The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-12-05
THE ARMY.
Annual Report OF the Secretary OF War
-Recomme ndations for the
Current Year-strength and Condition
of the Regular Army.

Current Year-Strength and Condition
OF the Regular Army.
The annual report of the Secretary of War
| shows that the estimates for military pur-
| poses for the year ending June 80, 1874. were
| c33, S26,3IS. The estimates for the same pur-
pose for the year ending June 80, 1875. are
| S34 4l0, 722, the excess over the current wear
being 1854, PA. The appropriations for mill
| tary purposes for the year Guiding Juue 80
| 1874, were $34 9l7,971.
In addition TO the usual estimates already
made, the following are submitted for such
action as Congress may deem proper 20 take !:
Armament of forts, 81 l49, $50 estimates for
| engineering purposes, 800 i59, 1886
He recommends that better facilities 10 Oh
tam field musicians be afforded by the passage
Of an act authorizing the enlistment Of boys
not under II years of age, with the consent Of
| their 'arents or guardians.
| The Secretary says his orders directing Of
iicers, sctlye or retired, to refrain from visit
| ing Washington during sessions OF Congress
with view TO influence legislation, Will be
strictly enforced, in so far as he has the
! power. He also says further legislation is
necessary to define the scope Of the provis-
ions OF the act regulating the pay Of officers.
| communication, etc. The Secretary recon-
mends that an allowance Of ten dollars per
month be made to Lieutenants Of the line de-
tailed as Acting Assistant Quartermasters.
! OF the fifty railroads which purchased ma
!
war to the amount Of $780, 900. thirty Of
! them paid in full. The remaining twenty arc
! still indebted about $4,000, 600. He 1ecom-
! nends the passage CT a law which vii enable
| the Department TO collect from the Fostotiice
| Department the postal earnings OF several OF
! the delinquent railroads.
lie also .ecommcnds an appropriation 70
! continue experiments of the artcsau wei. al
Fort d. 4. Russell, believing a series Of flow
nS wells TO the people Of Colorado, Wyoming,
! Dakota, and Montana will be Of importance in
! the development Of their material Resources
| He also recommends that an act be passed
! authorizing the issue Of tobacco as part Of
! the ratiOns of enlisted men, and that medIci!
! corps he opened 10 appointment and promo
! ton; that there be an increase OF paymastere
from forty-four to tifty-two, and that new ap
! pointmepts and promotions be allowed.
Works on the sea-cOast defeuses and tOrti-
hcations have been advanced with rapidity
! consistent with economy and efficiency. and
! the wOri IN four of our harbOrs now contaa
! quito number or platforms ready f0r their
armament OF guns OF largest caliter. The
! harbor defenses in course Of construction are
| recommended to be forced to completion.
the Secretary invites tho attention of Con-
gress to the bridging of navigabe waters Of
! the United States, and suggests such general
/ legislation as may be necessary for the pre-
! serYation Of the channels of commerce. He
recommends the repeal OF the law autholiz-
l
Arkansas river at Little Rock. for the reason
/ that bridge constructed according 70 its
| terms would materially Obstruct navigation.
The survey Of the lakes has been continued
with success during the season.
The Springfield system of breech-loaders
viii be hencefOrth used for muskets and car
bines in the army, and an appropriation OF
$500, COO Is asked for TO manufacture about
$1,000 arms of the accepted pattern fer re-
serve supply IN case Of war; 1t is recon-
mcnded that the appropriation tor aiming
! aud equppng the militia be increased in
proportion to the increasing population since
| the passage of the act Of 1893.
Cities on the seacOast, it Is stated, are in
/ q very detenseless condition, and the SecIe-
tary calls the earnest attention Of Congress TO
the fact, suggesting that 81 SOC. 600, the est-
mate of the Chief OF Ordnance, be appropria-
ted TO put them in state Of defense, and
Gays this sum Will only provide the defeuses
with one-siXth Of the complement If guns
required for the different Notifications.
The purchase Of a provng-ground for ex-
peumeuts in heavy guns Is advised also. an
appropriation of $4,000 for the manufacture
and trial Of 12-iuch cast-iron trimmed cannon.
4 large powder depot, il is recommended.
should be established in some region where
neither private nor public interests would be
endangered, and away from the influence OF
salt air, and for the purchase OF site and
commencement of magazines 800, 600 should
&c lliIbIJl4dltt. II TIC edllt tOuANCNiCU. II
l. recommended that the smaller arselals be
sold. and large Arsenal lie 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 COM
petcnt person to arrange and prepare torpub
hc2tion, official documents relating TO the
operations Of the army during wal.
GEN. sHERMAN's REPORT.
/. =.
taiy Of War; says the number of enlisted meu
in the army is 49G less than the $4,000 limited
by law. In active regimen Is the number of men
sick and on necessary details about posts Will
fully equal about 20 per cent, 80 that the
actual strength for military service does not
exceed Is, Gj2 men. In order that the regular
army should fulfil its arduOus duties on the
frontier, as also to form a model or which 20
shape the volunteer and militia force Of the
United States, | earnestly recommend that
Congress be asked TO fix the limit of the en-
listed force at such figure as Will give a.
600 for regiments of the line, and to provide
specifically for non-cOmbatant detachments.
such as engineer, battalion. Ordnance De-
partmcut, Ordnance and COmmissarv Ser
geants, III the same manner a. Las been done
FOR Hospital stewards.
The artillery regiments have an orgorlz-
alton different from the infantry, VIZ:
twelve batteries to q regiment. or
these, only one is equipped aud instructed ar
battery Of artillery, the other eleven c0mpa-
MES of each regiment being armed with mus
kets, and instructed a infantry.
Hegimeutal commissioned officers or duty
or belonging to the several departments and
divisions number, in the aggregate. 1892.
Present for duty. 1924. Absent Oh leave, or
detached. 293. The foregoing does 10; IL
Glide 81 Second Lieutenauts recently appoint
ed from evil life, and under orders to join
their regiments.
The military divisions embrace the whole
area Of the United States, and their reports
forwarded to the Secretary of War include the
acts Of all the regular army. No part Of the
army, Gen. Sherman says, Is under his imme-
date control. and the existing array regula-
tons dcvolye on the Secretary Of Var the
actual command Of the military peace estab-
lishment and all responsibility thereof, SO that
he forbears making any further recommends
tons or report.
The Interior Department.
The Secretary of the Interior in his annual