American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1873-12-13
Secretary Eelknap's Report.

| shows that the estimates for military purposes for
| the year ending June 81, 1874, were S}3 sec 3iS.
| The estimates for the same purpose for the year
| ending June 81, 1875. S3i. i10.192, the excess
over the current year being S5s4,2ii. he appro-
priaiiuns for military purposes for the year ending
| june 20, 1874. were Sii 9ls9sL
In ADDITION 10 the usual estimates already made,
eress may deem proper to take; Armament of forts
81, i4q. 80; estimates for engineering purposes,
| He recommends that better facilities To obtain
field musicians he afforded by the passage of an act
| authorizing the enlistment of boys not under II
years Of age, with the consent of their parents
| guardians
| The secretary says his orders directing officers
| active retired, refrain from visiting Wash
| ing-Cn during sessions of Congress with view to
influence legislation, Will be strictly enforced in
! 80 far a. he has the power. He also says further
Legislation is necessary define the scope of the
provision Of tie act regulating he pay of officers
that an allowance of ten dollars per month be made
| TO Licuttna of the line detailed as Acting As
| sistaut Quartermasters.
OF the fifty railroads which purchased material
from the Department at the close of the to the
amount of $1,000 o, thirty OF them paid in fun
| The remaining twenty still indebted about
| Si.5OOC01. He recommends the passage of law
which will enable the Department to collect from
The Po>t-officc Department the postal earnings of
several OF the delinquent railroads.
He also recommends an appropriation to con
tinqe experiments of the artesian wei at Fort D.
\. Russell, believing series of flowing wells to
| the people Of Colorado Wyoming, Dakota and
| Montana will he of importance III the development
of heir material resources.
| He also recommends that act be passed au-
thoriZing the Issue of tobacco as part of the "a
lions of enlisted men. and that medical corps be
opened to appointment and promotion; that there
be increase of piymastrrs from forty-four to
ffty-two and that new appointments and promo
lions be allowed
Work on the sea-coast defenses and fortidca-
tfons have been advanced with rapidiiy consistent
with economy and efficiency. and the works in
four of our harbors now contain quite a number
of the platforms ready for their armament of guns
of largest caliber. The harbor defenses in course
of construction are recommended to be forced to
completion.
The Secretary invites the attention OF Congress
TO the bridging of the navigahlc waters of The
United States and suggests such general legisla-
rion as may be necessary for the preservation OF
the channels Of commerce He recommends the
repeal of the law authorizing the construction of
the bridge across the Arkansas River at Little
Rock. for the reason that bridge constructed ac-
cording to its terms would materially obstruct
navigation.
The survey of the lakes has been continued with
success during the season.
The Springfield system of breech-loadcrs will
be henceforth used for muskets and carblnes in
the army and an approprat9n Sf 10000 o. h ls
accepted pattern for reserve supply in case of
war. II is recomm. ndcd that the appropriation
Tor arming and equipping the militia be increased
in proportion to the increasing population slnce
the passage Of the act of 1905.
Cities the sea-coast, it is stated. in very
6efcnsele>s condition. and the Secretary calls the
earnest attention OF Congress to the fact suggest
Ordnance be appropriated To put them in a state
Of defe sc. and says this sum will only provide
the defenses with one-sixth of the complement of
guns required for the different fortifications.
The purchase of proying-ground for expert
priaiion of $50, for the manufacture and trial
Of twelve-inch cast-iron trimmed cannon.
4 large powder depot. il is recommended. should
be established in some region where neither pri-
waite public interests would be endangered,
and away from the influence of salt air. and for
the purchase of n site and commencement of
magazines 100000 should be appropriated. In
the same connection, il is recommended that the
smaller arsenals be sold, and large arsenal be
built from the proceeds Of these sales.
The Secretary concludes by recommending that
legislation SHOULD be renewed giving The Secretary
OF War authority to appoint competent person
arrange and prepare for publication official doc
uments relating to the operations of the army
during war.
GENERAL suHRMAN's REPORT.
General Sherman, in his report TO the Secretary
of War, says the number of enlisted men in the
army is i95 less than the 30.G00 limited by law In
active regiments the number of men sick and on
necessary details about posts. viii fully equal 25
per cent, that the actual strength for military
service does not exceed 1862 men.
In order that the regular army should fulfill its
arduo,e duties on the frontier, as also to form a
model on which TO shape the volunteer and militia
force OF the United States: he earnestly recon-
mends that Congress be asked to fix the limit of
the enlisted force at such figure as will give
3OOo for regiments OF the line. and 10 provide spe
officially for non-combat mt detachments, such as
engineer battalion. Ordnance Department, West
Point detachment, Signal Department. Ordnance
and Comms-ary Sergeants. in the same manner
has been done for Hospital Stewards.
The artillery regiments have an organization
different from the infantry. viz: twelve batteries
to regim 9nt OF these, only one l. equipped and
instructed as battery Of artillery the other eleven
companies of each regiment being armed with
muskets and instructed as infantry.
H gimental commissioned officers on duty or be-
longing to the several departments and divisions
number. in the aggregate, ,532 Present for duty.
1.23i. Absent ON leave or detached 2lS. The
foregoing does not include 81 Second Leutenants
recently appointed from civil life, and under
ders to JOIN their regiments.
The military divisions embrace the whole area
Of the Uni ed States and their reports forwarded
to the Secretary OF War include the of all the
regular army. No part of the army, General
ia lis n e.
the existing army regulations devolve on the Sec
Rotary of War the actual command of the military
peace establishment and all responsibility thereof,
so that he fOrbears making any further recon-
mcndations report.