The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-12-09


vice with such the experience Of other
armies has shown to be valuable. work this sub
pected will be- in short time, submitted you for such
action as it may be deemed worthy to receive.
Attention again called TO the necessity for legsla
ton TO provide more certain and equitable mode for
the distribution Of arms among the militia and to the
proprety of supplying them with books of tactical
structon contemplated in the clause Of the const
tuticn "for training the militia, according to the dis.
cipline prescribed by Congress.
have to ask attention to the necessity for frther
legislation for the sale Of useless military sites Ac
cordng to the construction which has been given the
acts upon this subject and which, though its correct
ness has been doubted must be regarded settled by
the practice Of the department. the act Of March 1919
applies only to military sites then held and that Of
Al rl g. 1928 only TO lands conveyed to- the United
aes Hs forts &C. according to these views there
March, 1872 have been reserved from the public domain
for military purposes and therefore recommend that
less military sites be extended embrace these reserva
tons.
Many reservations around military posts, Originally
on the frontier and rendered useless by
the advance Of population, have acquired great value
not only from the rise in the price Of lands In such To-
sses nnt from improvement put upon them By the
at public sale Of some Of these which within the
Of 1884, found that the bids far below the
attributed doubt correctly to combinations among
the bidders. concur with the Quarermaster Gene raj
in the opinion that similar results can be prevent
ed in future only by establishingla minimum price,
below which the Land shall not be sod and recommend
that provision be made for this purpose in any act that
may be passed ON the subject.
The accounts of disbursng officers have been rendered
with than usual punctuay during the past year,
but yet not with the promptude which the department
desires to enforce. Many officers not having staff ap-
pointmens, beside the performance OF their appropriate
duties in the active and arduous service of frontier
are charged With the disbursement of public money and
with the care Of public property This besides the labor
tinyovcs subjects them 70 loss which no care can
avoid and which is tax upon their pay. To reimburse
this loss II not to remunerste their l6bor with
the Quartcrmaster-Gene In nding that
additional pay be allowed.
cannot too strongly urge the necessity OF cfectual
measures being taken for the prompt settlement Of the
accounts Of disbursng officers At the Treasury. The de-
lay to which they now subjected exerts most IN
furious effect by destroying the salutary impression OF
wstchfuI superintc Of public expenditures, para
the efforts Of this department 10 enforce promptness
in accounting by keeping IL In Ignorance Of the
true state OF officers accounts, and exposes them
to loss by failing TO give them notice OF errors or
defects OF evidence until the accidents and mutations
incident army life have destroyed their ability TO rec
fy the supply the other The cause Of the deay
has been the distribution Of military accounts between
two auduorS born Of whos In scue cases. have to 81
tie different psrts Of the came ecccune sna even some
times different items OF the same voucher " hoped
this iueoaveuent aAa useless arrsnseoeot VIII ne aso
shed, and eli the military sceouass csmastseA - .
single suditsr Ns scarcely 70 ~ sr2ectsd' however