Connecticut western news., 1873-12-12
War Department.
THE SECRETARY OF WAR.

THE SECRETARY OF WAR.
 ebows that tbe estimates for military purposes for the year eudlnR June 30. 1874. were SSs26,- e7S.7s. The estimates for the same purpose tor the year ending June 30, 1875, arc $34,44o722 69, the excess Of tho next year over the current ono being &5s4 344 II. The appropriation for military pur poses for the year ending June 30. 1874, was $32 917 .971 37. Congress IS asked to appropriate S22 900 900 for building and armlng forts. He suggests that some action be taken recruits who have deceived recruiting officers by falsely swearing to their age or physical condition, and says: In my Judgment be should be immediately turned over to @ uropor tribunal, and the United States law otlloer in whose district recruit may have committed S,m % for sSe fslse oath % be hes taken eiT and for mont"
 March 1S. 1873, caused an order to be issued directing that no army officer. either active or retired, shall, dlrectly or indirectly, without being called upon by proper authority, solicit. Suggest, or recommend action by members of Congress. for or against military affairs.
 Fifty railroads at the close of the war, under Executive orders, purchased from thls depart ment railroad material to the appraised value of over s7.5oo.oO0 thirty of them having paid are still m our debt to the amount of si,eSs. s24o7 Tue total amount collected from thesa sales, with interest and expenses, has thus far been $5.116. .605.6 .63.
 In regard 10 headstones for soldiers graves in the national cemeterles, he states that cou- tracts have been awarded. Particular cnre has been taken to have these headstoDeS per manent when once erected. The entlre cost ot these slabs and blocks. under the contract as awarded. should they be entered into by s77o,o45.4s.
 sEA-coAsT pEFENsEs.
 feel great hesitation in recommending in- creosed appropriation at this time, but deem 1t my duty to say that the armament oI our dafAOsnR which involves ton of the defense of our principal sea-ooard citles from attack, in case of war with naval power, IS subject demanding the earnest ats tention of Congress- The principal cities on our coast are in @ very defenseless state, and the tedious and costly work or preparaton war with the hope of accomplsblng any ade- quate result. The work must be done Tn tune Of peace, without waiting for an uncertain pe- riod ID search after perfection ir gun-construc- tious. The importance of this subject increases with the earnest and continued efforts on the the most improved armament, and should war find this country without proper defense against iron-clads and thelr great guns. the re- sponsibillty cannot rest on thls Department, as the importance of the subject has been brought to the attention of Congress. An ap- preparation of $1, ,z49552 Is estimated for by the Chief of Ordnance for the next nsoal year for the purchase Of smooth-bore guns and for car rlages. which sum will provide for one-slxths only, of the guns and carriages that will be re- Quired for fortldcatloDs which will be ready by the 30th of June, 1874. Tnis amount ls not embraced in the regular estimates of appro- prIat'ons for the army, as heretofore alluded to, but 1t IS a subject of great importance, and she question of those approprlattOnsl IS respect. fully submitted.
 ToRPEpoEs.
 With the small appropriatious granted for trials with tOrpedoes. the investigations upon this subject have been continued, to the beno- it ot our system of submarine mines. This accessory for the defense of our harbor tn re- cent years has developed into one of great n n mar1tlm4 n0W0re. to lnvestigate the recent electrical methods and systems of torpedoes, as well as to procure were sent during the summer to Europe. The results of their mission are the collection of valuable information on thls subject. anu savDg of expenditure to the Government.
 RIVER AND HARBoR IMPROVEMENTS.
 The river aud harbor improvements meu. tioned ID my last annual report have been continued. and the works and surveys con' nected herewith have been carrled on duripR the past year with vlgor. Detailed lutorma- ton ln regard to each specific improvement, and the results of surveys directed to be made by the River aud Harbor Appropriation acts, may be found in the report of the Chief of Engineers.
 The improvement Of our rivers and harbors consists chiefly in giving increased width aud depth to exlsung chaunel-ways and oaslnst ana protecting them. or increasing new chan nels and basins and giving them protective works. Tho operations to thus end comprise the removal of obstructlons of varlous kinde. such Rs rock in place and powders, bars or clay, sometimes lndurated; of gravel, ssnoI ana otCer alluvial matter; Of rafts, 'en ex' tending from tue surface Of the river nearly to the bottom, formed by masses of driftinR trees, or the accumulation or slaos, eoRlnGS' aud sawdust; of timber and other oonstruc- tions placed tn channel.ways to oostruct or close them; the construction ot dlkes, dams, wlug-dams, and revetmeDts, and the budding of canals, breakwateis, and plers. all tending to promote the general interests or commerGe con ga les of communication aud giving greater security to trade.
 The riyer and haroor improvements, men- toned h the last annual report, have been continued, aud the works and surveys con nected herewith have been carried on during the past year with vlgor.
 A board of experlonced officers, of which | Gen. A. H. Terry was President, was con- vened in September, 1872. for the selection or breech loading system tor the muskets aud | carbines Of tue military service. After an ex- haustive trlal of all the systems presented, the board sesected the spr,ngnrld 6reeoh-loadinS system as the one of all those brought before | it, which IS best calculated to meet tbes oe- | mands of our military service. Tho report of system of breech loader will hencetortn be | used for muskets I'd carbipes ot the army | At the same time tn callbre of all small artns | for the service--rlfes, carDlDes, aud reyolVerS has been fixed at 45-lo0 of an inch.
 UNITED STATES ARMY.
 Gen. sherman. tho head of the army. says iu hls reporG to tho Secretary of War: that tse | aggregate showing IS 2S,635 enlisted men " cavalry, artillery, and Infantry, aud s,97o non combatants-the whole aggregating 29'6OS, or l9b less than the number (So,0o0J limited by | law. In the active regiments tne numoer or men sick aud on the necessary detalls aoout | Ihe posts will fully equal twenty five per ceut; | so that the actual strength for military service does not exceed 19,652 men. He recommends | that Congress be asked to fix the limit of the | enlisted force at such Q figure as wilt gtve 80, | OOO enlisted men for the regiments of the line, | aud to provide specifically for the non-com' | batant detachmentS as an extra force, whlch | would increase the actual number of enlisted l men to about 45.000 men.
 The number Of regimenta1 commissioned officers on duty or belonging tu the several departments and divisions numonr: ID the agSrega te, 1882; present for duty l,2S4; absent | on leave or uetached 29S.
 The foregoing does uot include the thirty -one | Second Lieutenants recently appotnted from clyl life, now under orders to jon taeir r'Gi' | ments.
 It is said that @ solution of two thirds of pound of Castile soap to gallon of water laid on damp wall as a wash,