Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-12-07
Report OF the Secretary OF War.


The Secretary OF Wal IN his annual report
first Dotes a marked improvement in the
morale OF the military service, and in proof
thereof mentions the fact that the number OF
desertions has been largely reduced. being
about , loo less than the previous fiscal wear
and that the number of enltstments has
increased nearly three-fold. The state OF
contentment thus shown is due. in a great
established, which is now graduated bv
length OF service, and affords the soldier An
opportunity TO deposit his savings with the
government and receive interest for the same
until the end OF his term.
The army Is now reduced TO 5000 men
The operations of the military prison have
been very satisfactory. Referring 20 his tour
of inspection 10 various military posts The
Secretary says he found them I'm excellent
condition. he believes that the standard OF
military discipline has improved each year
since the war. He recommends that a milf
tary band OF al least twenty-five musicians
be allowed 10 each regiment, the expense 10
be paid by the government, and not by the
officers. and says it Is a fact not generally
known that the onlv band authorlZa "a by law
is the one at West Point.
The Secretary recommends the enlistment
OF men for the special service of trauSporta-
ton, instead Of detailing regular soldiers to
do the duty of teamsters, hoStlers, sc.
A large number OF married men sue
coed by fraudulent Representations In enlist
ing III the army, and do much To demoralize
an injury 10 their families and the desfitu-
ton OF the latter induces desertion. AT
present the applicant for enlistment is re-
quired To make a written declaration that
he has "neither wife nor child" The Secrs-
tary rec 1mmends that hereafter they be
required 10 make oath To this statement.
Commendatory reference is made 10 the
operations ofShe Signal office. and erection
OF the office into bureau is recommended.
The Secretary again recommends that an
appropriation be made for the publication OF
catalogue OF the army medical museum:
also, the enactment OF a system of annuities
for the families Of deceased officers, BY vol
untary deductions from the monthly pay Of
those holding commissions in the army. He
believes return to the system of mileage
would be both eNpedient aud a more perfect
measure OF justice TO both the officer and the
government than the law now prescribes
The battalion OF engireers has been limited
10 200 enlisted men. This is too small for the
enlclent discharge OF the duties required OF
them. The torpedo service alone requires
that number of men. The report OF Major g
b. Comstock, of the L. =. engineers, detailed
In connection with Mr.. James b. Eads 10 look
after the improvement OF the Mississippt
gives clear description of the exact char
acter OF The works. The Secretary recon-
mends mat the work of making detailed
and accurate survey of the Mississippi be
entrusted TO the lake survey. The geograph-
zeal exploration and survey west OF the one
progress during the year.
The Secretary recommends that the ap-
preparation of s2O0,Ooo for arming and equip
ping the militia be largely increased. The
Secretary recommends the selling of the
Allegheny, Watervliet, WATERFOWL, and
w ashington arsenals as rapidly as circum-
stances VIII permit, the proceeds OF such
sales TO be devoted to the purchase of a site
and the erection OF shops, storehouses, and
other works for grand arsenal in the vicin-
lty OF New York. The amount that can
probably be realized from the sales will be
over three million dollars. The establish
ment OF government powder mandatory
is recommended. The entire army has been
supplied with new rifles and carbines, CALDER
As, and we have now In store a reserve sup
ply of these arms OF twenty-six thousand.
The attention of Congress Is again called
TO the urgent necessity OF taking some steps
10 put our sea-coast defences In order. In
regard 10 the troubles on the Texas border
the Secretary says many of the reports from
that locality are probably sensational in
character, and are believed TO have been in
stigated by parties whose personal interests
would be subserved by the presence OF more
troops on the borders of Texas; but many
others are OF undoubted reliability, and
measures have been Instituted by the depart
ment commander, under orders from supe-
rlor authority, to preserve the integrity of,
and enforce a proper regard for, the territory
OF the United States.
Referring to the Black Hills complication
the Secretary says: While the question re-
mains unsettled the department viii use
every eXertion to prevent collision between
white intruders upon the reservation ana
the Indians occupying 1t. The comnan ling
general OF the Department of Columbia re
news former recommendation that A laska
be attached TO Washington territory As a
county, and brought under its civil govern
ment.
The actual expenditures Of the War De.
partment for the year ending June 80, 1874,
including river and harbor improvements
were SIP ,S26.3l4.7l; the same for the last ds
cal year, ending Jane 80, 1875, were sil I'll
3l5.2e; showing reduction of Sl.Ois, 49, 49,
The estimates for the military establish
ment for the ensuing fiscal year ending June
80, 1s71, are S33, i52 $780, those for the cur
rent fiscal year, ending June 80, lsl6, were
So, ass $3.50; being an increase Of Sy63, AZ.
The appros riations for that purpose for the
current fiscal year Were Sc, 127 400 -.
Good progress has been made during the
year in the preparation OF the official records
OF the war of the rebellion, both in the federal
and confederate branches. The Secretary
reviews the recommendations made In his
last annual report for the establishment OF
professorshipof rhetoric and English litera-
ture at West Point.
In reference to the Yellowstone National
Park the Secretary says that should an
appropriation be made by Congress looking
toward the surveying OF interior roads, in
order that the inaccessible localities OF the
park be opened TO the public, the War de-
partment could, through its engineer corps,
with economy and at moderate expense, do
much toward accomplishing what is desired,
and the roads SO made would be Important
for military uses. The Secretary closes oy
recommending that Congress appropriate
$50 600 more 10 enable the department to
make a creditable display OF It's war mate
rial at the Centennial.