The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-09

as the American people have right TO expect
from his pen, and is the fatest, stalest, and
most improbable specimen of heavy litera-
ture which has Of late been given to the
world.
The Report of the Secretary Of War.
SECRETARY SOHoFrELD's report of the opera
tions Of the War Department during he past
year is a satisfactory exhibit OF efficient aud
economical administration. The strength of
the army on the Both OF September last was
4S,0Sl, which will be reduced by the 1st ot
January, by the expiration Of term of service
alone, to about $4,000. No rendezvous are
now open except for cavalry. 1t is expected
that during the next year the infantry fOrce
will be still further reduced.
With regard to the signal service, the Score
tary reports that provision has been made for
such general instruction in military telegraph
ing and signaling as may be necessary for the
military service, and by concert with the
officers of the navy nearly similar courses of
study and practice in these branches have
been adopted at West Point and Annapolis. A
drill with field electric telegraph has been
introduced at West Point and school of tels-
graphing and signaling has been established
at Fo,t Greble, in-Maryland.
The expenditures in the Quartermaster's
Department during the fiscal year ending June
30, 1868, including claims for stores taken
for the use of the army during the war; were
$50, SOC, ,38l'53. Claims for property taken
during the war have been allowed 70 the
amount of $500, 3l3 28; rejected, 81 654, ,430 SO;
still pending, sc, 905, ,691 Is. In the national
cemeteries 3l6, 233 remains of soldiers have
been collected, of which 175 764 are identified.
The total cost has been about 50, 100000.
Subsistence to the value of over $63O,O
has been supplied to the Freedmen's Bureau,
and to the value of more than 1910 900 fer the
support of Indians-a large decrease in both
instances. In the settlement of claims for
communication of rations of Union soldiers
while prisoners of war, 1884 O56 have bssn
exper ded. Claims for supplies taken for the
use of the army during the war, to the
amount of nearly $3,00O,0O0 have been re-
ceived, of which nearly 100000 have been
allowed, $500, 900 are awaiting decision, and
the rest have been rejected.
The disbursements for the Pay Department
during the last fiscal year have been:-For the
regular army, Sl7, SOB, 96S SO; for the Military
Academy, Sl69, l99 O4; and to volunteers,
s42, G76, 444 0S, total of $50, $685. 6l165 The
disbursements for reconstruction purposes
have been 81, 26l, AIS OF, and there remains
an available balance of s467, 626'46, which it
is believed will cover all future expenses.
During the year claims for additional bounty
were allowed to the number of 241, ,972, in
vOlvipg an expenditure of $23, ,649, 1878.
The total disbursements on these
claims, since the date of the act,
have been $37764, 774'7S, to which
the claims settled by the accounting
officers of the Treasury being added, makes
the aggregate amount over So, 100000. The
expense of settling these claims has been
kept within fve-sixths of one per cent. The
Secretary makes the judicious suggestion,
that the 4th of March next be fixed by law
as the date beyond which no more claims will
be received.
Large reductions of the ofi3ers and agents
of the Freedmen's Bureau have been made,
and arrangements are in progress to close it
up by the first of January, except the eduaa.
tienal and claim divisions. The total expendi-
tures of the Bureau for the fiscal year were
SO, 977, 70, and the balance in hand was
So, 622, ,067.99.
The Military Academy at West Point is
conducted in a satisfactory manner, and Sec
retary Schofeld states that the charges once
bat no longer, directed against the institution,
of its alleged costliness, exclusiyeness, and the
disloyalty Of its graduates, are refuted by facts
and figures, among the most interesting of
which are the statements of the Board of
Visitors that, during the late war, of the
graduates from all the Southern States, one
half remained loyal; of the graduates from the
actual Rebel States, more than one-fourth re-
manned loyal and that of the graduates en-
gagged on the side Of the Union one-fifth lost
their lives.
The Artillery School organized at the close
of 1867 by order OF General Grant, aud esta-
blished at Fortress Monroe, it is believed will
supply lODg-felt want and prove greatly
beneficial to the service.
The actual current expenses of the War
Department for the last fiscal year were
$6S, 743, ,09470, to which is to be added the
sum OF 50, 96l, ,403 43, old war debts paid,
making the total expenditures of the depart
ment $78, 704. .50l'14. The appropriation for