The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-12-08

70 COIN SILVER uOllarS OF equivalent value
bullion, with gold dollars This will defraud n
man, ami Will be in accordance with familis
precedente. Congress, on several ocesasiops rs
altered the ratio OF value between gold and sflye
ID order TO establish il moro nearly in aecOrdane
with the actual ratio of value between the ",
metals.
Ia financial legislation every measure in the a
rectlon OF yrezter fidelity in tie discharge of ~
cuniary obligations, has been found by E,
perience 10 diminish the rates OF interest whie
debtors are reqnared TO pay, and to increase III
every legitimate purpose. our own recent finan
clal history shows how surely money become
abundant whenever Conscience IN the exae
iished.
The Secretary OF War reports that she expendi
nres OF the War peIartment for the fiscal yea
nsenris,ins -; a. iGs ~ were loS The ap
fiscal year, amount 10 81, ,993 630..0
Win respect to the army. the Secretary invite
attention TO the fact that its strength is limited b
stasute (seceion LIS, Revised Statutesl 20 no
more than 1000 enlisted men, but that provisO
contained IN appropriation bills have limited
expenditures TO the enlistment of but p, ,Oo0. /
Is beAeved the full legal strength is the least pos
slble force az which the present organization ear
be maintained, having in view efficiency disei o
line and economy. Whilethe enlistment of tni
Tor pay OF the army, the saving made in OtheT re
'spects would Be more than an equivalent for thi
additional out,ay, and the efficiency of the arm,
would he largely increased.
The rapid extension of the railroad system weS
OF the Mississippi River. ard the great tide o
settlers which has flowed in upon new territory
impose ON the military an entire changJ
OF policy. The maintenance OF small posts aloiIl
wagon and ndstags-rOutes of travel is no longer nee
esSary. Permanent quarters at points selected o.
a more substantial character than those hereto
fore construoted, viii be required. Under exist
ing laws, permanent buildings can not be erected
without the sanction of Congress and when sa lie,
OF military sites and buildings have been au
thorlZed, the moneys received have reverted
TO the Treasury and could only become abailable
through rev appropriation. II is recommended
that provision ts made, by general statute. for
the sale OF such abandoned military posts and
buildings as are found TO be unnecessary and fol-
the application OF the proceeds TO the coustruc
ton OF other posts While many OF the present
posts of but slight value for military purposes
owing to the changed condition of the country
their occupation ~ continued at great expense
and Inconvenience, because they afford the only
available shelter for troops.
The absence of a large number Of officers of the
lAle, in active duty, from their regiments is a
-sriouS detriment to the maintenance of the serv-
ice. The constant demand for small detach.
nseutS. each OF which should be conmanded bv a
commissioned officer, and the various details oi
officers FOR necessary service away from their com
nsands, occasions a scarcity in the number re-
gillred for company duties. With a view TO less
enlng this drain to some extent, il is recommended
tfat the law authorizing the detail of officers from
the active list as professors of tactics and military
Sc'ence at certain colleges and universities.
amended as Ia provide that all such details be
n,ade from the retired list of the army.
Attention Is asked 10 the necessity OF providing
by legislation for organizing, arming, and disci-
pliniug the active militia of the country and
liberal appropriations are recommended in this
behalf. The reports of the Adjuant General OF
the Army and the Chief of Ordnance touching
this subject fully set forth its importance.
The report of the officer in charge of education
IN the army shows that there are scyentv-eighi
schools now in Oneration in the army with AN
children. The Secretary recommends the enlist
ment of lJO schOOlmastcrs, with the rank and pay
tion is needed to supply the Judge Ad
vOeates of the army with suitable libra
RES, ana the Secretary recommends tina. the
Corps OF Judge Advocates be placed upon the
corps of the army. Under existing laws, the Blu
reau OF Military Justice consists of one officer tht
Judge Advocate General, and the corps of Judge
with provision that the limit the corps shall re
main atfpur, when reduced hycasualty OF resigna
tiOn 10 that number. The consolidation of the Bu
of Military Justice and the corps OF Judge Ad
Sooates: upon the same basis with the 9th stat
corps of the army. would remove unjust dis
elimination against deserving officers and sub
serve the best interests OF the service.
