, 1873-12-01
THE ARMY.

juno 30, 1876, aro S84 ,410, ,722, tho cxccss oycr
tho currcnt year being s5s4,244 Tho appropria-
tion for military purposes for tho year ending
juno 90, 1874, were $o4,917.o71.
ESTIMATES.
In addition to tho usual estimates already
mado, tho following aro submttod for such
/ action as Congress may deem proper to take I:
Armament OF forts, Il s1,44o,550; estimates for
engineering purposes, $20, ,459,308.
He recommends that batter facilities to OBJ
thin field musicians be Afforded by tho passage
Of IN act authorizing tho enlistment of boys not
| undcr 12 years Of ago. with tho consent of tneir
parents or guardians.
NO LOBBYING.
Tho Secretary says Ills orders directing officers,
nctivo or retired, to refrain from visiting WASH
ington during sossions OF Congress- with a view
to influence legislation will DO Htriotly enforced,
In go far nB ho has tho power. Ho also anys fur
thor legislation is necessary to dcilno tho scope
Of tho provision Of the act
REGULATING THE TAI, or OFFICERS,
communication, oto. Tho Secretary recommends
that NIL allowance Of ton dollars per month be
made to LteutepautB Of tho line detailed aa Act
ing Assistant Qunrtormastore.
RAILROAD DEBTS.
Or tho fifty railroads which purchased mn
torin1 from tie Department. at the close OF tho
war to tue amount Of 81, 600, 600, thirty OF them
paid in full. The remaining twenty are still in
dubtca about 81, 600. Ho' recommends tile
pnsRago Of o law which Mill enab1o tho Depart
mont to collect from the Post -Ofico Department
tho postal earnings Of several Of tho delinquent
railroads.
COLORADO 1nn1aAT1ou.
He also recommends Nh appropriation to oou-
tinue experiments Of tho artonian wcll at Fort
.. A. Russoll believing serieB Of flowing wolls
to tho people Of Colorado, Wyoming, Dakota, and
Montana viii be OF Importance in the loyelop-
mont Of their material resourcos
OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.
Flo also recommends that All act DO passel
authorizing tue issue Of tobacco as part OF tho
rationR Of onliHtod mou md that medical corps
ho opened to appointment and promotion; that
thoro DO au incroaao Of Pay,naatora from forty
four to ffty-two, and that new appointments
and promotions bo allowed.
WORKS ON THE eEA-CoAsT pEFENsE9
and iorti1lcations hayo boon advanced with
rapidity consistent with economy aud o(llcioucy,
md tho works in four of our larburs now con-
tain quite number Of platforms ready for tl,uir
armament Of guns Of largest ca!ibro. Tho lar
Dor dcfunseB in oourao OF contraction aro roc
onlinended to be forced to completion.
BRIDGES.
The Secretary invites tho attention Of Con-
grcEs 10 tho bridging OF tho navigab1o waters Of
the Ulilcd States, and suggests such general
Legislation o. ~ ~ my be necessary for tho PreHsr
on,mends .1le repeal Of tho Law authorizing tho
construetion Of tho bridge across tho Arkansas
River at Little Rock, for tue rcaBon tIlnt britle
constructed according to its terms would mato-
rally obstruce navigation.
LAKE SURVEY.
Tho Survey OF tho iallca Inns boeu continued
with SUCCESS during tho eoason.
Tho Springfield systo1n Of brooch-loaders will
be hencoforth used for musketa and carbiues In
the army, and an appropriation Of $500. 600 is
asked for to manufacture about 5000 arms of
the accepted pattern for reserve supply In casc
t rim
ton for arming and oquinping the militia be in-
tion since the pasaags OF the act Of 1908.
DErEEsELEs8 CITIES.
OiticH on the BcncoAst. it iB stated. arc in A
yory defonselcsB condition, aud tho Secretary
calls tho earnest attention Of Congress- to tic
fact, suggosting that l60o, 900, the estimate Of
the Chief OF ORDNANCE, be appropriated to put
will only provide tho dofonses with ono-sixth Of
the complement Of guns required for the Miror-
ent forti1cations.
pRoy1Nu-onoUEp WANTED.
Tho purchase Of proving-E round for oxnert-
priation Of $4,000 for tile manufacture aud
trial Of l2-lnoE cast-lron rimn1ed cannon.
4 LAn0E POWDER DEpoT
1t fs recommended, Bhould be established In Bome
region where noithor private nor public interests
would bo endangered, and away from tho influ-
once OF salt air and for the purchase Of site
and commencemento OF magazines S100,u should
uc hIPtHlAlHlo4. III IuG B4Ln6 c0nnGCt1Qu 1t l6
recommended that the smaller a1sonals bo sold.
and largo arsenal be built from the proceeds OF
these Sulea' = ,a,4, n,,.n.
Tho Secretary concludes by recommending
that legislation should be renewed giving tho
sccretary OF War authority to appoint connpo-
tent poraon to arrange and prepare for pub]ica-,
ton official documents relating to tho opera
tions OF the army during war
GEN. Shcrmuu,m Kenort.
WASHINGTON, D. g., Nov. 29.-Gon. Sherman,
number Of enlisted men in the army is 4j5 loys