The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1880-11-24

=
Annual Report of the Secretary OF War
,bs sre,l az War give, eeerl review Of The
various subordinate reports, calls attention 70
their several ree0mnlen dations and details at
rent yeIr Upon the sslbjectof expenditures. APP
propriatiOns aud estimates. the secretary SayS:
rhe expenditures for al affairs under control u
10 fssO were So. 81. 773. Congress appropriated
for the service the current fiscal year Sll $50 Csc.
, I,,n sa is, are ssss ls Tbs "a
mates in detail were originally submitted TO me
for So 429. 80. But ON revision of some omInis-
sions reduction was made rs follows:
In civil establishment. sl3,5S5: military estal,-
lishment ESQ 90; public works. ss,5l4 129. aud
IN miscellaneous class. 81 90. making . total Of
ia the amounts OF estimates for the yeas 1sS2 over
the amounts appropriated for the year 1sSI,
appears in the civil establishment. and the mill
tary establishment. and miscellaneous items for
public work have reduced The estimates to
cord with what understand TO be the amount
required for the absolute necessities of service
esase to enmercisl Interests Beyond Beyond such ai.ii
Vheeesities, IL Is submitted. The wisdom of Con-
greSs may perceive that, valuable i'm prove
menp surround the realty of the Government
and $ the commerce Of the country advances in
Browsh and prosperity. so should the appropria-
tiOnsto cover the expense be apportioned =.
TIE Mississippi River Commission. operating
1879 submitted a. report which was duly trans
ifstted TO Congress last March, and was pub
Il
That report exhibited for the first time Che esti-
mates Of the appropriation required for the works
: of improvement therein described and amounted
ton when the session ce.tsed The cor1In
has communicated to me its desire TO renew
those estimates. aud its communication will be
Importance. not included. however the special
estimates and expenditures for service in this
Department. WI ta
In regard TO the South Pass OF the Mississippi
tsiyeE. the seereta5y says; ne PerInaneIcy OF
fact that there has been no feature whatever In
>She maintenance OF maximum chSnnel during
six g b1E lending eG. ug%s. 3 last THIS i'm
broad, deep highway To the ocean, and is
Wne upon the permanent success Of which
people abroad and at home, aud
especially among the Committees OF the Missis
sippi Valley. whose commercial exchanges float
Secretary Ramsay cOncuTs in the recommended
ton Of General sherman. that Congress be asked
give p 600 enlisted men specifically troops Of
the line OF the army, and favors the abandonment
lf many small posts and the concentration of
: Fye forces at strltegetic points The absence of
lrge number of officers from their regirn ents is
Ided to. and action recommended looking to
relief OF the service in this respect"
RecTeidry Ramsay lndorses the recommendation
ofthe Adjutant General in relation to placing
uniformed state miIitid upon the same footing in
respect 10 it, rules and forms Us tho regular
forces and calls attention to the necessity OF pro-
yiding By legislation for the organization, arming
and disciplining OF the militia.
tered during the year. He suggests, however.
bat In order % be entirely successful. ard to
arry far possible the original design OF
aking the institution selfsuppOrting an port
measure OF legislation is necessary. which is
shOrity OF Congress To apply the earnings OF the
rom pc rsOnal inspection of the many fOrtfca-
lions referred To By the Chief OF Engineers am
able 70 emphasize his recommendations, and beg
10 state that their Incomplete and defenseleSs
condition is discredittble TO the country Judging
Tieuce Oi our own, the United states will, not
- thstanding our traditional pacific policy. find
Wbe1 or that ier wal al Ssr @ih " yr THri l.
ddenly. There viii be no time after its
~ clantiOl 10 construct defenses either fixed
ars aud ere now constructing fast war steamers
enormous size. encaSed in iron armOr upward
" two feet in thickness and armed with riled
tons weight, fired with little short OF quarter OF
ton Of powder II is feared that the country
does not appreciate the Tact that, after the de-
claraton OF war, a few days. or even hours.
might bring these great engines of destruction
or Boston. or Portland, or Balti-
more. New Orleans. san Francisco.
or 70 any point the enemy may select. No
can estimate the damage which may follow"
Works OF the river aud harbOr Improvements
and the examinations and surveys provided by
the act of March .. lo79. and previous actS. were
carried on during the -cal year with satisfactory
progress The amount available therefor on July
l, 1872. was SIC. III l96. The amount expended 10
balance of 1857, $50 ID be expended during the
resent fiscal year, 10 which Is TO be added
appropriations By the rlver and harbOr act
on June II. 1SsO. amounting TO SS.95l 500
The act of June IA. 1Ss0. makes provision
for 33 works of improvement in sums varying
from $500 10 $50 900. and for surveys and examina
= pms with view to Improvement in Ia localities
W relation 70 the Whitaker case, the Secretary
5: 81 have refrained from commenting upon
unfortunate agitation which flowed from all
eyed assault upon colOred cadet at West
int Academy. in April last, for the reason that
6Ome OF its legal aspects the subject is still
Yer consideration" In conclusion, Secretary
[msay recommends that provision be made by
y for the appointment of an assistant Secretary
Mar