Morris tribune., 1880-12-02

saving made In other respects wOuld be more
than an equivalent for this additional outlay,
and the efficiency of the army would be greatly
increased. ts s''tF 'ss'''''
The rapid extension of the railroad sytem of
the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, and the
great tide Of emigration which has flowed in
on new territory has imposed on the military
an entirely new change of policy. The estab-
hshment of posts along wagon roads and roads
frequently travelled Is no longer necessary.
Permanent quarters at points selected of a
more substantial character than those hereto
fore constructed will be required. Under ex.
listing laws permanent buildings cannot be
erected without the sanction of Congress, and
when sales Of military sites and buildings have
been authorised the moneys received have
reverted to the, treasury and could only
become available through Q new appropriation.
Il is recommended that provisions be made by
a general statute for the sale of such aban-
doned military posts and buildings rs are
found to be unnecessary, and for the appl;ca-
tion of the proceeds to the construction of
other posts. While many of the present posts
are of but slight value for military purposes,
owing to the changed conditions of the cOun-
try, their occupation Ii continued at great ex.
pense and inconvenience because they afford
the only available shelter fer the troops.
ABSENT OFFICERS.
The absence Of large number of officers of
the line in active duty from their regiments
is serious detriment to the maintenance of
the service. The constant demand for small
detachments, each OF which should be COM
manded by . commissioned officer, and the
various details of officers for necessary service
away from their commando, occasions q scare.
ity in the number required for company duty.
With view to lesseniDg this drain to some
extent, it Is recommended that the law suthor-
jzing the detail of officers from the active list
as professors Of tactics and military science at
certain colleges and universities, be 80 amend
ed as to provide that all such details be made
from the retired list of the army.
THE MILITIA.
Attention il asked to the necessity Of pro-
viding by legislation for organising. arming,
and disciplining the active militia Of the coun-
try, and liberal appropriations are recon-
mended in this behalf. The reports Of the ad-
ordnance touching this subject fully set forth
its Importance. af ~@= rsn'
ARMY SCHOOLS.
The report of the officers in charge of educa-
tion in the army shows thAt there are seventy
eight schools now in operation in the army,
with an aggregate attendance of 2,S05 enlisted
men and children. The secretary recommends
the enlistment of $50 school masters, with the
rank and pay of commissary seTgeants.
iS JUDGE ADVOCATES
An appropriation il needed to supply the
Judge advocate of thearmy with suitable Ii
praries. and the secretary recommends that
the corps of Judge advocates be placed upon
the same footing as to pr emotion With the 9TH
er staff corps of the army. Under existing
laws the bureau of military Justice consists of
one officer, the judge advocate general snd the
corps of Judge advocates, of eight officers of
equal rank, majors, with provision that the
limit Of the corps shall remain at four, when
walrA or{k NNR ~mNk
number. The consolidation of the bureau of
military Justice and the corps of Judge advo-
Gates upon the same basis with the other
staff corps of the army would remove an nm
just discrimination against deserving officers
and subserve the best interests of the service.
.H11 NATIONAL DEFENsEs.
Especial attention is asked to the report of
the chief of engineers upon the condition of
our national defenses. From a personal in
spection of many OF the Notifications referred
to. the secretary is able to emphasize the rec
ommendations made and to state that their in
complete and defenseless condition is discred-
liable to the country. While other nations
have been increasing their means for carrying
on offensive warfare and attacking maritime cit.
les, we have been dormant in preparing for de-
Tense. Nothing of importance has been done
towards strengthening and finishing our
casemated works since our late civil war, dur
ing which the great guns of modern warfare
and heavy armed Notifications came into use
among nations, and our earthworks, left by
the sudden failure of appropriations, several
years since. in all stages of inoompletion, are
now being rapidly destroyed BY the elements.
RIVERS AND HARBoRs.
The two great rivers of the North Americas
continent, the Mississippi and Columbia, have
their navigable waters wholly within the
limits Of the United States and are of vast
Importance to our internal and foreign COM
merce. The permanancy of the important
work at the south pass of the Mississippi river
seems to be assured. There has been no fail
ure whatever in the maintenance of the maxi
mum channel during the six months ending
August 9Th, last. The experiment has opened
broad, deep highway to the ocean and is an
improvement upon the permanent success of
which congratulations may be exchanged
among people abroad and at home. and espe.
cially among the communities of the MISSISSIPPI
pi valley, whose commercial exchanges float in
an unobstructed channel safely to and from
che sea. comprehensive improvement
OF the Mississippi and its I. tributaries
Importance. These great water ways comprise
net work over large portion of the United
States and navigable to an, extent of many
Thousand miles Producers and consumer
alike have acommon interest in such uneqalle6
facilities for cheap transportation Geograph
ically, commercially and politically they am
the strongest tie between the various sections
of the country. These channels Of commune
cation and Interchange are the property Of
the nation. Its Jurisdiction is paramount
over their waters and the plainest principles Of
public interest require their intelligent and
careful supervision with view to their pro-
lection, Improvement and the enhancement OF
their usefulness. -sf. fesF ~
The channel of the Columbia river for dis
lance of about 100 miles from It's mouth ID
obstructed by succession Of bars, which
occasions serious delays In navigation and
heavy expenses for lightage and towage. A
depth of at least twenty feet ct low tide should
be secured and maintained to meet the re-
quirements of the extensive and CROWNS
inland and ocean commerce it subeerves. Th
urgent need, however, for this gseat water
way is 3 permanent improvement of the chan
mel at the mouth Of the river. From Oolumbi
river to San Francisco, q distance of owe
600 miles, there is no harbor Of
our Pacific coast which can b.
approached during stormy weather. An ap
preparation of $3.50. COO was made by the Forty
fifth Congress for the commencement of
back water and harbor of refuge to be locates
st some point between the straits of Fueca an,
San Francisco, at which the necessities of com
merce, local and general, will be best accom-
modated. The amount appropriated is though
to be quite inadequ nate for the purpose intend
ed. The cost of the work when finished viii
be great, owing TO the want of natural ad
vantages for site at any point on the coas
hokuvcny, assrn az lSx,sska has ~,