Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-11-29


ments OF the service. The reports Of the d fer
ent inspectors show that through their recon-
mendations and agency, sustained and enforced
by their commanders, there has been continued
improvement in the discipline, efficiency, an III
moral tone of the troops well as the promo
ton OF more discriminating and careful re
money and property.
Paymaster Generals Report.
Psymaster General AIvord reports total re-
ceipts were Si6;lS6,3 60, and total disburse-
nents, Sl2,126 ,5l5 G5. Refunded { O the Trsasu-
ry, -, 59-9.g0 Balance on hand. - .33, So o.
he deyotes much OF his report TO the system
adopted TO enable the men To save their means
and speaks very tayorably thereof. He SAYS:
"lf the Captains OF companies will encourage
and persuade their men 10 make deposits they
Will md that II Will diminish the number OF de
sertons, and render paw day and the sequel o.
II quiet, orderly event in garrison, he next
refers 10 the system recently adopted Of com
parIng the weekly statement of paymsSt.ls
giving their balances remaining in the various
repositories with similar statements rendered by
each depository to The Treasurer of the United
States. The discrepancies revealed are usually
accidental, and admit OF explanation. III,
recommends the repeal OF the law lnterdicting
prOmot 0ns and appointments in the Paw de
partment. Promotion Is the life blood OF an
army, and this department is already SO re-
duced that If any eNigency or additional vacan-
Cy shall occur il will be difficult TO carry on il,
business" In conclusion he asks that Congress
VIII not rashly tamper, Is some have proposed.
Win TIE system IN the PaymaSteI Generals
office, but leave undisturbed an orgsniZ alton OF
nfty years growth, which during that period
brought honor upon the public service, both il
time o. Wal and III time of peace.
Report OF the Ordnance Depa rtmcnt
The report of General A. Ii. Dyer, chief OF
the ordnance Office, shows satisfactory work al
the arsensls and other points where work under
the bureau is going on. few thousand stand
OF arms have been completed at the Springfield
armory Tor the army and militia The work l.
now ceasing at that post, as the appropri alton
tor the current year Is limited TO such system OF
breach-loading arms as may be selected by
board now in session. Reports from the feld are
favorable to the use of revolvers using met sIic
cartridges. The bill of last session for arning and
eGuippiDg the militia is recommended to the
attention Of Congress. The sale OF such arse
mails east OF the Mississippi river as can be spared
is recommended, and the proceeds should be
applied TO the establishment of large arsenal
OF construction and repair on the Atlantic coat
he notes and bonds OF the principal purchasers
at the Harpers Ferry sale in lsC9, have been
placed la the hands OF the department of Justice
fcr suit, the deiInquents having failed to hqui-
date any part of their indebtedness within the
time limited by law. Liberal action in eyard to
the promotion Of ordnance officers, such as was
taken in respect to the engineer department.
the CHEF OF ordnance hopes will be extended
during the ensuing session.
Report Of Quartermaster General
Meigs.
Quartermaster General Meigs, in his annual
expenditures Of his department during the past
year were sI2.517 ,62l.37. All accounts for money
and property prior To 1871 have been examined
and transmitted TO the Treasury TOR final settle
ment. During the past year 3,2.7 cavalry and
artillery horses were purchased, aud 209 mules,
making 9,s29 horses and s,I5s mules now in ser.
vice. I0l.2ii bushels OF corn, $50 I27 bushels of
oats l.O.s06 bushels Of barley, $3.50 tons OF
hay, $50 tons of straw, lie 900 cords Of wood;
Is, l4i tons of coal have been furnished to the
army The expe mixtures on account of clothing
curing the year were ssSI 500 while
Sl,oi3 ,S3l.i0 was realized from the sale of
clothing. Railroad transport ation during the
year amounted to 81 800 900. OF this 1900 s57 was
over the Pacific railroads. Water transporta.
ton has cost S626,313 81. Wagon transportation
81 10000. and stage transportation SAC ,915 81.
The amount paid tor transportation of animals,
repairs OF wagons, hire OF teamsters, &c. was
ga o5oei: Ninety, i've new buildings have
been erected at military posts. at a cost of
io,S5S, and $4,000 has been expended upop
wharves. The cost of construction and repair
or military buildings has been S3S5 ,925. The
balance due the United States from railroads
indie bted to the government is Si,134 ~ 49,
During The year Si3S, 1875 has been collected
from the m, and accounts with them, amounting
10 sZ30,OOO, are now IN process OF settlement.
Claims for quartermaster's stores taken during
The war, amounting to s357, 102 -, have been
settled, and Claims amounting to 1896 1907
have been rejected. There are claims amount
ing to $685. ,C0G56 still file. but a large pro-
portion OF them are unjust. He reviews At some
length the condition of government builds mgr
reservations, &c.
Report Ofthe Judge Advocate General
The annual report OF j Judge Advocate eneral
Holt Z. 5. A, shows that IL 1853 records OF mil
itary courts have been received and revised
during the year. He saws: "The examination
In review by this bureau OF the records OF trials
occurring IN the different military departments
OF the country, brings constantly before il what
is felt to be most serious defect in the admin.
istration Of Justice, and positive injury IN
service-which IL the Inequality of sentences
sIludgeG by different courts for identical Of
FENCES. Desertion, for instance receives In one
department. punishment Of two, three
four, and even five years confinement at
hard labor. while in another a sentence
providing for but one years Imprisonment
is deemed an ample expiatIon, and this in cases
which from the trial records appear to be in all
respects deserving OF the same proportion OF
are often brought together, when by Comparison
the injustice wrought Is made manifest 20 the
sufferers, and the result naturally Is to harden
rather than reform the culprits-one of the
highest objects of punishment thus being maae
impossible OF attainment He recommends the
adoption or code providing specific penalties
Ior weiI-denned offences, with . minimum and
maximum limitation to meet first offences and
the cases OF persistent offenders. He Also rec
ommends the erection OF military prisons for
the connneme OF soldiers, SO as not TO send
them 10 penitentiaries to associate with felons.
~Gharles Dickens, jr., b coming to this
country in the spring,
~Dio Lewis says the neck shouid b. dressed
lightly. :
~One effect of the horse disease i'm whsel-
ing, Va, isthe abandonment Of the stables by
the rats. As soon rs q horse commences 70
cough, the rodents make for the open air.
- The police made descent upon a party of
roughs in Philadelphia, yesterday, who had a
prize light in full operation. They succeedet
in arrestlng the principals, but the spectators
~Committeee Of conference of various stase
temperance orgarizafions met 1T Syrac use, New
York, yesterday, and decided to press the loo
PROHIBITION and civil damages Law before ne
legislature, and ask for . repeal Of All leens.
laws. 7