The Portland daily press., 1875-11-24
WASHINGTON
Annual Report of the Chief of Ordnance.

Annual Report of the Chief of Ordnance.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 23.-The annual report of
the Chief of Ordnance of the Army again calls
attention to an Increase in the annual appropri.
ton for arming and equipping the militia. The
annual appropriation of 1000 is the same
now as in the year 1908, and it is impossible
for the department to meet all the demands
made upon it bg states and territories The
aggregate strength of the militia of the United
States organized is 81 724, and unorganized 81
701,977. If arms and military equipments
were freely supplied the organized force would
concurs in the plan proposed by the board on
arsenals, 1874, which consists in the establish
ment of grand arsenal of construction in the
vicinity of New York city, retaining the SPRING
field al mory and the Frankfort arsenal as adj
juncts for manufacturing purposes; retaining
also the indianapolis arsenal, Indiana, Kenne-
bee arsenal, Maine, Fort Monroe arsenal. Vir-
ginia, and Augusta arsenal, Georgia, as places
for storage ana repair; and selling the Allegha-
ny, Wayervliet, Watertown and Washington
arsenals as rapidly as circumstances will per-
NIT, the proceeds of such sales to be directed
to the purchase of site and the erection of
workshops, storehouses, ETC., for the grand ar
Senal.
The amount that can probably be raised from
the sales will be So 316 1874 Sc. When the Rock
Island arsenal is completed and fully equipped
as manufacturing arsenal, its capacity will
equal the supplying of all the armies that NAV
be organized in the Mississippi valley in any
war of the greatest magnitude. He urges an
appropriation for the purchase of site and
erection of magazine for storage of gunpoW-
der, the depot at st. Louis being too remote
from the Atlantic seaboard to be of service for
our wants in eastern sections of the country.
The manufacture of Springfield rifles and car
bines at the arsenal armory has been carried on
the past year with all the economy and success
that the very small! appropriation would admit
Not more than 1900 arms will be made under
existing appropriations to this date. The en-
tire army has been supplied with new rifles and
carbines calbre 49, and we have now in store
a reserve supply of these arms of about 26 COO
At the end of the present fiscal year our re-
serve supply may reach 10000 arms of the new
model and calibre, about enough in case Of war
to arm one corps dGrnee.
The General concludes with the statement
that rifle guns of size, ordn ance and power to
enable us to meet on fair and equal terms a for
eign foe must be produced while we have the
time, and it is certainly not the part of wisdom
to delay making such provisions until the ene-
my invades our shores.
Lighthouse Appropriations Recommended
The Lighthouse Board has asked for So $780,
600 for the support of the general lighthouse
establishment for the year ending June 80,
1877, as against 81, 1896, 900 appropriated for the
same purpose for the year ending June 80, 1876.
1t has also asked for $7S9926 for the purpose of
constructing new lighthouse, lighIShips, etc.,
Tor he next year as against $915, 400 appropri-
ated for this year. Among the recommends
tons it has made are thu following: For
steam fog signal for Monhegan Island, Maine,
$4,000, for keepers dwelling for light sta
ton on the Isle of Shoals, N. e., $4,000; for re-
building the beacon ON Mussel bed Shoals r.
l., $4,000; for rebuilding light station at Cou-
necticut, r.. l., which was washed away by the
great storm of September last, $50, 900; for re-
building day beacon at Rose Island, r. l.,
$4,000.