The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1880-12-16

u1oucyb IcCovOu nave Iov6ttou 10 the Treasury
and could only become available through Q new
appropriation. 1t H. recommended that provisions
DO made by general statute for the sale Of such
pSs and buildings Is are
application Of the proceeds TO the
construction OF other posts. While
for military purposes, owing to the changed cond.
ton Of the country their occupation ID continued
ut great expense and Inconvenience because they af
ford the only available shelter for troops. The
absence Of large number Of the officers OF the line
IN active duty from their regiments Ii serious det-
riment tot maintenance OF the service. The con-
should be commanded by o commissioned officer,
and the various details Of officers for necessary ser
vice away from their commands occasions scarcity
view to lessenng this drain TO some extent II Is rec
commended that the law authorizing the detail of
officers from the active list professors
and universities be 30 amended az to provide that
all such details be made from the retired list Of the
army
MILITIA.
Attention Is asked to the necessity Of providing
BY Legislation for organizing. arming and dsciplin-
ing the active militia OF the country, and liberal
appropriations are recommended In this behalf.
The report Of tho adjutant general OF the army and
the chief 1T ordnance, touching this subject,
fully set fsrlh its Importance. The report Of the
officers In charge OF education In the army shows
that there are seventy schools now IN opera
ton IN the army, with an aggregate attendance Of
$500 enlisted men and children: The secretary
recommend the enlistment Of $50 sch0olmasters
with the rank and pay Of cOmmssary serReants. An
appropriation IL needed to supply the Judge advo-
Gates Of the army with suitable libraries, and the
secretary recommends that
THE CORPS OF JUDGE ADVOCATES
DC placed upon the same footing, ~ to promotion,
with the other staff corps Of the army. Under OK:
ono officer. the Judge advocate general, and the
corps Of judges advocates OF eight officers OF equal
rank majors, with provision that the limit Of the
corps shall remain at four. when reduced
ny casualty or resignation to that number.
The consolidation Of the bureau Of military justice
and the corps OF Judge advocates upon the same
remove an unjust discrimination against deserving
Officers, and snbserye the best interests Of the
Vice General attention Is asked to the report Of the
our national deienses. From personal inspection
OF many Of the Notifications referred to- the secre-
tary Is able to emphasize the recommendations
made aud to state that their and defense
less condition IL discredtable to the country. While
other nations have been increasing their means for
time cities, We have been dormant In preparing for
eense. Nothing Of importance has been done
toward strengthening and finishing our case
mated works since our late civil war, during which
great guns Of modern warfare and heavy army
fortihcations came into use among nations, and
earthworks, left by the sudden failure Of appro-
peteness are now being rapidly destroyed by the
elements. The two great rivers Of the North Amer
lean continent, the Mississippi and the Columbia.
within the limits Of the United States and
are of vast importance to our internal
and foreign commerce. The permanency Of i'm
portant work on the south pass of the Mississippi
river now seems to be assured. There has been no
failure whatever In the maintenance Of the maxi
mum channel during six months, ended August o,
last The experiment has opened q broad aud deep
highway to the ocean, and IL an Improvement, upon
the permanent success Of which congratulations
may be exchanged among the people abroad and ut
home, and especially among the communities OF
the Mississippi valley, whose commercial exchanges
float In unObstructed channel safely to and from
the sea. comprehensive
IMPROVEMENT OF THE MISSISSIPPI
and its tributaries Ii matter of transcendent i'm
portance. These great water ways comprise sys-
TEN OF inland transportation, spread like network
over q large portion OF the United States and nav-
gable to the extent of many thousand miles. Pro-
ducers and consumers alike have common interest
In such unequaled facilities for cheap transporta
ton. Geographically. commercially and politically
they are the strongest tie between the various
and Interchange are the property OF the nation Its
Jurisdiction L. paramount over their waters, and the
plainest principles OF public interest require their
intelligent and careful supervision with view, to
their protection, improvement and the enhance
ment Of their usefulness. The channe! Of the
ens amp hundred miles MI S saH'' it. m sSSS.
bars SSeS occasions .srea. delays navgs
depth OF At least twenty feet at low tide should be-
secured and maintained to meet the requirements
OF the extensive e. and growing inland and ocean
ment Of the channel at the mouth Of the
river, from the Columbia river to San Francisco.
sections Of country The channels Of communication
q distance OF over 600 miles, there il no harbor
on our Pacific coast which can be approached dur
%as Ss o.
commencement OF q back-water and harbor OF
refuge, to be located at some point between
at at which the " necessities Of commerce. local
and general, will be best accommodated. The
amount Appropriated Is thought to be quite In.
adequate for the purpose intended. The cost of
the work when finished win be great. owing TO the
want Of natural advantages for site at any point
on the coast between the designated limits, andi
has not been thought to be advisable to undertake
the work without larger appropriation. COM
mend the matter to the attention OF congress. The
completion Of the
IL urgently neeGedand the estimates for continuing
its construction are especially recommended. The
collection OF books, specimens and records constl.
national importance. Tho library now contains
about 81 800 volumes and $1,000 pamphlets re-
iating to medicine, SURGERY; and subjects allied
medical museum consist Of 22.OOO specimens and
are unique In the completeness with which both
military surgery and the diseases q armies are IL
Illustrated. Their destruction would be an ire
parable loss, not only to the United States but to
the world; There are filed IN the record and
psn0a over ISooo hound vol
great quantity OF papers, embracing tho
original records Of the hospitals Of armies dur
ing Tue civil war. ASIDE from tner HISTORICAL Value
these records daily searched for evidence needed
In the settlement Ut O large number OF pension ana
other claims, and for the protection OF the govern
ment against attempted frauds ~ well as for the
benefit Of honest claimants. These valuable con-
tents are now In building which Ia peculiarly ex-
posed to the danger Of destruction by fire. It
Is therefore earnestly recommended that an
appropriation be made for fire. proof building
adequate to the present needs and future expansion
Of these valuable collections. Such building
should be absolutely fire. proof. No expenditure
for mere architectural display Ia required 1t Is
believed that suitable structure can be erected Ut
cost not to exceed &25,OOO.
GRANT.
commend to the attention Of congress the great
services Of the commander Of our armies
during the war, whose wise, firm and patriotic con-
duct did 80 much to bring that momentous con-
test to close. The legislature Of the
United States contains many precedents for the
recognition Of distinguished military merit, author
izing rank and emoluments to be conferred for EN-.
inent services. to the country An act Of
congress authorizing the appointment Of
a captain-general Of the army with
suitable provisions relating to compensation,
retirement and other details would, In my Judgment
be altogether fitting and proper and would be
warmly approved by the country.
THE NAVY.