Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-12-13
War Department.
NE sECRETAnY or MAR.

TIE SECRETARY OF WAR.
The annual report of the Secretary Of War
shows that the estimates for military purposes
for the year ending June 80. 1874 were $50 s26,.
37S78. The estimates for the same purpose for
the ear ending June 80, 1875, are s34440 722 50,
the excess of the next year over the current
one being S5si.344 IL. The appropriation for
military purposes for the year ending June 80,
1874, was $50. OF 971 81. Congress is asked to
appropriate $4,000, 600 for building ana armlng
forIs. He suggests that some action be taken
toward the passage OF a positive law to punish
recruits who have deceived recruiting officers
by falsely swearing to their age or physical
condition., and says: " In my judgment he
should be immediately turned over to a proper
tribunal, and the United States law officer in
whose district a recruit may have committed
an Offense, should be required to prosecute
him for the false oath he has taken, and for
the great expense he has gwen the Govern
meDt."
The head of the Executive Department, on
March IS, 1878, caused an order to be issued
directing that no army officer. either active OF
retired shall, directly 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 this depart
ment railroad material to the appraised value
OF over S7.5OO,000. thirty OF them having paid
their debts IN full. The remaining twenty
/ are still IN our debt to the amount of S4,65s,.
924 OF. Tue total amount collected from these
sales, with intere6 and expenses, has thus lar
been S5.116 605.63.
Iu regard TO headsrones for soldiers graves
in the national cemeteries, he states that con.
tracts have been awarded. Particular care
has been taken to have these headstones per
manent when once erected. The entire cost
OF these slabs and blocks, under the contract
as awarded, should they be entered iuto Ivy
the successful bidders, Will amount to
H70045.4S.
sEA-CoAsT DEFENSEs.
| feel great hesitation in recommending in.
!
It my duty to say that the armament OF our
| sea-Coast defenses, which involves the QueS-
ton of the defense of our principal sea-board
! cities from attack, in case OF war with a naval
| power Is subject demanding the earnest at
| tentlon of Congress. The principal cities on
our coast are in very defenseless state. and
| the tedious and costly work of preparation
| cannot be commenced on the breaking out of q
| war with the hope of accomplishing any ade-
| quate result. The work must be done In time
| of peace, without waiting for an uncertain pc.
riod In search after perfection ID gun-construc-
| tiOns. The importance OF this subject increases
! with the earnest and continued efforts on the
part of all nations to supply their forts with
| the most improved armament, and should war
find this country without proper defense
| agalnstlron-cladS and their great guns, the re-
| sponsbility cannot rest on this Department,
| as the Importance of the subject has been
| brought to the attention of Congress. An ap
preparation of 81, ,449,552 is estimated for by the
Chief Of Ordnance for the next fiscal year for
| the purchase of smooth-bore guns and for car
| rlageS, which sum Will provide for one-siXth
only, of the guns ana carriages that will be re-
| qured for fOrtlticatlOps which will be ready
| by the 3Oth Of june 1874. THIS amount ls not
embraced in the regular estimates of apprO
| prlatI0Ds for the army, as heretofore alluded
! to, but 1t is subject of Egreat Importance and
| the question OF these appropriations Is respect
| fully submitted.
ToRPEDoEs.
/ With the small appropriations granted for
trials with torpedOes, the Investigations upon
this subject have been continued, to the beue
| 6t of our system of submarine mines. This
| accessory for the defense of our harbOr in re-
| cent years has developed into one of great
importance among the maritime powers. and
| to investigate the recent electrical methods
and systems of torped0es, as well as to procure
certain materials, two officers of engineers
were sent during the summer to Europe. The
| results OF their mission are the collection OF
valuable information on this subject, and a
saving of expenditure to the Government.
RIVER AND HARBoR IMPROVEMENTS.
The river and harbor improvements men.
toned III my last annual report have been
| continued, and the works and surveys con-
nected herewith have been carried on during
the past year with vlgor. Detailed informa-
| tion IN regard to each specific improvement,
and the results of surveys directed to be made
| by the River and Harbor Appropriation acts,
may be found in the report OF the Chief Of
Engineers.
| The improvement of our rivers and harbors
| CUUSlSlb Culeuy Ill giving lUCtedSGu w NluGu anu
| depth to existing channel-ways and basins
| and protecting them, or increasing new chan
| nels and basins and giving them protective
works. The operations to this end comprise
| the removal of distractions of various kinds,
| such as rock in place and powders, bars of
clay, sometimes 1ndurated; of gravel, sand,
| and other aluvial matter; of RATS, often eX
| tending from the surface of the river nearly to
| the bottom, formed by masses of drifting
| trees, or the accumulation of slabs, edgings
and sawdust of timber and other construc-
| tions placed in channel-Ways to obstluct or
| close them; the construction OF d1kes, DAMS
| wing-dams, and revetmeDts, and the building
| of canals, breakwateIs, and piers, all tending
| to promote the general interests of commerce
| aud navigation, by furnishing increased faclll
| ties of communication and giving greater
| security 10 trade.
The river anc harbor improvements, men,
toned IN the last annual report. have been
| continued, and the works and surveys con-
| nected herewith have been carried ON during
| the past year with vlgOr.
| board of experienced officers, of which
| Gen. A. II. Terry was President, was con-
vened in September, 1872 for the selection of %
| breech loading system tor the muskets and
| carblnes of the military service. After an ex
| haustve trial of all the systems presented, the
| board selected the Springfield breech-lOading
| system as the one of all those brought before
| lt, which is best calculated to meet the de-
mands of our military service. The report of
| the board was approved, aud the Springfield
| system of breech loader Will henCefortn be
| used for muskets and carbnes of the army.
| At the same time the calIbre of all small arms
| tor the service-rifies carDines, and revolvers
| has been fixed at 45-100 of an inch.
UNITED STATES ARMY.
| Gen. Sherman, the head of the army, says In
| his rep0rG to the Secretary of War. that the
| aggregate showing Is 25,535 enlisted men of
| cavalry, artillery, and infantry, and 1910 non-
| combatants-Uhe whole aggregating sos, or
| 495 less than the number 100000 limited by
| law. In the active regiments the number OF
men sick and on the necessary details about
| the posts will fully equal twenty five per cent;
| so that the actual strength for military service
| does not exceed 1862 men. He recommends
| that Congress be asked to fix the limit of the
| enlisted force at such figure as will give 30,
! 600 enlisted men for the regiments of the line,
| aud to provide specifically for the non-com'
| blatant detachments as an extra force. which
| would increase the actual number of enlisted
| men to about $4,000 men.
The number of regimental commissioned
| officers on duty or belonging to the several
| departments and divisions number, In the
| aggrega te, 1882; present for duty 234; absent
| on leave or detached, 29S
| The foregoing does not include the thirtY-one
| Second Lieutenants recently appointed from
| civil life, now under orders TO JON their re g1-
| ments.