Evening star., 1869-12-04
WASHINGTON. D G. SATURDAY. DECEMBER T
REPoRT OF THE SECRETARY or
WAR

WAR.
The report of the Secretary OF War which has
Just been put in type, will be transmitted 20
Congress with tie Presidents message An
abstract appears in the Baltimore Saa ofto-,lay.
In opening his report Secretary Belknap paws a
handsome tribute 10 the late Secretary RawIins.
He makes but few recommendation and ex-
y aims his reasons for not doing 30. having as
sumed the duties IF the Office but short time
III ce. tie refers, however, 20 the different de-
isTtnl, mt reports, and recommends that legiSla-
'1Gn be had enaciing the rules and articles OF
var adopted by the board convened in conform
~ with the act OF Congress OF July p. 1906 ami
ilprokng the new regulations compiled June
1SSS The present maximum OF the army is
52,2oi enlisted men. Relying ON tWo-th r,ls for
actual service, the nGIaher OF men is 5i,S22.
6tm RAJ sherman, however, sdbmttS plan by
which there would he u $50 men. tuo-thir,ls
for actual service wOald be 2J,I50 men, beIow
which il would not be prudent to 80.
1t : recommended th,t the stan corps be re-
tanned at tie standard fixed by she act OF July
2Sth, 1866, and that the clause prohibiting af1-
Iolniments and promotions be repealed in order
that vacancies may bc Tiled, a. Was the practice
prior TO the passage OF The act OF March 81, 1851
The Secretary endorses the recommendation
OF the Adjuiant General OF the Army TOR the
rcfeal OF 80 mach OF Secticn six of the act of
March, Sd, ls69, a. prohibits further appoint
ments on promotions, leaving the AdjutanrGen-
erals department. as 1t was fixed by section ten
Of the act OF July 9sth, 1866.
An increase in the number OF INSPECTORS
General - recommended.
With regard to the Bureau OF Military Justice
the Secretary says: The Judge Advocate GEN
eral reports the number of records of military
courts received, reviewed, and registered to be
Ii,S4i; number Of special reports magie, 1852.
t Inc bureau, IN addition to its regular duties,
ally arranging and indexing the important State
papers belonging TO the Office OF the late Col. l.,
Z. Turner, Judge Advocate, and Brig. Gen. l..
Z. Baker, Provost Marshal, and the work is
steadily progressing"
The expenses of the Quartermaster's Depart-
ment during the fiscal year were S2l ,96s ,4SfOi
reduction Of sli, 900 below those of the pre-
ceding fiscal year.
building capable of accommodating all the
bureaus of the War Department is much needed.
destruction, and are scattered as to impede
and delay the public business. The monthly
rental of buildings and lots occupied by build
lngs owned by the United States amounts to
81 ,264.19, being yearly rental of $50 95I2s
The railway companies TO which the military
railroad material of the Quartermaster's De-
war, incurred debt originally of 81 59i IO6; in
terest has increased this amount TO Sg,OOO.0bO
about one-half of which has been paid but some
railroads being IN default, and showing no dis
position to meet their obligations, suit has been
lately ordered to be brought against them.
There are ~ national cemeteries and 3l3 local,
postor private cemeteries, in Which, soldiers lie
buried; 322 ,GG1 in;erments are reported of which
Hl go have been identified.
There has been paid S21 ,62i.s5 as cOmmuta-
ton Of ratiOns TO Union soldiers while prisoners
duIing the war, amounting to - $40. .sOC 4 ; have
been received OF which S2SS ass have been al
lowed, and g, ,5Sl ,OGi. l3 have been rejected.
1he current expenditures OF the Medical De-
partment during the fiscal wear were s235.
The total expenditures OF that Department. in
Guiding war debts" and ''refundments' - was
S.Oe,Ij, and the available balance on hand al
the close OF the year was S1.195.G50.
