The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1873-12-18
El1scEIZhY9.
coNGREssTONAE.
Brief Abstracts of AnndaI Reports
= from the Various Hreaus-

Brief Abstracts OF Annual Reports
= from the Various Bsreaus-
General Sherman in his report to the
| Secretary of War says: The numbhr of
| enlisted men in the army IS four hundred
and ninety-five less than the thirty thou
| sand limited by law. In the active regi-
ments the number of men sick and on
necessary detail about posts will fully
equal 25 per cent, so that the actual
! strength for military servlce, does not ex-
| ceed 1862 men n order that the regu-
lar army should fulfill IFS arduous duties
on the frontier, as also to torm model on
which, to shape the volunteer and militia
| force Of flle United States, l earnestly re-
commend that Congress be asked to fix
1.-The limit of the enlisted force at such
figure as VIII. give 80, 600 for regiments of
! line and provide specifically for non
! combatapt attachments, such as the en-
| gineer battalion, Ordnance Department,
! West Point detachment. Signal Depart
ment, ordllancs and commIssary ser
geants, in the same manner as has been
done, for, hospitalsteWards. artillery
lregimentsS have an organizsfien different
! from he infantry, ,&twtefe Eat6eries to a
! legiment.-but of these onfy--one IS
! equipped and instructed as a battery of
I'arullery, The other eleven companies Of
each regiment being armed with muskets
and instructed as infantry, The regi-
! mental commissioned officers on duty or
| belonging 10 the several departments and
divisions number in the aggregate 1,532.
Present forduty 1924, absent on leave or
l-detached 29S TEE1z
/ The foregoing does not include thirty
one second Iieutenahts recently appointed
from civil 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 includetthe accounts OF
/ aIlrthe regular army. No part of the
army, General Sherman says, is under hls
immediate control, ahd the existing army
regulations devolve on the Secretary OF
War the actual command of the military
peace establishment and all the RESPONSE
bilities thereof; so that be forbears max
ing any further recommendations or re-
port.
The annual report ofythe Secretary OF
/ War shows that the estiUhates for military
! purposes for the year ending June 30th,
1874, were $33, ,S26, ,378. The estimate for
the same purpose for the year. ending
June 30th, 1875, are $84, ,4I0, ,722; the ex-
cess over the current year being 1854 y344.
The appropriation for military purposes
/ y Il
$50, ,9l7071.
! IN addition to the usual estimates al
ready made, the following are submitted
for such action as Congress may deem
proper to take: Armament of forts ST.
499, $50; estimates for engineer purposes
$40, Ass, 1886. He recommends that bet
ter facilities to obtain field musicians be
afforded by the passage of an act author
izing the enlistment Of boys not under
twelve years of age with the consent of
their parents or guardians
The Secretary says his order directing
officers, active and retired, to refrain from
visiting Washington during the sessions
| of Congress with q view to influence leg
islatlon, will be strictly enforced IN so tar
as he has power. He also says further
/ legislation is necessary to define the scope
Of the provisions of the act regulating
| the pay of Offices, commutatIon, etc.
i The Secretary recommends that an ad
vance of ten dollars per month be made
TO Ieutenants of the line detailed as act
ing assistant quartermasters.
--0f the fifty railroads which purchased
tmatertat from the department AZ the close
Of they war to the amount of 81 SOC, 600,
thirty Of them paid in full The remain
ing twenty. are. still indebted about / :
l 700, ,000.-He recommends the passage OF
a law whiehiwilt enable, the Department
I to. collect from the Postoffice Department
j the postal earnings of several of the de-
linquent, railroads. He also recommends
an appropriation to continue the expert
ments of the Artesian well at Fort Rus
sell, believing a series of flowing wells to
the people of Colorado, Wyoming, Da-
kota and Montana will be of Importance
in the developmenU of their material re-
sources. He also recommends that an
act be passed authorizing the issue of to-
bacco as part of the rations of enlisted
men and that the medical corps be opened
to appointment and promotion. That
there. be an increase of paymasters from
forty to ffty-two, and that new appoint
4 meRts and promotions be allowed.
The work on the sea coast defences and
Notifications has-been advanced with the
| rapidity consistent with economy and ef-
ficieney and the works for our principal
harbors now contain quite a number oi
platforms ready tor their armament OF
guns of a larger calibre. The harbor de-
fences in course of construction are re-
commended to be forced to completion.
The Secretary invites the attention ol
Congress TO the bridging of the navigable
waters of the United States, and suggests
such general legislation as may be neces-
sary for the preservation of the channels
lof commerce He recommends the re-
peal of the law authorizing the construc-
lion of bridge across the Arkansas river
at. Little Rock for the reason thai s
bridge constructed according to its terms
would materially obstruct navigation.
The survey of the lakes has been con
tinued with success during the season.
The Springfield system of breech load
ers will be henceforth used for musketl
-and carbines in the army, and an appro
Il priation of FIVE hundred thousand dollar
- Is asked for to manufacture about thirty
+. FIVE thousand arms Of the accepted sys-
tenn for a reserve supply in case OF war.
It is RECOMMENDED that the appropria-
ton for the armIng and equipping OF mi
litia be increased IN proportion to the IN
creasing population since the passage o
the act of 1903. The cities on the SCI
coast, 1T is stated, are in q very defense
less condition, and the Secretary calls tn
earnest attention of Congress to the fact
suggesting that a million and half Q
i dollars, the estimate of the Chief of Ord
nance, be appropriated to put them IN I
state of defense, and says this sum vii
only provide defenses with one-sixth tht
complement of guns required for the dIt
ferent fortifcauons.
The purchase OF proving ground 70
experiments in heavy guns Is advised
also, an appropriation Of seventy -fv'
thousand dollars for the manufacture an'
trial of l2-inch cast-iron rifled cannon.
a large powder depot, it is recon-
mended, should be established IN som
region where neither private or publi
: interests would be endangered and ava.
from the influences Of salt air. and for tn
purchase of site and commencement Q
magazines, hundred thousand dollar
should be appropriated. In the sam
connection it is recomm ended that smalle
arsenals be sold and larger arsenal b'
built from the proceeds of these sales.
The Secretary concludes by recommend
ing that legislation should be renewe
giving the Secretary Of War authority tt
appoint a competent person to arraDg
and prepare for the publication Of oficia
Q documents relating to the rebellion an
operations of the army during the war.
The Comptroller of the Currency II
r I, - -r.,-fo