The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-12-10
Secretary Belknap's Report.
WASHINGTON, Dec.

The secretary OF war states tnat the actual
expenditures Of the War Department for the
year ending June 80, 1878, including river and
harbor improvements, were SO, 325, 30S2l, and
the same for the last fiscal year, ending June
80, 1874, were 81, 336, 314.71, showing reduc-
ton Of s., 99s, 9O35O.
The report will also contain the following
recommendations
Monthly additions to be allowed to the
pay of officers acting as Assistant Quar-
termasters; a renewal OF recommendations
for the purchase of sites OF posts in
Texas, in accordance with the report pre-
Of mileage, and the payment Of officers and
employees travelling on duty to be restored in
lieu Of the actual expenses, as now allowed
under the law Of last year; that private sol
diers be permitted to compete for the posi-
| ton Of Commissary- Sergeant as well as non
subsistence stores from the operation Of the
| law requiring the proceeds of sales of public
| property to be covered into the Treasury as
miscellaneous at the expiration Of each fiscal
year; the law to be SO changed that appropria-
| tiOns for subsistence stores can be made avail
| able prior to the commencement OF the fiscal
| year for which they are appropriated; that
provision be made for the publication of 5000
additional copies of the Medical and Surgical
| History Of the War. Attention is called to
| the recommendation Of the Chief of Engineers
| for an additional appropriation for ammunition
| for target-tiring, which is recommended.
Much larger appropriations than have here
tofore been made should be made annually
| for the manufacture Of arms. An increased
| appropriation is desired for arming and
| equirping the militia. Steps should be taken
| to relieve the various States from tile in
debtedness for arms charged to them during
| the rebellion Sales of various arsenals, such
/ ia EvlS Dnfr
Pikesville, WATERFOWL and Washington,
| are recommended The Springfield Ar
mory, the Frankfort Arsenal and
few others are recommended to be
retained. The proceeds of those sold
should be applied to the erection of one
grand arsenal for manufacturing purposes, to
be established near New York. The proceeds
of the sales of those named would be amply
sufficient for that purpose, and there is no
necessity for their retention.
! A powder depot and experimental grounds,
! for testing heavy ordnance, are estimated
| for.
The revised statutes, which were enacted
| into law at the last session of Congress, in
| cluded much absolute legislation, which has
been inconsiderately included, and attention
is called thereto. Desertion should be con-
sidered felony, cognizabe by courts Of GRIM
inal jurisdiction; the offenders should be ar
| rested by Marshals and Deputies, like other
criminals, but the jurisdiction should be con-
current with that Of the military courts.
Jurisdiction is recommended to be conferred
on military persons charged with murder and
| other felonies
The reduction Of the army is discouraged at
! present A reduction of the number of mes
| without reduction of officers and posts in
| not economical.
larger appropriation for the publication
of official records of the war of the REBEL
ion, both Of the Union and Confederate ar
mics, is desirable. This should become inn
mediately available. The President should
be authorized to drop from the rolls of the
officers of the army those who Intentionally
and criminally duplicate their pay-accounts-
in other words, present ACCOUNTS for the same
month more than once and obtain payment
thereon.
The provisions of the act of May, 1874, as
to the extension of time during leave of alb
sence in which full pay can be drawn should
| apply to all officers stationed in the Depart
meht Of Texas. Calling attention to the
names Of those officers who have been sent
to the Senate for brevet appointment
for service in the field in action with the In
pointments is recommended The pay Of
Sergeants should be increased. An apprOpri-
ton for permanent military prison is recon-
mended.
Payment Of soldiers by checks is discour-
aged, and attention to the Paymaster- Generals
Paymasters is invited.
Appropriations for walls and lodges at GER
tain national cemeteries are recommended.
The recommendation is made that the bill
which passed the House of Representatives
authorizing the President to establish a reg
ulation for the army should be taken up and
passed by the Senate. Boys should be en-
listed as field musicians, as formerly. When
vacancies occur in the office of Kegimental
Quartermaster and Adjutant no rcappoint-
the duties now performed by them should be
performed by detailed officers.
The establishment Of professorship of
rhetoric and English literature at West Point
| is recommended.
THE ORDNANCE BUREAU.
The Chief OF the Bureau of Ordnance in
his annual report recommends the rearma-
ment Of the navy with breech-loading rifed
! cannon, which can be done at very small
| cost in view of the reduced number OF ships
and of guns required. The present types Of
/ foreign armed cruising ships carry four and d
half and six inches of armor, and at
present we have no guns except the
| fifteen-inch in the monitors which will
seriously injure the lightest of these armored
vessels. Substitute Z or 8 inch rifle for the
/ 11-inch smooth-bore, which even our
smallest ships carry, and few OF them would
come off without great damage. The Chief
of Ordnance says the recent experiment on
| the conversion Of smooth bore to rifled can
non developed no unexpected results, and he
does not deem itpossible to convert cast
/ iron smooth bore into an efficient rifle by any
system Of riling.