West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1877-12-15
NUMBER l5.

IL
S9i, ,7b5,6O for QIartcrmaster's stores fur
| nished to the army in States not i'm rebel
| lion. IL is recommended that these claims
| be transferred to the Commissioners OF
! southern Claims or some other tribunal.
| Two new posts have been located, one on
| Tongue River, aud one on Little Big Horn,
at an expense of 100000. The establish.
| ment OF new post at He'll Gate Pass, of
the Rocky Mountains in Montana, has been
begun.
The Judge Advocate. Goneral earnestly
recommends additional legislation which
shall fix beyond question n specific period
OF limitation To prosecution in eases of de-
scrtion,
ENGINEERING.
The report Of the Chief OF Engineers
states that work upon scacoast defenscs has
been practically limited TO their care, pre.
scrvation and partial repair but he again
urges the adoption Of some reasonable sys-
tenn OF annual expenditure upon our harbor
deienses. Experiments and practice on the
general system of torpedo defense have
been continued at Willett's Point An mn.
preparation of 100000 for the coming year
is recommended for this purpose, and for
the purchase and storage of such portions
OF the material as would be immediately re-
quired In case of sudden hostilities. In the
survey of the northern and northwestern
lakes, under the Engineer department. the
triangulaton has been carried from West
field, New York To Poinsville, Ohio. The
topography and photography have been
carried from Ashtabula, Ohio, TO Ncrmillion,
Ohio. The ATTITUDES aud longitudes of Mt.
Forrest and Cairo Illinois, have been de-
termincd, aud assistance has been rendered
i'm the telegraphic determination Of the lon
gitude OF Fort Fettcrmnn, i'm Wyoming Ter
rltory, and Forts Stockton, Concho, and
McCaVett, i'm Texas. The difference of level
between Lakes Michigan and Superior has
been determined. list of the new charts
OF the lakes, printed aud published during
the year, will be found in said report. The
survey of the Mississippi River, which has
been carried on by the officer charged with
the lake survey, has been extended from
five miles above Cairo, Illinois, Co n point
eight miles above Columbus, X cntucky.
The systematic survey of the territoy west
OF the one hundrcdth meridian, which for
several years has been carried on by en-
gincers and other officers of the army, has
been continued during the year i'm portions
of California, Nevada, Colorado, and New
Mexico. The continuation of this useful
work, in it's present satifactOry condition of
organization, will it is hoped, commend
itself TO the favorable consideration OF Con-
gress. The Engineer Department maps
used by the troops engaged i'm the recent
campaigns against the Ncz Perccs and Sioux
have proved of great utility, and Il is do
sirnble that the unexplored AREAS in the
country traversed by the troops, or liable
to be traversed 10y the troops and hostile
In consequence of the failure of the APP
propriations for the army, the manufacture
of arms at the National Armory at Spring
field was stopped on the list of July last,
and there iH now only on hand n reserve
supply OF S,552 rifles and 5,9S3 carbnes of
the latest model. II is the opinion of the
department, as measure of precaution and
military foresight that much larger num-
ber Of arms Of the latest and most improved
patterns should be on hand in our arsenals
in cases of emergency.
The organization, armiDg, and disciplinng
the militia has received the attentive con
sideration of the Chief Of Ordnance, whose
department is required, under the act of
1903, TO provide arms for the whole body Of
militia Under that act AN appropriation of
500, 200 ~ annually made, which is not suf-
hctent To arm and equip more than 5000 In
fantry. The organized militia Of the States
is now reported at over 10000 men, and if
10 be the purpose Of the Congress to en-
courage the increase and efficiency of this
force, - much larger sum than is now pro-
Yided viii benecessary. The armament of
our sea coast iortiGcations is progressing
very slowly.
ESTIMATES.
The estimates for this department for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1879, as revised,
amount, in the aggregate, TO the sum OF $i3,-
5,1i3. "a, as follows:
Salaries, contingent expenses, and post
"... ,iSd,Sh4 90
Military 8if97270 6S
rum Nob bs''.''''''.''.''....'' Ip33,OH 20
mlhcclhHeOnh''' ZBIJ i2lO 40
iOtsI''.'' si8 llb,4i38
The estimates for the support Of the mill
tary establishment are for an army of
twenty-five thousand enlisted men, and the
aggregate thereof may be increased or di-
unfinished in proportion as the strength of
the army is finally fixed az larger or smaller
number. The estimates submitted by the
chiefs OF bureaus have, in some instances,
been considerably reduced, and il is believed
that the several sums now asked are the
lowest that can bc appropriated consistently
with just regard for the public interests.
The aggregate estimates for rivers and har-
bors have been reduced 10 $J,015 600, and
fortificatiOns 10 $62O,OOO
THE MISSISSIPPI.
In conclusion the Secretary refers 10 the
work Of constructing ietties at the mouth Of
the Mississippi River, and quotes from the
report Of All engineer officer detailed to
inspect the work os follows. " IL is prOba-
BILE that the aid Of the new fdredgc-boat' II
- Is moderately successful may soon enable
Mr.. Eads to gain u channel ~ feet deep for
width Of 200 feet throughout the ietties
and the chances are quite favorable for The
attainment of such "a channel in the early
stages Of low river by the help, possibly, Of
only an ordinary dredging machine, and
These statements are made because the law
(act approved March 3 1870 requires that
the honorable Secretary Of War shall embody
in his annual reports the probable time
when other payments may become due"
Provision for this payment is made in the
sundry civil act OF March 3, 1877, vol ~,
page 35S, provided 10 comes due prior to the
lat Of FEBRUARY 1878. Should the contin-
gency arise subsequent 10 that date, 10 would
appear that further provision must be made
by Congress for the payment II having
been officially reported 10 me that there was
an open channel Of greater depth than
eighteen feet 90 mean tide Co and from the
sea through the South Pass 10 the Port OF
New Orleans, ] directed, August 5, 1871
the suspension OF the operations for the
deepening Of the Southwest Pass under the
appropriation Of August a. 1876, in compli.
ance with the provisions Of that act.
NORRIsTowN HcrqH. The Lowell
C0Urier says that great advance is to
be made i'm the game Of base ball next
season The ball is to be pitched with
small riAed field piece. The next step
in this highly moral and intellectual
game will be q cast iron batter and
catcher, and one patent man to run the
bases, all worked by steam This will
hermit tho uuoulb bora of each ftfuo 70 gtf