The New York herald., 1876-03-14

msleads the ordinary reader 10, General Banning now
call for an additional report from the Quariermaser
General, showing just that which is set forth in the
statement referred TO- then tue amount paid out by
the government as commutation for rent, fuel and
forage furnished 10 officers and enlisted men stationed
IN towns and cities. II will then be seen that Uncle
pays than treble the amount set forth in the
above statement II will found that while the build
ngs which actually rented for military purposes
Principally oinces-may cost only the sum named
above the amounts paid Communication for rent
and the amount spent for forage for horses
that have no existence, and for fuel all OF which
could DO saved by the transfer Of the various
headquarters TO forts. Will foot up in the
neighborhood OF Sl,Ooo.ooo year Is Il
worth while make an effort effect this economy
The War Department has been content with showing
forward the QuartermRters statement but has called
upon the generals and other officers living in cities to
give opinions as to whether would be advisable and
practicable to adopt the suggestions the HERALD in
regard TO transferring them bag and baggage TO the
forts. II is easy predict advance what the char
acter OF the replies viii bo-thcy will be unanimous
against the change And who can blame thems Who
would not prefer TO be quarlered OF public
hotels costly city residences to taking up abode
IN Of Uncle SANS military habltations? The latter
good enough perhaps for soldiers and their officers
but not tor men OF tho Captain Jinks order The public
prepare itself to hear u mournlu wall up
shortly from the military gentlemen who waiting
In fear and trembling the order transferring them from
their present delightful abodes What they will find
10 advance against the change only be inferred.
When these reports have been received here they will
doubt be handed to ths Military Committee OF
the House. the hope that that body may be deferred
from passing the proposed measure.
II will be from the partial statement or rents
given above that the Department Of the South and the
Department OF the Gulf while possessing tar less i'm
porsance than either the Department Of the Platte
thai OF Dakota the rents tho two former amount TO
more than double that of the TWO latter combined
further examination OF the same statement pre-
sents tie remarkable fact that those departments
where officers aud soldiers needed, and whore
they required to perform purely military duty
viz, on the roner-the cost TO tho government is bat
trhe compared with the cost OF maintaining officers
and men in localities where they not necessary
Tho departments OF the Plato Dakota contain
greater number OF officers aud the entire di-
visions Of the Atlantic and the SOUTH yet the roll
in tho latter exceeds that OF the former In greater
proportion than i've TO one, simply because In the
former officers and men generally required
cupy government forts and public buildings erected for
them, while in the latter although there suitable
number OF unoccupcd forts, particularly the divis-
ion of the Atlantic, officers and quartercd at
the highest priced hotels and in rented houses
COLONEL
correspondent of paper from somewhere out In
Ohio managed to get hold OF Colonel Fred Grant few
days ago. and that military oracle Black Hills geoogst
and Yellowstone navigator put forth some financial
opinions TO how tho army might DO reduced and
economical measures adopted. Ho free to confess
that there certain extravagances and abuses
sometimes by the War Department which should be
corrected. Such acknowledgment and from sucn u
source IS somewhat noteworthy, when it Is considered
that chief among tho abuses and exavagnces referred
to Is the case OF Lieutenant Colonel Fred Grant, who
for merit of his own, thrust into place TO
officer Of ability and experience, passed over the
heads OF his beters and draws aud years has
drawn from the government the pay and emo.umonts
Of lieutenant colonel and during much OF this time
has been ding far appropriate military duty Is
concerned in Washington Long Branch, while
his proper place has been at Chicago. To
the ordinary observer no moro promising
step the way of retrenchment and reform OF abuses
presents Itself than in the person OF Lieutenant
Colonel Fred Grant The government will wait a long
before it will realize from the Investment has
made and Ia making IN such costly lieutenant cooues
Tho appointment OF this young man, devoid he Is
upon the OF ability experience OF any claim
such position, will. long as his present chief lives
deprive the position of that distinction and value which
aspiring and merltorious officer would otherwise
place upon it, There corporals In tho army who
have rendered to the government far valuable
and important service than this same Lieutenant
Colonel II the War Department desires to cut down
expenses and at the time increase the
funess OF the limo OF the army, let 1t begin a woeding
process the result of which will give regiment.
not only complement OF officers at present but
let each every these officers be men who arc
physically and mentally able 10 discharge in efficient
manner the duties which pertain 10 their particular
oincc As It Is now there is scarcely q regiment
but like some Of the staG departments is loaded down
with dead weight in the shape OF officers who from age
drunkenness some other equally Potent cause are
disqualified from full and proper discharge OF their
dutos Many OF the colonies OF regiments and captains
OF companies who do pretend To discharge
their appropriate duties. Some given what is
termed son places" the object OF which to enable
them to draw full pay and practically escape duty II
they are incompetens from any to perform tho
duties which properly belong their ONCE they should
be displaced by retirement otherwise and active
efficient officers placed in their stead With army
so reduced it Is essential TO
its efficiency that every officer In Is
capable OF performing every duty belonging to his
grade Some OF the disabled ones are hero endeavor.
ing push special bills through Congress their
half An officer, who for years has been a suitable
candidate for tho retired list, is engaged In tho effort
to induce Congress retire HIM upon q rank higher
than that he now holds Is ever likely to hold, al
though upon what grounds tho distinction Is to DO
nado dicult to determine, unless It DO that the
applicant is tho only officer the who resigned
81 join the Conlederacy and afterwArd changed
his mind and stack To tho winning sido
TzE ORDINANCES DKrARThKxT
Another promising field OF inquiry for Congressional
committee would be the expenditures OF tho Ordnance
Department, particularly TO the amount Of money
squandcred upon officers quarters and about arseaals
IL would be found that there several instances
which money has been spent in the erection or
quarters for single occr OF low rank In tho ordnance
than would bo necessary to oud complete post for
eptiro garrison tho frontier These expensive and
extravagantly devised quarters but At the public
exoensa only To be occupied. In some cases