Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1851-12-16

Annual Report Of the Secretary OF war.
The Secretary sells out with column and
hall devoted 10 the subject which, be says,
has most engaged the attention Of The De.
pertinent daring the past year, VIZ: the de-
fence Of TEXAS, New Mexico, and The Mex.
csn Territory adjacent 10 our own. against
the incursions Oh The neighboring Iadiaa
tribes. The Indians, il is remarked, unlike
their race on this part Of the continent, are
actuaied not so much by hostility to the
whites as BY motives Of plumber. The Sec
rotary goes on to detail the steps taken TO
bring these Indians 10 subsection. Several
outbreaks have lately occurred among these
indians, but treaties have since been n, ade
with them. CHAINS Of military posts were
also established BIZ the fifth InTansfv fIom
Arkansas westward into Texas, and in New
Mexico the same thing is being done BY Col
Sumer
post has also been established a, the
junction Of the Gila and the Colorado, end
examinasion is 10 be made By the Pacific
commander, as TO the practica5iliiy Of an
other still higher Up The ella. This is all
done locking as far as practicable, alike to
The defence Of our own territory and lha, Of
Mexico and Ties ecretsry well remarks
1.-THE United States have thus endeavor-
ed 10 fulfil, 10 their fullest extent, the obi
cations imposed upon them by their late
treaty With Mexico. |, surely was never
contemplated that the entire expense and
responsibility Of defending her territory
against these incursions should dev0lve up.
on Us. The language Of the treaty admits
OF no such construction, and II il did, it
would require Of US wha, il would be obvi.
ous.y impossible for US 10 perform,
An idea TOO seems 70 have gone abroad
among The people Of Mexico iha, this Gov
eminent was bound by lis treaty with Mex
leo indemnify citizens Of that country who
might sustain losses by depredations Of The
Indians, and the Secretary says that from in
formation that has reached the Department,
there can be no doubt that, in some insIan-
ces, tales Of depredalions have been inyen
led with view of bringing fictitious claims
for damages against the Government.
II appears that The entire force stationed
on the Pacific amounts 10 only seven hun
bred and thirty-six men.
The entire number oil men borne on The
rolls Of the army, amounts 10 10, 53S; which
according TO the usual estimate, will furnish
an effective force OF not more than $500
men. When i, is considered that this small
force is scattered over frontier Of several
thousand Of miles in extent, lis insuiheieRcv
will be apparent.
The report then goes on 10 show the eau
SEES alich have produced The enormous 10
crease in the expenses Of The army. These
causes principally. aie--that nearly one
half the army Is stationed on our remote
frontier; HE military posts are removed far
in The interior Of the coanry from naviga-
BILE rivers, or on The Pacific, where they can
only be reached by an overland journey Of
hundreds Of miles or ~ sea voyage Of
thousands--and The military posts, instead
of being situated in 20 productive section Of
country, as formerly, are now, for the most
part, where bat few supplies can be obtaio-
ed. The consequence is that While IN
1915 the COS. of transportation (oG troops
and suppies) vas Sl30,o53 o.
/ In lS50-5l II amounted to 1904 4nS 81
lie toImeg the cost oiior'g. was 90 I9f ~
! ln the latter il was PSI ,327 81
! The great increase in this last item arises
no, only from the cause Just mentioned, but
also from the g-eat increase Of animals IN
The Quartermaster's department, which in
lS4o amounted only TO Sf7 and in 1866
5 TO upwards Of s. 900 and also 10 the facl
lha, the mounted force has been greatly in
creased.
From statements carefully prepared by
| the different bureaus of the department, il
appears that The increased expenditures in
the army resulting from our newly acquired
territory, Concluding Texas,) amounted 10
| S4.556, 100 rs.
Attention IS called 10 the inadequate APP
preparation made TO the Qnariermasiel' 5
Department al The last session, which viii
have 10 be supplied al the present session
The Secretary, 10 carry out the wishes of
Congress, to reduce the expenses Of the
army, has cut down the number Of enlisted
men ia tbe ordinance department 10 The orr
ginal number Of $50 from 5S7, the number
in service during the Mexican war. Six OF
the eight Light Artillery companies existing
during the war have been dismonnted, The
original number was four. Two Of those
dismounled, however, viii be remounted
so soon as means are provided. The num-
Der of clerks and others from civil life, en-
ployed in various capacities, has been great
~ reduced, The cultivation Of farms. BY
troops al the frontier posisif successful, will
also considerably reduce the present expen-
SEES. Various other reductions, too tedious
10 mention, have likewise been made
The expenditures for the support of the
army The fiscal wear ending Both June
last were $4,000, 26S SO
The estimates for The next
wear are 1888, 775 80
Showing reduction Of ST, l6l 492 20
She Secretary is ofopinion that policy and
humanity both require that We should EN-.
ploy some other means OF putting stop 10
these depredalions than The terror ofour arms.
We should Try the effect Of concilatory mea-
Al. 4.