Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1871-12-07
Government Reports.
ORDNANCE RITREAI-

|
The Chief of the Ordnance Bureau re-
ports that the expenditures of his office
since June 30, 1870, including over $40
Voo 1or arms and ammunition for the navy.
| ana S5l,6l0 for the settlement of war
claims, were $1,644 $50. The only ap-
| preparations in the Treasury now available
| Ior the purposes of this bureau are the
sum of 1898, 534 for arming and equippinc
the militia, leaving unavailable nearly
twenty-five millions OF appropriations
previously made. During the fiscal year,
about 10000 000w worth of small arms and
| ordnance stores have been sold under the
order OF Congress and the proceeds re-
turned into the Treasury The operations
OF the arsenals have been confined to the
manufacture Of supplies required by the
troops, and the care and protection of
those on hand. The work on the arsenal
at Rock Island, ILL.,, which is designed to
be the great arsenal for deposit and con
struction for the Mississippi Valley, is be-
ing economically and thoroughly done.
Two OF the great workshops are nearly
completed The operations ofthe Spring
field armory have been limited to the con
version of small number of rifed mus
kets into breech-loaders for issue to
troops, States and colleges, and to the
manufacture of $4,000 Remington rifles
for the navy, and three or four STYLES of ex-
detrimental rifles and carbines recommend
ed by the st. Louis Board for competitive
trial in the field. The armament of the
State troops should be the same as that
Of the regular army, and the above num-
Der is not half sufficient to supply the
quotas of the States now due. Breech-
tured and issued to the troops Benicia
arsenal should be made capable of per
forming all the repairs of ordnance stores
Tor the Pacific coast ST. Louis and
Baton Rouge arsenals have been turned
over to the Quartermaster's Department
The enlisted force Of the Department has
been reduced to AIS men, the number of
commissioned officers to SO, and number
Of storekeepers to - This number is
considered insufficient Heavy cannon
for sea-coast defense are much needed.
Castiron is not believed suitable for
heavy rifled guns; other materials should
be experimental with. A large sum is
required for the alteration of theten-inch
and tifteen-inch iron gun carriages in
service, to adapt them to the largely in
creased changes which have been estab-
PAYMASTER GENERAL
The Paymaster General states that the
total disbursements to the army during the
past year were S1S, 514,073, of which
1868, ~ were paid in the shape of back
pay and bounty to volunteers. There
were also paid for the expenses Of recon
as internal revenue tax, 50, 100. The army
hac full hn l,,, &
masters allowed by law sixty has been
reduced to fifty -one by casualty.
FREEDMEN's BUREAU
The operations of the Freedmcn's Blu
reau for the past year have been confined
to the care OF the hospital in the District
of Columbia, the collection and payment
of bounties and other moneys due colored
soldiers, and such supervision of the edu-
cational work as could be given. The
school funds having been all expended
prior to July, 1870 and no appropriations
having been made, there are no statistics |
of educational work to be given. The
number of officers, agents and clerks now
on duty is "a, a reduction of SO since the !
date of the last report.
SURGEON GENERAL OF THE ARMY.
Surgeon General Barnes reports that |
he has expended during the past year
1892, $50, of which 500, sos were required |
for the settlement Of claims and contracts |
prior to July 1, 1870. The balance on
hand at the end of the year was 81, 566,-
1873. The number of persons who have |
availed themselves of the provision of |
the acts of Congress to receive artificial |
limbs in kind or a stated communication in |
up to June 30, 1871, was S,91S, |
the number furnished with limbs previous |
ly having been 1887. Communication |
seems to be very generally preferred to
the artificial limbs, the proportion being |
as.follows:
(O2hdh- |