San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1877-12-15

tablishment OF several additional military
posts along the Rio Grande, so as more ell
| fectually to guard that extensive border.
peace may be preserved and the lives ana
property Of our citizens In Texas fully pro-
tected.
III THE STANDING ARMY.
Prior TO July ], last, The Army was IN ac-
cordance with law, reduced TO u maximum
OF ~, 900 enlisted men, being u reduction OF
$500 below the force previously authorized
This reduction was made rs required by law,
entirely from the infantry and artillery
branches OF the Pacific, without any reduce
ton of the cavalry. Under the law as 1t now
stands, it Is necessary that the cavalry regi'
ments be recruited to 100 men In eacn COM
pany for service on the Mexican and Indian
| frontiers. The necessary effect OF this legls-
lation Is to reduce the infantry and artillery
arms OF the service below the number re-
Guired for efficiency, and concur with the
Secretary of War in recommending that al-
thOrity be given to recruit all companies OF
infantry to ut least 80 men, and batteries OF
artillery to Mt least 70 men, and power DC
given In case OF emergency 10 increase .ae
| former to 100 and the latter to 10 men each.
I invite your special attentionto the follow-
ing
RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE SECRETARY
OF WAR:
/. That provisiorbe made for supplying
to the Army q more abundant ana Detter
supply of reading matter. .t
.. That early action be taken by Congress
looking to complete revision and publca-
ton Of the Army Regulations. CO..
3. That Section 125 of the Revised stat
utes. limiting the number Of officers on the
retired list, be repealed.
4. That claims arising under the act OF
July 4, 1854, for supplies taken by the Army
during the war, be taken from the offices of
the Ouartcrmaster and Commissary- Gener-
al, and transferred to the Southern Claims
Commission, or some other tribunal having
more time and better facilities for their
prompt investigation and decision, than are
possessed by these officers.
8. That Congress provide for an annuity
found for the families Of the deceased SOL
diers, as recommended by the Paymaster
General of the Army.
THE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
The report of the Secretary Of the Navy
shows that we have six squadr0ns now en-
gagged in the protection of our foreign COM
merce and other duties pertaining to the
naval service. The total expenditures for
the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, were
$lG,O77,074.55. There are unpaid claim s
against the Department chargeable to last
wear, which are presented to the c0nsldera-
ton of Congress by the report of the Secre-
tary. The estimates for the fiscal year COM
mencing July 1, 1873 are Sl6,23O, 234 40, eX;
elusive of the sum of $2,3l4 ,23l, submitted
for new buildings, repairs and improvements
at the several naval yards. The appropria-
tions for the present fiscal year, commence
ing July, 1877, are $13502,932.9O. The
amount drawn from the Treasury from July
to November 1, 1877, is $5,343O37, of which
there is estimated to be yet available 81 ,O29,-
52S, showing the amount of actual eXpendi-
lures during the first four months OF the
"a hnap
THE posT.oFFIcE DEPARTMENT.
r,. -, - tho pos,woster.G General
inc report ~ A., .nu ,,d Hi, of tb, Post.
ofi"a menartment The ordinary revenues
once Department. ny nj, ot fanaI r.nr andinS
VI Clie ~ ,,,J;'r raoo;niS from the
oune ~, io,'' ,mSs and rom official
money -onder uusaao onyo a Amounted 70
stamps "n ny 90 w SsS Tba a3ditional snm
Iae sun n1. o no ,n",;vod from annronria-
t;onS from tba Generni Treasury for various
nnrnoses making the receipts from all
solIrces Ss4 .b14 ,GS5. The total expenditures
during the fiscal wear amounted to $33, 1885,
3.2. leaving an excess of total receipts over
total expenditures of 81 1852, and an eX-
cess of total expenditures over Ordi-
nary receipts of $5,954,737. Deduct
ING from the total receipts the sum
of S63, 26l, received for international money
orders of the preceding fiscal year, and de-
ductinp from the total expenditure the sum
of ISL. 1ii3. SlS paid on liabilities incurred in
the previous fiscal wear, the expenditures
and receints appertaining to the business of
The last fiscal wear were us follows: EX-
nenditures, S32 $50 ,5O4; receipts ordinary,
from money order business and from Oific-
ial hostage. stamps, $27, 46S,342; excess of
expenditures, 81 ,S5i 1852. The ordinary rev.
enues of the POst-Otfice Department Tor the
year emuins J."o ~, ,0 ,rnr those of 1871
all icle"s oo ~ n 20 P Doc d tha ovnonGitnreS
making @.o,oi0,ooo, t Hnu ot s3H 1a7E71
ior SAINT yoai m NJ 5af";onov f1r iS79 Of
l ~ MI, ~ an es''in"'o" 0''n0ioN'' N'-
S',SSo'ool. ,ox;s,,.;or rocommendod
ne a1ultioiial ny isIa u,,.I tou im,nrovaH
ny the f9stlnaster.u;en i ~ ntant no
ment Oh the iii''ii sci. ne any b W. p,,ractcad
pOStal revenues iIou tio "ouoSo Pi"o'ioo"