The health of the troops has been good. The
totai number Of cases on the sick list daring the
year was 10i ,2S5. The average number CON
lSf usos - v,anZ.
5k per cent. The number of deaths WAS 5IS
ana OF discharges for disability, I,l2S. Tine
number OF commissioned medical officers on for
duty on june 80, 1863, was 16l being an average
OF one medical officer TO 20l men
There are sow two vacancies of Surgeons and
IOrty-two OF ASSISTANT Surgeons in the Medical
Corps. The experience of the past three wear
has shown that the present organization of the
medical stan is satisfactory, but that even were
all the vacancies in 1t nllCd, il would still he
barely adequate TO the demand made upon H.
1he Paymaster General presents the follow
ng summary exhibit: Balance in hands of pay
masters at the beginning of the fiscal year, July
l>t, 1S 8, S5,9e1 ,51s received from treasury ur-
ing fiscal year, So, ,2i5, 600; received by pavmas-
ters from other sources exclusive OF sums tnsns-
terred among themselves, S23S, ,192-.otaI 10 he
accounted for, 81, ,46i 40 accounted for as fol-
'ows: Disbursements TO regular army. SIS 6.s.-
-5o TO military academy, Sis, ,25s; to volunteers,
S9,91s ,6S5; total disbursements, Sss.as2 II4
Amount refunded to treasury, SIS, ,9is: balance
in hands OF paymasters june 3Oth, =, $780,:
total, Si2 i6i ,1i0. The disbursements for recon-
ance in hands of paymasters October 9 1852 is
S1lO643. The total amount disbursed by the
laymasters department for additional bounties.
including those settled by the Second Auditor
and paid by the department on treasury certif-
Gates from the beginning TO the Seth of June
last. is 50. .220, 1Jo He recommends the estaI,-
lshment OF powder depots on the Atlantic and
Pacific coasts. The estimates for the support of
the Military Academy at West Peint during the
coming fiscal year amount to S3S2, ,26i. Although
mere have been numerous depredations in the
6iViS nj flQ fl,,
OF Indian affairs is very much better than last
year. The policy of reservations adopted by the
indian Department is, in the judgment OF Gen.
sheridan, the only policy that will put an end 10
indian murders and depredatiOns.
The present effective strength i'm the first mill
tary district is 80 officers and os7 enlisted men,
O1 winch 81 ofhcers and Az enlisted men are on
duty at the artillery school, 35 officers and c40
enlisted men with the Eth regiment of infantry
and 50 officers and 10 enlisted men are ON duty
with military commissions and other reconstruct
ton duty. III the companies of the 18th infantry
are hlled to the maximum by recruiting no
increase OF the force in this district will be
necessary.
The appropriations for the War Department
Tor the fiscal year ending June 80, ISL will
he lower than they were for the fiscal year end
lng June 80, 1sl0:-There was carried to surplus
fund une 50, 1869, the sum of SIS 29, ,1Ii93; the
actual expenditures for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1869. were Qncluding the FreedInen;s
Bureau), S56,l61 49,. 16; TO which must be added.
ior old war debts paid, the sum OF S23 ,8s2 3lO60:
making the total expenditures ssO,64I,OI276
OF the above there was expended for recon-
sruction purposes, Si06, 9.1S; there was apprO-
priated for the service Of the War Depart-
ment for the fiscal year ending June 80 $50.
S37 $685. ,S52Oe; the estimated deficiencies are
-, 10000: the total estimate OF military ap-
preparations for the year ending June 80, 1871,
S34, ,53l ,03I.30.
The following estimates are presented by the
Chief Engineer:-For fortifcatiOns, ~, ,196, 400;
Tor rivers and harb0rs, 81 ,961 go; total
Sl2, ,15S 800. The amount required for public
buildings and grounds and Washington Aque-
duct, as estimated by the officer i'm charge, is
s1,O2l,S52; the War Department has reduced
hiS afo =