as an advance base organization will be materially interfered with. As stated in paragraph 5 of this report, the Marine Corps should be enlarged sufficiently to provide mobile forces for service of this nature, without diverting the technical companies from their advance base training.

APPOINTMENT OF MARINE OFFICERS.

36. In accordance with the recommendation contained in my annual report of 1914 the vacancies existing in the Marine Corps at the close of the academic year at the Naval Academy were filled by the appointment of graduates of the academy. I again urge that, as far as it is practicable to do so, vacancies in the Marine Corps be filled in the same manner in the future.

37. I appreciate, however, that should the increase recommended in this report be authorized it would be difficult and probably impracticable to fill all the vacancies thus created by the appointment of graduates of the Naval Academy; and it is therefore recommended that any vacancies still remaining after the appointment of available graduates and worthy noncommissioned officers of the Marine Corps be filled by the appointment of graduates of high-class military and technical schools, as is now done in the Army.

ADVANCE BASE.

38. Upon the return of the First Brigade from Vera Cruz, Mexico, the fixed defense force of the Advance Base Brigade was enlarged and reorganized. The Signal Company was placed immediately under the direction of the brigade commander, as would normally be the case in active service, and the battalion organization of the Artillery companies was retained, the Artillery companies being permanently separated from the mobile and fixed defense regiments.

39. To the First Regiment were assigned a fire-control detachment and eight companies, viz, four 5-inch gun companies, one mine company, one searchlight company, one engineer company, and one aerodefense company. Its armament was correspondingly strengthened. In consequence of these changes the regiment has become a much more powerful organization, and better able to efficiently carry out its mission.

40. Heretofore the advance-base force has prosecuted its work under great difficulties, and its success is due to the fact that the Bureau of Ordinance has allotted to it, for the purchase of material, a small part of its appropriations, and has loaned it guns, mines, etc., which were no longer required for use by naval vessels. It is selfevident that no military plant can be kept up to date, or be made efficient by such methods, and it is therefore recommended that the sum of $150,000 be included in this year's departmental estimates for the purchase of advance-base material; and that this amount, if appropriated, be expended under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy, on the joint recommendation of the Bureau of Ordnance and the Major General Commandant of the Marine Corps.

TRANSPORTS.

41. The new transport authorized for the use of the Marine Corps is now under construction at the navy yard, Philadelphia, Pa., and when completed will afford considerable relief from present conditions. Since the return of the Hancock from Caribbean waters, in December last, it has been continuously under repairs at the navy yard, Philadelphia, and no transports have been available for expeditionary or advance-base forces, rendering it necessary on different occasions to use the Connecticut, Tennessee, and Colorado for transporting marines. It is a matter of record that the Prairie is unfitted for use as a transport, and also that the Hancock has nearly reached a point where deterioration, due to long service, will be so great as to make it too expensive to keep her in repair. The recommendation contained in my annual report of 1914, for the construction of an

additional transport, is therefore earnestly renewed, and it is learned with pleasure that an additional transport will be included in the General Board's recommendation on "New construction."

MARINE OFFICERS' SCHOOL.

42. The regular course of instruction at the Marine Officers' School has continued since last December. Thirteen officers completed the course on May 1, 1 in July, and 8 on October 1.

43. From July 15 to August 31 the student officers were in camp at Gettysburg, where they received practical instruction in military topography, field engineering, minor tactics, etc. The class was joined at Gettysburg by the 10 graduates of the Naval Academy who had recently been assigned to the Marine Corps. The instruction of these recently appointed officers has been continued by one month's practical instruction at the target range, Winthrop, Md., and they are now taking a three months' course at the Marine Officers' School at Norfolk.

ADVANCE BASE, FIELD ARTILLERY, AND OTHER SCHOOLS.

44. In January last the Advance Base School at Philadelphia was reopened, and a course of practical and theoretical instruction has been given to the officers and men attached to that post. One of the features of this year's course has been the delivery of lectures on subjects pertaining to advance-base work by officers of the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. The course of instruction has been of great value to all participating therein, and as a result many improvements have been made in the advance-base equipment, particularly in regard to handling and mounting the heavy guns.

45. In January a Field Artillery school was also established at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., for practical and theoretical instruction in field artillery. Field artillery has become very important to the Marine Corps, both for advance-base work and for expeditionary duty, and it is the intention of this office to afford a large number of officers an opportunity to become skilled in the use of this powerful arm.

46. In January a machine-gun company was transferred to the navy yard, Pensacola, Fla., with a view to establishing there a machine-gun school for the instruction of officers and men. The present European war had demonstrated the enormous military value of this arm, and it is deemed essential that all officers of the Marine Corps should be trained to use it with facility. The commanding officer of this company, as a result of his experience, has made a great many valuable recommendations for improving the organization, handling, and equipment of machine-gun companies. Owing to the shortage of officers in the Marine Corps, it has not been practicable to assign any additional officers to duty with the machine-gun company for purposes of instruction, but it is hoped that during the ensuing year, if the Marine Corps be increased, it will be practicable to do so.