Especial attention L. a-ked to the report of tho
tnlei OF Engineers upon the condition of Oul
National deienses. From aperSOnal inspection O
many of the Notifications referred to- the ecretar,
is able to emphasize the recommendations made
and TO state that their incomplete and defenseles.
condition Is discrediiable 10 the country. Will,
other nations have been increasing their mean.
for carrying offensive warfare and aftackiuI
maritime cities, we have been dormant in prepar
tion for defense; nothing of importance
has been done toward strengthenins
and finishing our casemated works since our late
civil war, during which the great guns of moderI
warfare and the heavy armor of modern fOrlifca
tions and ships came into use among the Nations
aud our earthworks left, by sudden failure O
appropriations some years since. in all stages o
incompleiion, are now being rapidly destroyed b!
the elements.
The two great rivers OF the North American
Continent, the Mississippi and the Columbia
have their uavigable waters wholly within the
limits OF the nlted states, ana are OF vast i'm
portance to our internal and foreign commerce
The permanency of the important work on the
South Pass OF the Mississippi River seems now tC
be assured. There has been no failure whateN el
in the maintenance OF the maximum channe
during the SIX months ended August 9, last Thi
experiment has openeaa a broad, deep highway tC
the ocean, and i an Improvement, upon the per
manent success of which. congratulations may bt
exchanged among people abroad and at hume,
and especially among the communities of the
Mississippi Valley. whose commercial exchanges
float in an unobstrueted channel safely 10 and
from the sea.
comprehensive improvement of the Missis
sippi and its tributaries is matter of transcend
ent Importance. Taese great water ways com
prise system of inland transportation spread
like network over a large portion of the United
States. and navigaole TO the extent of many thou
sands of miles. Producers and consumers alike
have common interest in such unequaled facili
ties for cheap traIsportati ton. Geographically
commercially and politically they the strong
est tie between the various sections of the coun
try. These channels of communication and in
terchange are the property of the Nation. II
Jurisdiction Is paramount over their waters, and
the pldlnest principles OF public Interest require
their intelligent and careful supervision, with
view 10 their protection, improvement and the
enhance1nen OF their usefulness.
The channel OF the Columbia River, for dis
tance Of about 100 miles from its mouth, is OBJ
structed by succession of bars which occasion
serious delays in navkation and heavy expens'
for llghterage and t0wage. depth of at leas
twenty feet at low tide should be secured anC
maintained, to meet the requirements OF the ex
tensive and growing inland and ocean commere
IL subserves. The most urgent need however
for this great water way is q permanent improve
ment OF the channel at the mouth of the river
From Columbia River to san Francisco, a dis
tance of over GtU nailes, there is no harbor OF
our Pacific Coast which can be ap
preached during stormy weather. An appropria
ton OF Sl50.OOO was made by the Forty-fifth Con
and harbor of refuge, to be located at some pUin
between the Straits of Fuca and San Francisco, a
which the necessities of commerce, local anS
general will be best accommodated. The amour
appropriated is thought TO be quite inadequat
for the purpose intended. The cost of the worl
when finished win be very great, owing to tn
want Of natural advantages for a site at any poin
on the coast between the designated limits AM
IL has not been thought to be advisable 70 under
take the work without larger appropriation.
commend the matter TO the attention OF Con
gress. r
The completion of the new building for tn
War Department is urgently needed, and the est
mates for continuing Its construction are espt
cially recommended. Ht
The collections of books, specimens and record
constituting the Army Medical Museum and IL
brary are OK national importance. The Librar
now contains about ifty-on thousand five hun
dred (5l ,jc0) volumes ana ifty-seven thousan
(57, ,00o) pamphlets relating to medicine, surger
and allied topics. The contents of tn
Army Medical Museum consists of twent,
two thousand (22,0oo) specimens, ana ar
unique i'm the completeness with which bot
military surgery and the diseases of armies ar
ILLUSTRATED. Their destruction would be an irrt