The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-12-20
Annual Reports If the Secretary
of War and Secretary Of
the Treasury.
The Report Of the Comptroller OF the
Currency.
Postal Tslsgraphy Views OF the
Postmaster General.
THE ARMY.

summar RI Of the Report Of Secretary BeI
KNAPP.
The report CT the Secretary Of War shows
that the expenditures Of that department fol
the fiscal year ending June 80. 1872, were
s35.Sj2 .l57. 20, being a reduction OF $4l7,
SAG on the previous year.
The total estimate for military appropria'
tious for tine fiscal year ending June 80, 1874,
is sSS.s Ol, 1878. 7S.
The estimates of the Chief Engineer arc
submitted separately, as presented by thai
officer, namely:
Fortifcations and other works of
defense ......... 3 3,725, 900
River and harbor improvements. IL, 302, 800
Public buildings aud grounds and
Washington aqueduct. ......... G12, 024
Total. III, 639, 1924
About one-sixth of the army il stutioned
in the Southern States. The Secretary states
that 1t is hoped that an improved condition
of affails in that section NAV permit the
withdrawal, at an early day, Of a portion Of
the forces"
The expenditures for the service Of the
Qu%artermaster's Department during the year
have been Sl2,517 ,G31.s7.
The number of artillery horses purchased
during the year is estimated at 3,277 mules,
209; number Of horses i'll service, 9,720 |;
mules. 8,75S.
The expenditures for clothing during the
year we're 1907 ,529.63 for railroad transprta-
ton, $1,000, 900 wagon transportation, Sl,-
100. 900; water transportation, SC26, 1884, /;
stage transportation, S4S, 1854.
Under the act of Congress providing for
the relief OF loyal citizens IN certain loyal dis
tricts OF the South, the Quartermaster Cen
eral has examined and transmitted to the &C.
counting officers for settlement 665 claims for
Quartermasters' stores taken during the war,
.A,, ~ llA..1 - GnA6 Hnn IN -
others, amounting to 1896, 100. rs, have been
rejected. There are still 1881 Of these
claims on file, amounting in the aggregate to
So 57, COG. ST.
The "A National Cemeteries contain the re-
mains Of 81, 1862 deceased soldiers. Fifty
| eight Of these cemeteries have been perma-
nently lnclosed.
Subsistence stores to the amount OF $780,
1851 II have been issued to the Indian tribes VI
the West.
The monthly army reports of sick and
wounded during the year represent an annual
mean strength of "A, lOl white and 2.49i col
ored soldiers. The total number Of deaths
during the year was 367 white and "a colored
soldiers.
The Rock Island bridge has been completed.
and will be Immediately opened for railroad
and wagon use.
In conformity to the two acts Of Congress,
passed last spring. relating to the bridging of
the Mississippi river. the proper site for the
bridge at La Crosse, Wis.,, has been deter
mined.
A satisfactory state of proficiency in discip-
line and study at the West Point Military
Academy is reported. The number of failures
10 master the academic course, including
original reflections. was 81 the number of ad-
missions, % the total number Of cadets now
at the academy IL 240. There are So vacan-
eies. caused by failures upon preliminary ex-
aminations. discharge Of cadets for deficiency,
and the failure Of Congressional representa-
tives to select suitable candidates for the past
September examination. The standard of
proficiency in the corps of cadets has much
improved, but great obstruction to the USE
fllness which the academy might otherwise
attain in fitting scientific and highly educated
young men for the public service is expert
enced because Of the large amount OF time
necessarily expended in giving new cadets q
thorough knowledge of the mere elementary
branches of learning, which they should have
acquired before entering the academy. Under
the present system q large percentage Of the
eandidates who seek admission to the academy
iaii In their preliminary examination. or are
found incapable of mastering the academic
course during the first year. Many Of those
who SO to West Point with the prestige Of
high scholarship, obtained elsewhere, fail, un-
DER examination. in the very rud,ments Of an
education. That such failure cannot be
charged to q too severe examination il shown
by the fact that the qualifications demanded
OF candidates are less than those established
BY perhaps a majority Of the hig her scholas-
nc institutions OF the country and the ex-
aminations are not conducted more rigidly
than Is absolutely necessary. A considerable
modlfi,ation of the existing mode Of selection
OF cadets seems to be demanded, as the OILY
enectual remedy for this evil.