The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-12-09
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Abs tract orthe Annual Hs p prt OF secretary
partment tor the fissai year Eh"smk
lime NO. 1879.

marked improvement has taken place In
the morale Of the service. The army is now
sumed in November, 1874, for the purpose
of keeping up the standard number, and
under careful system in the selection OF
men, the class of recruits now received is OF
a superior quality. The number of deser-
tons has been largely reduced, being about
2,t00 less than during the previous year,
while the number of establishments has In.
tentment thus shown is due, in great
me lsure, to the excellent system OF pay es-
tablished, which is now graduated by length
of service, and affords the soldier an OPP
portunitv to deposit his savings with the
government and receive interest for the
same until the end of his term.
The assertions for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1874, were 4,606; of re-enlistments,
500; the number of sergeants re-enlsted,
149. The desertions for the fiscal year end.
ing June 80, 1875, were 2,5l2; re-enlist-
ments, 1886; sergeants re-enlisted, 347. No
better evidence can be furnished Of the i'm.
proved condition of the service than by pre-
sentation of the foregoing figures.
Notwithstanding the policy which dis
courages, with limited expectations, the en-
listment of married men, large number Of
them succeed by fraudulent representations
in entering the army. Their presence there
proves often source of embarrassment to
military discipline, as 1t is OF injury to their
families. The restitution OF the latter leads
to assertions, and is then urged upon the
executive as ground for the extension OF
clemency to the offenders. The conviction
is entertained that this growing evil might
in large degree be corrected by appropri-
ate legislation. Under existing regulations,
except in cases of re-enlstment, the soldier
on enlisting makes solemn written decla.
nation that he has =" neither wife nor child"
and it is believed that a law requiring him
to verify such declaration by oath, and pre-
scribing severe punishment for falsely
taking this oath, would do much toward the
repression of what has come to be chronic
Generalization, followed by deplorable re-
suits alike to the service and to the families
thus abandoned by their heads and natural
protectors.
In pursuance of the acts of Congress APP
proved respectively June 3, 1874, and March
3, 1875, authorizing the construction. and
operation of Geographic lines in the interior
and upon the frontier, connecting military
posts, and for the protection of the popu.
latiOas from Indian and other depredations,
officers and enlisted men of the Signal Serv-
ice have been detailed for the construction
and operation of the lines, and have entered
upon their duties. The work of construction
has been in great part done under the gen.
eral direction of officers of the Signal Serv.
ice, by additional details furnished by de-
partment commanders. The lines in Ari-
IONA from the Texas frontier and in the In-
dian Territory, already partly constructed,
are approaching completion. Permanent
benefit will result from the connection of
military posts by telegraph, and will greatly
increase the protection of frontier villages
upon the lines, and the country through
which they pass.
The construction of ninety-three new
buildings has been authorized during the
year, at an estimated cost of 1901 1913, and
an expenditure of $4O7 ,65l has been author.
lied for repairs to buildings, construction
and repairs of cisterns, and other works.
Plans for the construction of new post
on the North Fork of the Loupe river, au-
thorized by act OF June IL, 1874, to be known
as Fort Hartsuff, have been approved; also
plans for log buildings for winter quarters
for troops stationed near Red Cloud and
MILESTONE Agencies, for which Congress
appropriated 3O,0O0 by act of June 80, 1874.
The work OF care and improvement OF
National cemeteries has been satisfactorily
performed during the year. Inclosing walls
have been completed at nine cemeteries.
Eleven still require walls. Four lodges have
been completed during the year; thirteen
are yet to be built. The amount expended
Tor this and other necessary work during
the year was S13l ,387.25.
Under the authority conferred by the act
Of Congress approved February 10, 1875,
for the relief of persons from the ravage of
grasshoppers, the appropriation was placed
under the charge of officers OF the Sub
sistence Department, with instructions for
the purchase and issue of food to the suf-
ferers within the respective military depart
ments. During the period when restitution
from the cause referred to was greatest, one
million nine hundred and ffty-seven thou
sand one hundred and eight rations were
issued to sixty-three thousand five hundred
and ninety-three adults, and forty.three
thousand nine hundred and forty-two
children under twelve years of age, residing
in the State of Minnesota, Nebraska, Iowa,
and Kansas, and the Territories of Dakota
and Colorado. OF the sum of $l5O,O0O ap.
Propriated by Congress, 1882, $500 was dis
bursed for the purpose contemplated by the
act, and 5,1l231 was returned to the Treas
ury. A full and detailed report OF these
issues will hereafter be submitted, in CON-
piiance with the act of Congress upon the
subject.
In connection with the progress of work
in the Army Medical Museum, attention is
invited TO the efforts that have been made in
previous years to place its catalogue before
the scientific world, where its usefulness
would be very great. In two previous re-
ports its publication was recommended, and
at the last session of Congress an appropria-
ton to that end was voted in the House of
In the Senate, but without final action.
Authority having been granted by Con-
gress for the Congressional printer to print
and bind 5000 additional copies of the
Medical and Surgical History of the War,
the illustrations and composition for the
hrst part have been completed, and the
press-work and binding will doubtless be
finished before the assembling of the next
Congress. The progress upon other works
In preparation is fully stated in he Surgeon
Generals report.
Iagain CAL the attention of Congress to
the recommendation contained in my last
annual report for the enactment of system
OF annuities for the families of deceased
officers, by voluntary deductions from the
monthly pay of those holding commissions
in the army. Certainly If private compa-
mics can make money by an annuity system,
1t is in the power OF the government at least
to render itself secure in extending similar
benefcent aid. 1t is proposed that this aid
shall be extended through the agency of the
government, without eventual expense to
the public treasury. IL is argued that the
money to be deducted under the operation
of the proposed scheme is worth to the gov
eminent certain percentage of interest. |
The well-settled principles governing life in
surance would be applicable to this plan,
and the annuity tables would be prepared
by the most careful and critical calculations.
The science OF probabilities has reached
great precision in those computations enter.
ing into life insurance, but after certain Ia
bles had been used twenty years, more or
less, corrections could be made il they were
found deficient, which would mole perfectly
accomplish the object of the scheme, viz:
the rendering of substantial assistance to
the families of deceased officers of the
army, without actual expense to the govern.
ment.
The works for the defense of our seaboard,
under the Engineer Department, have pro-
crossed satisfactorily, and as rapidly as the
means provided wsuld admit. The class of
works, adopted in 1860, are heavy earth bat.
teries, thoroughly protected, and arranged
for guns and mortars suitable to resist the
attack OF the most powerful iron-clads. AL.
ready some OF the positions selected, partie. |
ulariy In our larger commercial ports, have
a large proportion OF their gun positions pre-
pared.
In the Improvement of the Miss;ssinoi