The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-12-19

Report of the Secretary OF War.
We CLEAN from the report of the Secretary of
War that the strength Of the army on the 30th
Of September, 1868, was 48,O81, which, BY the
1st Of January, 1869, will be reduced, by the ex-
piration Of service, to about $4,000. In Novem.
bsr, 1857, orders were issued to reduce all regi.
nsnts Of infantry and artillery Except light bat.
teries) to 50 men per company, and recruiting
for those arms has beeu discontinued. There il
but one volunteer officer left in the army. A
regiment Of volunteer Kansas cavalry has been
employed for the Indian war, but the service is
not expected to exceed six months. The Secre-
tary recommends that the reduction of the army
during the ensuing year be made gradually, by
ordinary causualities by discharge Of incompe-
tent AID unworthy officers, anv by consolidation
Of regiments, an1 by the disbandnent of the four
regiments of the Veteran Reserve Corps The
term Of Enlistment he suggests, should be in
creased to five years as a measure of economy
and efficiency.
The Secretary speaks highly of the successful
laboIs of the inspecting officers Of the army The
The Bureau OF Military Justice is deficient in
the number OF advocates, and no provision of
Aw exists for their appointment. There has
tafy tslegraphy and signalling, and the study
has been added to the cousss at West Point and
at the Naval Academy
The expenditures for the Quartermaster's De.
psrtment during the year ending June 30, 1868,
including claims for stores taken for the use of
the army during the war, were $36,509,3S1.
Claims for property taken during the war have
been allowed to the amount of $5O0,S13; reject
cd, $2,654 ,43O, and are still pending to the
amount of $6,905,691.
At an expense Of 100000 the remains of
3l6, 233 soldiers have been csllocted in the Ma
tional Cemeteries, and of those rs 764 have been
identified
The proposed military depot at Jacksonville
has been broken up, and the $4,000 appropria-
ted for o warehouse at that point has been re-
turned to the Treasury
The Southern railroads yet owe 81 1921, sos for
material sold them after the war.
The Secretary asks an appropriation of $4,000
for stock farm to supply horses for tho cavalry
The average COST Of the army rations during
tho year has been about 23 cents. Tobacco to
the monthly value of 100000 has been furnished
the troops at cost.
Subsistence to the value of 5000 600 has been
supplied to the purposes of the Frsedmen's Bu-
rsau, and to the value of $370, 900 for the sup
port OF the Indians. large sum OF last years
appropriations remasn unexpended. The deaths
in the army during the year were 1921; 452 of
these were from yellow fever, and 2oS from chol-
era; 1S4 were discharged for disability.
The expenses of the Medical Department dur
The expenditures of the Pay Department for
the year ending June 80 1868, were as follows:
For the regular army, $l7,S03, 1858; for the Mill
tary Academy $3.50, 169, and to volunteers, $42,-
6S6,A44. The disbursements for reconstruction
purposes have been 81, 2G1 49, leaving a bal
ance OF $R9, G26 whicq, it j, expected, will COW
or all future expenses This total disbursements
under the bounty act reached the sum of $37,-
764,U4, which. with the claims allowed at the
treasury, amount to t54, 100000 The Secretary
recommends that THO 4th of March be fixed as
the date beyond which no claims will he receiv-
cd. Ehs Secretary asks authority to sell the
arsenals at Rome. New York, and Vergennes
Vermont, and the landsa Harper's Ferry, and
to establish an arsenal atOmaha.
The expenditures for Ne Freedmen's Bureau
during the year were $3N17, O42 10000 per-
sons have received medical treatment, and an
average of 10000 have received daily rations,
The number of pupils Attending the shoots is
lO4,OOO Arrangements are bling made to trans
fer tho hospitals schools, Sc, the local author.
tiles, under certain legal protection
The actual current expenses e the War De-
partnent fer the year were rs, 743O94. to
which S9,9Gl ,406 old war debts areto be added.
making an aggregate of $7S,704,5U. Tho ap-
propeiations tor the present year are $5, 551,
which, the Secretary estimates, will fal shsrt of
the required sum by $13.915,000.
The Secretary advises the transfer OF se In.
dian Bureau to the War Department