The New York herald., 1879-11-24
Annual Report Of the Sec
retary of War.
INCREASE OF FORCE WANTED.
Details Of Expenditures, Appropria-
tions and Estimates.
REPORTS OF DEPARTMENTS.
Prompt Punishment for Ute Out
RACES Recommended.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 90. 1879.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 20. 1879.
Tho Secretary Of War has submitted the annual
report of the operations of his department for the
past year. In speaking of the army he says:-
The report of the General OF the Army gives in de-
tail the strength of the several branches of the
vice, and shows the aggregate, as exhibited IN the
latest returns, be 2,lS7 officers 24,262 men. and
3sS officers retired. portion OF this torce how
ever, being necessarily employed IN detached
special SERVICE constitutes part OF the force avail
able tor actual operations i'll the field. The Signal
Corps the ordnance sergeants, the commissary
geants, the West Point detachment. the prison
guard at Fort Leavenworth and the recruiting
detachments amount IN the aggregate to 3,4G3 en-
listed men, and are employed in the performance OF
important duties connected with the military estab-
lishment. but not in the field. join heartily
with the General OF the Army in recommending that
the effective force of the line OF the army be raised
to 25,U0O men, exclusive of these detachments.
have had Occasion in previous reports express the
opinion that duo regard for the safety OF settlers
upon our frontiers the guarding and preservation
OF our vast and valuable military stores and prop
erty, the proper management and control OF
the Indian tribes and the defence OF extensive
imperatively require, much greater in
crease of the elective force of the army
not hesitate to authorize the enlistment OF the full
number OF 25O0O men for the line OF the army, ex-
1t Is undeniable that most If not all the disasters
attending Indian hostilites are the result OF in
adequacy OF force on our part. The willy Indian
seldom If ever strikes powerful toe. HIS policy
is to take advantage of our weak points on the
frontier to nfct heavy losses upon IFS. The rec
ords of this department show that since the close
OF the war of the rebellion fttytve officers of the
army have been killed in Indian warfare and q cor
responding number wounded. besides q proportion
ate number of men killed and wounded. Among the
list OF killed will be found the names Of such valu-
able officers as Candy, Custer and Thornburgh.
INDIAN HosrILITIEs.
1t was hoped that the last would prove one of
peace with the Indians. but this hope was disap-
the Apaches in New Mexico. In the efforts for the
suppression OF these outbreaks the military author
tiles, including the officers aud men engaged, have
acted with great promptness and visor. The CON
duct OF Captain Paine, Company +, Fifth cavalry,
and or Captain Dodge, Company d. Ninth cavalry ss
shown in official reports. is worthy of high COM
mendation. The massacre of Agent Meeker and
Others at White River Agency; the killing of Lieu
tenant Weir OF the ordnance gallant young officer
who had volunteered for duty with the expedition,
and the fall OF the amented and gallant Major Thorn
burgh and others of his command events greatly
to be deplored; ana in my jud gment the government
should persist i'll its demand for the surrender for
trial punishment of all Indians guilty of murder
In connection with these affairs and should visit
upon the guilty the full penalty Of their offences. If
Indians. who subsist upon the bounty of the gov
ernment can commit with impunity crimes such
rs these. and if the United States fails to punish
them. the savages will find these facts encourage
inclination shall prompt them to do so, while swift
punishment in the present will teach these
people, who understand little besides force. whole
EXPENDITURES. APPROPRIATIONS ESTIMATES.
The annual expenditures OF the War Department
Tor the fiscal year ending June 80, 1879, were
I2.G53. T23 ~. Hslt
The appropriations available for the service of the
hseal year ending June 80. 1878, aggregated
702 95; those for 1879 $53.0l6Oi0 96.
and those for tho current fiscal year amounted to
The estimates for the service of the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1881. are S40.350.42S %. to which
amount they have been reduced from CAB IA.
Tor which they were originally submitted to me.
The reductions, in detail may be- found in the Book
OF Estimates. except i'll cases where ufavorabe con-
siderations have caused entire items to be finally
omitted, and this exception applies principally to
the civil establishment, which includes salaries and
contingent expenses OF the permanent departmental
offices. and these estimates amount to .159 AGO.
Tue military establishment IL estimated for on the
basis OF 2549o enlisted men, the Signal Corps being
25.0O0. Under this head the estimates for the cur
rcnt fiscal year Sao.3s5 s27 3s; the appropri-
atoms to meet the same S26.9IS SAT 49, and the
present estimates are for S29,3l3,T94 7s.
The estimates for the pubic works. reduced.
81 1851 3i ~, which amount is 1896 DAB "a less
than the estimates for 1879. Sll39l6 SS less than
tnose tor 1850 and AGO 10 less than the appro-
riations for 1850. which were $10 794, AGA 81.
: Ihr amounts appropriated for ''forthcations and
5ther works OF defence" during the last i've years
have been insufficient to preserve all such govern
mcnt property from waste. This fact per
counts for the annual increase in the amounts sug-
gested tor these works by the Chief OF Engineers.
ssiss.loJ. reduced by to si.oo0.ooo. and
were favorably considered III Congressional appro
priaiions Tor siSoooo; and the present estimates;
in the aggregate TO 81 100000 which amount could
be wisely and properly applied to the preservation
and care OF these works.
The estimates for rivers and harbors. rendered by
items for S14.326.65o have reduced in the aggre-
gate to S5.05,O00 which the total of the amount
appropriated for the fiscal year 1877. and which
seems to have been sufficient for the promotion OF
the general commerce of the country during that
time. .
The miscellaneous estimates are 50 344, 139 73, of
which amount about one-fourth appertains annually
TO the departmenta collection and diffusion OF valu
able ofhcia data such as the observation and report
ofstorms through the Signal Service. the compilation
and publication of official records of the war the
Ieueiiioh anu inc ilAc, anu the remaining portion
dollars, is made mn of items WHOLLY reatvs ~ cer
tain moral obligations of the government, such ms
sr1 suppors "a .he Na.iohai home Ior Disaoieo
W, ., n,s ne a. ,.hP nP oi nr,inciai nmps ,
M o,'u, ~ , ~ ui'aoeu soio'ers anu 'he
'.ro n, VI s naslona oeiie " ne, CITIES. ..
vear i IS OH Sot 90 iss tha" th or - v oS' 90 n sea-
csr - ,oro 20 i aa sa & .,v W OF actuai
or ,IS & 20, ~, less tnaa sne ap
rp iean ad ,s sT go ~ , .rsI y. .n. nssa. s
@ ioov, au 40 ~ css .a ne estlmates ZOE
iooo, wicn woro TOT a iess sum Oh money than any
ANNUAL reherco 10 Congrcss from tnis ue-