The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-12-07

recommended that the Law authorizing the
detail of officers from the, active llst as pro
fessors OF tactics and military science at
certain colleges and 5universifios. be. 90
amended as to provide that all such details
be made from the retired llst of the army.
Attention is asked to the necessity OF pro-
viding by legislation for organizing, arm
ing. and disciplining the actS0e militia OF
the country. and liberal appropriations are
recommended IN this behalf. The reports
OF the A6iutsnt General of the Army and
the Chief of Ordnance touching this sub
ject fully set forth its importance.
The report of the officer In charge OF
education in the army shows that there are
seveHty-eight schools now in operation in
the army, with an aggregate attendance OF
Q 3O5 enlisted men and children. TIE
Secretary recommends the enlistment OF
one hundred and fity schooimasters. with
the rank and pay of commissary sergeanss,
An appropriation is needed to supply the
judge advocates of the army with suitable
libraries, and the Secretary recommends
that the corps of Judge advocates be placed
upon the same foo'ipg as to promotion,
with the other staff corps of the army.
Under existing laws, the Bureau of Mill
tary Justice consists of one officer, the
Judge Advocate General, and the corps OF
Judge advocates, of eight officers of equal
rank, (msjors) with a provision that The
limit of the corps shall remain at four,
when reduced by casualty or resignation TO
hat number The consolidation of tbe
Bureau of Military Jus,lce, and the corps
of Judge advocates, upou the same basis
with the other staff corps of the army,
would remove an unjust Discrimination
against deserving officers, and subserve the
best interests of the service
NATIONAL Def NOES AND RIVER IMPROVE
MENT.
Especial attention is asked to the report
of the Chief of Engineers upon the condi-
tion of our National defences. From q
personal inspection of many of the fortifi
cations referred to, the secretary is able to
emphasize the recommendations made, and
to state that their incomplete and defence
less condition is discreditable to the coun-
try. While other DatIOns have been in
creasing their mems for carrying on Of
fensive warfare and attacking maritime
cities. we have been dormant in prepare
ton for defence; nothing of Importance
has been done towards Strengthening and
finishing our casemated works since our
late civil war, during which the great guns
of modern warfare and the heavy armor Of
modern Notifications and ships came into
use among the nstiOns, and our earth works
left, by sudden failure of appropriations
some years since. in all stages of incomple-
uon, are now being rapidly destroyed by
the elements
The two great rivers of the North Ameri-
can continent, the Mississippi and the
Columbia. have their navigsble waters
wholly within the limits OF the United
States. and are of vast importance to our
internal and foreign commerce The per
manency of the important work on The
South Pass of the Mississippi river seems
now to be assured. There has been no
failure whatever in the maintenance of the
maximum channel during the six months
ended August 0. last This experiment
has opened broad deep highway to the
ocean, and is an improvement, upon the
permanent success of which, congratula-
tiOns may be exchanged among people
abroad and at home, and especially among
the communities of the Mississippi valley,
whose commercial xchaBges float in an
uuobstructed channel safely to and from
the sea. Il
A comprehensive Improvement of the
Mississippi and its tributaries is q matter
OF Iranscendent importance These great
water ways comprise system of inland
spread like net work over
u large portion of the United States. and
navieab,e to the extent of many thousands
OF miles Producers and consumers alike,
have common interest in such unequaiied
facilities for cheap transportation. Geo.
commercially, and politically,
they are The strongest tie between the vari-
Gus sections OF the country These chan
rels of communication and interchange are
the property of the Nation. Is jdrIsdic-
ton is paramount over their waters, and
the olalnest principles OF public interest
r, quire their intelligent and careful super
vision, with q view to their protection, i'm
and the enhancement of their
usefulness.
The channel OF the Columbia river, for
a distance of about one hundred miles
from it's mouth, is INSTRUCTED by success
sion of bars, which occasion serious de-
lay in navigation, and heavy expense for
Iighterage and towsge. A depth of at least
twenty feet at low tide should be secured |
and maintained. to meet the requirements
of the extensive and growing inland and |
ocean commers it subserves. The most |
urgent need, however, tor this great water
way is a permanent improvement of the |
channel at the mouth of the river.
From Columbia river TO San Francisco,
a distance of over six hundred miles, there |
is no harbor on our Pacific coast which |
can be approached during stormy weather. |
An appropriation of $3.50. 600 was appfo. |
priated by the Forty ttth congress for the |
OF break water and harbor |
of refuge to be located at some point be- |
tween the Straits of Faca and San Fran |
cisco, at which the neces sIlies of commerce, |
local and general. will be best accommo |
dated The amount appropriated is thought |
10 be quite inads qua,e for the purpose IN
eaoed The cost OF the work, when fn. |
ished, will be very great. owing to the |
want of natural advantages for q site an any /
point ON the coast between the designated |
limits, and 1t has not been thought TO be
advisable TO undertake the work without
larger appropriation. 1 commend the |
fsnu< at
The completion of the new building for |
The War Department is urgently needed,
and the estimates for continuing its con-
struclion are especially recommended.
ARMY MEDICAL MUSEUM. 1
The collections of books, specimens and |
recor1s constituting the Army Medical
Museum and Library are of national i'm
portance. The library now contains fifty /
,ne thousand five hundred Is 500) volumes
and fiffy-seven thousand (57 0UO pamph-
cts relating to medicine, surgery and allied