This post has now accommodations for headquarters and one regiment of infantry, two batteries of Field Artillery, and quarters and an office building for the commanding general of the Department of the Columbia and his staff officers.

The greater part of the buildings of the present infantry post and department headquarters date back to 1879-80 to 1885, and the material used in their construction is wood. Additions and alterations were made from time to time up to 1903, when the work of replacing the old buildings with new ones of modern type was begun on a systematic plan, and new barracks and gun sheds were built for the artillery.

Since then the work of replacing old buildings with new ones has been continued as funds became available.

The estimate for 1909 for this post consists of three parts, namely: 1. Continuing the work of replacing old buildings at the infantry post with new ones.

2. Constructing the additional barracks, officers' quarters, and other buildings needed to provide for an increase in the field artillery command by regimental headquarters, and one battery.

3. Replacing the old department headquarters office building with a

new one.

The records show that this building is not only inadequate in its present form but that its condition is very bad and dangerous.

The only new building erected at this post from 1907 appropriation was one set of quarters for a hospital steward, and from 1908 appropriation two coal sheds and a railway-track scale.

In the act of Congress approved February 27, 1906, $300,000 was appropriated for the purchase of a site and the construction of an army general hospital. A site for the building was purchased in the District of Columbia and contract awarded for its construction. The building will be completed in May, 1908, but can not be utilized to advantage because additional buildings and improvements are needed in connection with it, as more fully explained in letters from the Surgeon-General's Office, which are here quoted as follows:

UNITED STATES ARMY GENERAL HOSPITAL,
Washington, D. C., March 12, 1907.

SIR: I have the honor to recommend that the necessity for the construction of a barrack for Company C, Hospital Corps, on the site of the Walter Reed U. S. Army General Hospital be presented to the Secretary of War with a view of obtaining the necessary money from the appropriation in the sundry civil bill for the construction and repair of military posts.

The necessity for a permanent provision for the company of the Hospital Corps attached to this hospital is pressing and arises from three causes: First, no regular provision has ever been made to house the company; second, the company is now occupying quarters which must soon be used for other purposes; third, with the completion of the new general hospital further reason for retaining the company at Washington Barracks will cease to exist.

This company is now temporarily occupying an uncompleted engineer barrack at the post of Washington Barracks, and when this barrack is required for the use of the engineers the company will have to be provided for elsewhere.

The whole history of provision for the company of the Hospital Corps attached to this hospital has been one of temporary expediency. The company was first quartered in old temporary wards erected for the use of the sick during the war with Spain. When these became uninhabitable the company was moved into some old, abandoned barracks near the site of the present War College. The construction of the post of Washington Barracks and the War College has necessitated the demolition of these quarters, and the company is now temporarily lodged in barracks belonging to the engineer post. It is evident that this hand-to-mouth existence of an organized company can not continue indefinitely. I further wish to emphasize the fact that under such conditions the company can not do effective work, and that suitable provision for it is necessary to the interests of the service.

A company of the Hospital Corps is essentially a company of instruction. Recruits come to it from all vocations in civil life. Nearly all the men received are entirely unfamiliar with nursing, hospital-corps drill, and military duties. Many of them have never seen the interior of a hospital, and most of them know nothing of the military service and have not the faintest idea of how to care for the sick. It is from this material that nurses have to be made and noncommissioned officers educated. To this end a systematic course of instruction in nursing, first aid, and hospital-corps drill must be given by means of recitations, lectures, and drills in the company, and by practical work in the wards of the general hospital. This requires that the barrack occupied by the company should be suitably equipped for the instruction which it is necessary to give, and that the company should be situated near the general hospital. Such proper equipment can not be had when the company is being constantly moved about from

one temporary habitation to another, and as the Walter Reed U. S. Army Hospital will be completed in less than a year and a half from this date the company of the Hospital Corps should be placed in a properly equipped barrack, which barrack should be completed and be ready for occupancy at about the same time that the hospital is finished. Since the establishment of the general hospital here in 1898 about 3,500 men have passed through the company of instruction. The training there received has greatly increased the value of these men for the service. The entire Army is benefited by having a properly trained Hospital Corps. I believe that the time has arrived when the necessities of the case in relation to the best interests of the service are such that. action should be taken at once.

In presenting the case I am of the opinion that a barrack in every way suitable for the housing and training of the company of instruction, and of suitable architectural appearance in regard to its prominent location in the District, should be built. It would be false economy to construct an inadequate and inappropriate building. I have made some inquiries in this connection, and, considering the cost of the barracks constructed for the companies of the Engineer Corps at the post of Washington Barracks and the cost of the hospital-corps barrack recently built at Fort D. A. Russell, Wyo., I do not think that a proper barrack can be built, complete, including heating and lighting, for less than $80,000.

Very respectfully,

W. C. BORDEN,

Major and Surgeon, U.S. Army,
Commanding Hospital.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

OFFICE OF THE SURGEON-GENERAL,
Washington, May 18, 1907.