INSTRUCTION OF OFFICERS AT SERVICE SCHOOLS.

47. Two captains have been detailed to the Army School of the Line, Fort Leavenworth, Kans., and one field officer to the Army

War College, to take the courses which began at those institutions on September 1, 1915. Two field officers are also taking the long course at the Naval War College, Newport, R. I.

48. The higher education of its officers in the military art being of the greatest value to a military organization, this office will endeavor to make arrangements with the War Department to permit the assignment of at least two field officers of the Marine Corps each year to the Army War College, and several officers to the Army Schools of Musketry and Artillery Fire at Fort Sill, Okla.

AVIATION.

49. Four officers and 12 enlisted men are now on aviation duty with the naval aeronautic section.

Owing to the shortage of officers and enlisted men, it has not yet been practicable to detail for this duty the full number authorized by Congress in the last naval appropriation bill. Should the corps be increased, however, as recommended, the complement of officers and men engaged in aviation can be quickly brought up to the maximum number authorized by law.

CAMP AND MANEUVER GROUNDS.

50. In order that Infantry and Artillery organizations may receive the absolutely essential instruction in the duties they will be called upon to perform in the field, it is necessary that maneuver grounds be provided for their use. All of the Marine Corps posts, being situated in or near large cities, afford no such facilities, and in consequence the training of officers and men in Infantry work proceeds under great difficulties. If the maneuver grounds above mentioned be provided, a camp of instruction could be held each year, and a valuable course of training given in field exercises, combat firing, maneuvers, target practice with artillery, small arms, and machine guns. This camp should be located near deep water, so that the organizations may be transported thereto by naval vessels, thereby avoiding the large expense involved in moving men and supplies by rail. Furthermore, a location such as the above would enable the advance base organizations to carry on their practical work under very favorable conditions.

SAN DIEGO.

51. Acting under instructions from the department, the undersigned, on his recent visit to the Pacific coast, looked into the question of a site in the vicinity of San Diego, Cal., for quartering the expeditionary force which it is contemplated to establish on that coast. A site which contains all the necessary features can be found in the harbor of San Diego, where the necessary land can be purchased at a cost of about $250,000. The question of the construction of barracks and other public works upon said site, and the cost thereof, are matters which will depend entirely upon the strength of the command which the department contemplates establishing at said post. In this connection attention is invited to the report made under date of August 26, 1915, by the undersigned to the department, on this subject, upon his return from the Pacific coast.

INSPECTIONS.

52. During the period covered by this report the undersigned and the officers of the Adjutant and Inspector's Department have made the usual annual inspections of most of the posts and organizations of the Marine Corps. Special reports of these inspections. have been submitted when made, and the defects noted have been remedied so far as funds available have permitted.

53. The reports of these inspections indicate a very gratifying condition of military efficiency, especially at the larger posts where there are sufficient officers and men assembled in permanent organizations to afford opportunity for a thorough course of military instruction.

The undersigned has not as yet inspected Pensacola, Key West, and New Orleans. These inspections have been delayed, due to improvements being made at New Orleans. These posts will be inspected at a future date when the improvements at New Orleans shall have been completed.

RECRUIT DEPOTS.

54. The system of recruit depots has been continued in operation, and in December last the course of instruction of recruits was restored to its original length of 14 weeks. Every effort will be made in the future to avoid any abridgment of the course, as it is deemed of the utmost importance that men entering the service should be thoroughly grounded in the rudiments of the profession of arms before being distributed to the service.

55. On account of the great reduction in the number of naval prisoners, the necessity for a disciplinary barracks at Port Royal, S. C., no longer exists, and the station will be turned over to the Marine Corps for use as a recruit depot in place of Norfolk, Va. The depot will be removed to Port Royal in the near future. This change of location will, it is believed, result in greatly increased efficiency, as the training of the recruits will not be interfered with by the necessity of guarding a large industrial establishment, and the entire attention of the officers and noncommissioned officers may, therefore, be concentrated on one subject only-the making of trained soldiers.

TRANSPORTATION.

56. One of the outstanding features of the European war has been the utilization, on a vast scale, of motor transportation for moving men, supplies, and guns. This adaptation of the motor vehicle to military purposes will, I believe, be of the greatest value to the Marine Corps. Heretofore, owing to the necessity of preserving mobility, and on account of the lack of facilities on naval vessels for transporting animals, Marine Corps expeditionary and advance base forces have been compelled to rely entirely upon such land transportation as was obtainable in the theater of operations. This system was extremely unsatisfactory, as the available animals were always untrained and otherwise unsuitable for military transportation purposes. On the other hand, the motor truck can be easily transported,