Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1873-12-11
THE ARMY.
Annual Report of the Secretary of War
Expenditures Recomme ndations for
the Current Year-Strength and Condi-
ton of the Regular Army.

shows that the estimates for military pur-
poses for the year ending June 80. 1874, were
| So, S26,378. The estimates for the same pur-
| pose for the year ending June 80, 1875, are
| S34, 40, 722, the excess over the current year
| being 1854, 244. The appropriation for mill
tary purposes for the year ending June 80,
| 1874, were S34, 917,971,
| IN addition to the usual estimates already
| made, the following are submitted for such
action as Congress may deem proper to take :
| Armament of forts, 81 AS, $50 estimates for
| engineering purposes, 500, ASS, 1856.
He recommends that better facilities TO OBJ
| tain field musicians be afforded by the passage
of an act authorizing the enlistment of boys
not under IL years of age, with the consent of
| their parents or guardians.
| The Secretary says his orders directing off,
GERS, active or retired, to refrain from visiting
Washington during sessions of Congress with
| a 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 provisions of the act
| regulating the pay of officers, commutation
| etc. The Secretary recommends that an al
lowance of ten dollars per month be made 10
Lieutenants of the line detailed as Acting
Assistant Quartermasters.
Of the fifty railroads which purchased ma
terlal from the Department at the close of
| the war to the amount of $780, 600, thirty
| of them paid in full. The remaining twenty
are still indebted about S4.700,000. He rec
ommends the passage of a law which will en-
| able the Department to collect from the Post
| Office Department the postal earnings of sew
eral of the delinquent railroads.
He also recommends an appropriation to
continue experiments of the artesian well at
Fort ID. A. Russell, believing series of flow
ing wells to the people of Colorado, Wyoming.
Dakota, and Montana, will be of Importance
in the development of their material resources
Il i. y
authorizing the issue of tobacco as part of the
rations of enlisted men, and that medical corps
| be opened to appointment and promotion
that there be an increase of Paymasters from
for y-four or ffty-two, and that new appoint
me- Is and promotions be allowed.
Works on the sea-coast defcnses and forti-
ficatlons have been advanced with rapidity
consistent with economy and efficiency, and
the works in four of our harbors now contain
quite number of 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 Con-
gress to the bridging of the navigable waters
| of the United States, and suggests such gen.
eral legislation as may be necessary for the
| preservation of the channels of commerce.
| He recommends the repeal of the law author
| thoriging the construction of the bridge across
the Arkansas river at Little Rock, for the
reason that a bridge constructed according TO
| its terms would would materially obstruct
| navigation.
The survey of the lakes has been continued
with success during the season.
The Springfield system Of breech-loaders
| will be henceforth used for muske.s and car
bines in the army. and an appropriation OF
$500, 900 is asked for to manufacture about
$4,000 arms of the accepted pattern for a re-
serve supply in case of war; 1t is recon-
| Iad hat fha iofin for
and equipping the militia be increased in pro-
portion to the increasing population since the
| passage of the act of 1905.
| Cities on the sea-coast, it is stated are in q
very defenseless condition, and the Secretary
calls the earnest attention of Congress to the
fact, suggesting that 81 500, 600, the estimate
| of the Chief of Ordnance be appropriated tC
put them in a state of defense, and saws this
sum will only provide the defenses with one.
| sixth of the complement of guns required fol
the different Notifications.
The purchase of proving-ground for ex-
periments in heavy guns is advised; also, al
appropriation of $4,000 for the manufacture
and trial of 12-inch cast-iron trimmed can
non.
A large powder depot, it 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 a site anC
| commencement OF magazines 800, 00l
should be appropriated. In the same con.
nection, 1t is recommended that the smaller
| arsenals be Sold and large arsenal be bull
from the proceeds of these sales.
| The Secretary concludes by recommending
| that legislation she uld be renewed, giving the
Secretary of War authority to appoint a com
petent person to arrange and prepare fol
publication official documents relating to the
operations of the army during war.
| GEN. sHERMAN's REPORT.
Gen. Sherman, in his report to the Secre.
| in the army is 495 less than the $4,000 limited
by law In active regiments the number OF
men sick and on necessary details about
posts will fully equal Is per cent, so that the
actual strength for military service does not
exceed 1862 men. In order that the regular
army should fulfill its arduous duties on the
| frontier, as also to form a model ON which to
| shape the volunteer and militia force of the
United States, 1 earnestly recommend that
| Congress be asked to fix the limit of the en-
listed force at such figure as will give 50, 00(
for regiments of the line, and to provide spe.
officially for non-combatent detachments, such
as Engineer battalion, Ordnance Depart
ment, West Point detachment, Signal Depart
| ment, Ordnance and Commissary Sergeants
| in the same manner as has been done for Hospi
talStewards.
| The artillery regiments of the United States
army have an organization different from the
infantry, viz: IL batteries to a regiment Of
these, only one is equipped and instructed as
a battery of artillery, the other eleven compa.
mics of each regiment being armed with nus
kets, and instructed as infantry.
Regimental commissioned officers on duty
or belonging to the several departments and
divisions number, in the aggregate, 1882
Present for duty, 1884. Absent on leave. OF
detached. 29S. The foregoing does not III
clude 81 Second Lieutenants recently appoiut
ed from civil life, and under orders to joiI
their regiments.
The military divisions embrace the whole
area of the United States. and their reports
forwarded to the Secretary CT Wa; include the
acts of all tie regular army. No part of the
army, Gen. Sherman says. is under his imme
date control, and the existing army regula
tons devolve on the Secretary of War the
actual command of the military peace estab-
lishment aud all responsibilities thereof, SO
that he forbears making any further recon-.
mendatlons or report.