serious losses to the State, and material impairment of the National Guard. The United States regulation as to clothing issued by the General Government should be so changed that the clothing should become the property of the State, not to be accounted for, after a certain amount of use. It should not be attempted to imitate the Army of the Uuited States in all things. The National Guard is an organization founded and kept up on quite different lines from the regular paid army. The general reason of being is the same for each; but there are many necessary differences. For example, the personnel is widely different. The officers of the United States Army are educated for a special profession, and are given a lucrative occupation as they step from the doors of the academy. The enlisted men with whom these officers have had to deal, until very recently, at least, were, to a great extent, men who joined because they had lost all hope of success in other directions. It was for this reason, I suppose, that a rigid class line was drawn socially between officers and men, similar to that which has always existed in monarchical countries. In the National Guard, officers and privates alike must be entirely self-supporting, and must have a similar enthusiasm in joining the guard; otherwise they would remain out of it. From this difference in personnel flow others. The obedience of the guardsman (officer or private) ought to be, because freely given, more cheerful, and if possible, more nearly perfect than that of the regular soldier; while at the same time the work being less regular and continuous, and the greater part of his time and thought being necessarily taken up by other matters, the guardsman's routine work cannot be expected to equal that of the professional, especially in time of peace. The setting up exercises," or at least the principal ones, should receive more attention. They should be a part of every militiaman's regular drill. Besides improving one's appearance they are first-class gymnastic exercises without apparatus, and are worth learning on that account alone. An erect and easy carriage, which is given by these exercises, is highly valuable, both morally and materially to every man. Well understanding the necessity of economy in all public matters, when the representatives of the people take up the question of other encampments, I respectfully suggest that the following considerations be submitted To the Legislature : That the Constitution requires the maintenance of a militia by the State, and that the terms of partnership with the other States demand it also. That the sums of money expended by Nevada on its militia are smaller, not merely in figures, but proportionally, than the sums expended by other States which make equally good, or nearly as good, showings of armed forces. That the knowledge gained by experience in camp is of the most valuable kind for soldiers, and no other kind of training can be substituted for it. That the money expended on the encampment goes immediately into circulation among the people of this State, through the regular channels of trade. That in the existing condition of society, which in this respect has not essentially changed since history began, a State without an armed force at easy command cannot properly maintain its government and integrity. That joining the guard tends to the improvement of men rather than their deterioration. THANKS. The employers of labor, generally, assisted liberally in promoting the encampment of 1892 by allowing their employes to attend without loss of their positions. The exceptions were rare, as they should be, and arose generally from ignorance of the importance of the matter. To the Superintendents of the Comstock and the Tuscarora mines, and the business men of Reno and Virginia City, especial thanks are due in this respect. In conclusion, allow me, Sir, to thank you for the support which you have given to this office in the performance of the duties appertaining to it, and the interest you have manifested in the welfare of the guard. Very respectfully, 3-L J. POUJADE, Adjutant General. Lieutenant Colonel F. J. McCullough, Carson. Colonel C. H. Galusha---Aid-de-Camp on Staff of Adjutant General Division Commander and Staff. Major General R. P. Keating, Virginia__Commanding First Division Lieutenant Colonel W. R. Chamberlain, Reno---- -- Inspector Quartermaster Lieutenant Colonel W. J. Westerfield, Dayton----Ordnance Officer Paymaster Engineer Lieutenant Colonel J. A. Conboie, Virginia Citv----Judge Advocate Lieutenant Colonel J. B. Overton, Virginia City... Regimental Officers. Colonel F. C. Lord, Commanding First Infantry. Commissary Aid-de-Camp Virginia City Lieutenant Colonel Wm. Sutherland, First Infantry--- Virginia City |