ADJUTANT-GENERAL, United States Army. SIR: Concerning the scheme of buildings to be erected in accordance with approved plans on the site of the Walter Reed U. S. Army General Hospital, I have the honor to submit the following remarks and recommendations for the consideration of the honorable the Secretary of War.

The hospital proper is actively progressing and unless delays occur will be completed within a year. This, however, is the only building of the whole scheme which has been provided for and actually begun. Such building will be of comparatively little use in the absence of other buildings indispensable for its proper service, namely, quarters for medical officers and noncommissioned officers, as well as stable and storehouse. It is therefore earnestly recommended and urged that enough money be allotted and steps at once taken for the erection of the following buildings, which form part of the approved plans of the general scheme:

1. Two single sets of officers' quarters. It is obviously necessary that at least one medical officer be constantly on duty at the general hospital, and quarters should be provided accordingly.

2. One double set of noncommissioned officers' quarters. The appropriation for this purpose being under the control of the Medical Department, a sufficient sum has already been allotted for this purpose.

3. A stable and wagon shed. Plans for this have already been prepared in harmony with the other buildings (on the reservation) fronting Brightwood avenue.

4. Storehouse for medical, commissary, and quartermaster supplies. As much of this structure may be built as is necessary for the first year or two; to be completed later.

5. One set of barracks for the hospital-corps company of instruction (Company C), now provisionally quartered in one of the engineer's buildings at Washington Barracks. For the necessity of this set of barracks I respectfully refer to the letter of the commanding officer, general hospital, of March 12, 1907 (on file in the QuartermasterGeneral's office). The transfer of the company of instruction to the site of the Walter Reed General Hospital is highly important for the proper instruction of the men. Very respectfully,

R. M. O'REILLY, Surgeon-General, U. S. Army.

The estimates submitted for 1909 are intended to provide the additional buildings mentioned in correspondence above quoted.

The $100,000 appropriation was estimated for in order to construct as many double sets of captains' quarters (from 4 to 5 double houses, or 8 to 10 sets of quarters, according to bids received) as the appropriation would cover, for the occupation of officers on permanent duty at the War College, in pursuance of the plan originally prepared for the construction of the War College and engineer post at Washington Barracks (blueprint herewith). It will be much less expensive in the end to provide quarters for officers at the War College than to pay commutation for the same number of officers in the city. It will be far more convenient to have the officers serving there living at the War College than scattered all over the city, and will promote the efficiency of the service.

I had nothing to do with the preparation of the original plan, but concur in its wisdom and propriety.

Construction at the engineer post is nearly completed.

J. F. BELL, Major-General, Chief of Staff.

Major

The officers' quarters now at Washington Barracks were built under the supervision of an officer of the Engineer Department upon plans prepared by a firm of architects in New York. They were built by purchase of material and hire of labor and not by contract.

The cost of the building complete is given at $13,000. This was largely increased-by from 10 to 15 per cent probably-on account of the fact that in order to obtain safe foundations it became necessary to use concrete piles under the footings.

The condition of the ground on sites indicated on map for the officers' quarters for the War College section is the same as that where the present officers' quarters are built.

For symmetry of appearance and general harmony with the surroundings the new buildings should be of the same general form and style of architecture, although it is believed that cost could be reduced by decreasing the number of rooms, which appears to be unnecessarily large. Taking into account increase in cost of material and uncertainty in regard to good foundations without piling, new buildings, even with the change in interior arrangements suggested, would probably cost as much as those heretofore built, and not more than 8 single sets could be constructed with the $100,000 estimated.

The exterior form of present buildings does not adapt them for construction as double sets. To build them double would necessitate a complete change in plan, with greater depth, but less front than is taken up by 2 single sets.

This post was established in 1893 when quarters, barracks, and other buildings were erected for a garrison of 2 companies of infantry. Under authority of the Secretary of War the post was enlarged in 1903 to provide accommodations for a full battalion.

Since then a further enlargement was authorized so that, with the exception of a few officers' quarters which are short, there is room at the post for 2 battalions of infantry.

Under present project of distribution of troops, Fort Lawton, Wash., and Fort Wright, Wash., are intended to provide for one regiment of infantry between the two posts. Fort Wright is the larger of the two posts and should therefore have regimental headquarters, but at present there are no barrack accommodations for the band nor quarters for the colonel and regimental staff officers and noncommissioned staff officers.

Estimate submitted for 1909 is intended to supply this deficiency and render it practicable to have the colonel with the greater part of his regiment.

The only new building for which allotments were made from 1907 appropriations at this post is an addition to the hospital.

An allotment has been made from 1908 appropriation for an enlargement of the guardhouse.

YELLOWSTONE, WYO.

[Memorandum relative to additional accommodations required at Fort Yellowstone, Wyo., for an increase of the garrison to one full squadron of cavalry.]

There will be required the following additional buildings and improvements:

This post has now barracks, stables, and other buildings for a garrison of two troops of cavalry, but is one building short of the number of officers' quarters needed for a command of that size.

It has been found necessary to enlarge this post for the accommodation of a full squadron-4 troops of cavalry-and estimates sub