Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-11-18
Report of the Secretary of War.
NECESSITY OF AN APPROPRIATION FOR COAST AND
HARBOR DEFENCE, ETC.

NECESSITY OF AN APPROPRIATION FOR COAST AND
HARBOR DEFENCE, ETC.
The Secretary OF War has completed his report
which will be transmitted to Congress with the
PRESIDENTS annual message. He invites special
attention to that part Of the report of the chief Of
engineers which refers to our sea coast defences,
and Says:-"FOr many years, during which no
work whatever has been done upon these defenceS,
except for their preservation and repair under
small appropriations confined to these purposes
by law, the chief Of engineers has called attention
in his annual report to the very great danger
which results from leaving our Notifications in
their present condition The caSemated works
which necessarily form large part Of our sea,
modern armOr and before the Introduction of rified
guns into modern warfare. They are built OF
masonry, unprotected by armOr, and although in
their day they Were equal to any in the world,
they are utterly untitled to withstand the assaults
OF modern ships of war. The chief OF engineers
shows That defence byfortifcationS and torpedOeS
Is the only which is all for coasts
as extended as ours, comprising so many rich
OF supply, that any attempt at any other mode OF
de1ence would be enormously expensive, both for
FIRST cost and cost OF maintenance, and that 1t
Is the only mode adopted by maritime nations.
Experience shows that modern wars come On sud-
denly. that serious international disputes occur
between nations the relations OF which are appar-
emily the most unlikely to be other than friendly
and TINT condition OF readiness for defence and
an attitude OF beligerency are sometimes the best
preventiyes of actual war; We know that the
necessary new works and the proper notifications
OF our old works will require many years for their
completion. and 1t seems simply matter OF COM
mon prudence that We commence without delay
and under liberal appropriations to put our coasts
In an efficient condition OF defence" He also coin
cides with the chief OF engineers in his views in
joins In the suggestions OF that officer as to the
OF increasing the strength OF the en-
gineer battalion to $50 men, to meet the proper re-
quirementS OF the service.
THE ARLINGTON CEMETERY.
Secretary Lincoln embOdies in his report the re-
commentator OF the quartermaster general, that
''the Arlington (va.) Cemetery, containing 2O8
acres, be constituted and established national
government, members of Congress, and others in
pubic service who may die in Washington and
ELSEWHERE and says: "There is space for this
purpose. The cemetery is sufficiently remote from
the city to be unObjectiOnable on the score Of
health and yet near enough to be easy OF cOmmu-
nication. Being separated from the city by great
river 1t Is not liable to be encrOached upon and
An appropriation is asked for repairing the road
from the capital to the cemetery.
District Government Affairs.
The Commissioners will in few days advertise
for furnishing the District with 500 tons of Trini
dad or Cuban asphalt for future use Of paving and
reSurfacing streets.
The commissioners have re-appOinted fourteen
special policemen, whose termS-One year-haye
expired, as patrolmen in the United States Treas
ury department The appointments run for one
year.
-, Building permits issued by Inspector Entwisle:
500. John s. Barbour, repair brick, Maryland
avenue, between and I'd streets northeast; 81 500
WASHINGTON CATTLE MARIETTA the Queens
town drove yards On the Metropolitan Branch B.
q o. X r., three miles from the city,--Lewis ID.
Means, proprietor, Wednesday 155 head OF cattle
were sold to butchers, at a5dlc. per h.; $50
sheep and lambs were sold as follows: Sheep &c.
brought $25aS55. The state Of the market was
brisk.
ELEGANT CARPETS AT AUcT1oN-Thomas Dowl-
ing will sell tomorrow, at his SalesrOOms, at 12
O'Clock, several Wilton and velvet Brussels car
pets In prime condition See advt-
THE RUSH FOR BOYS CLOTHING to the popular
OF b. Robinson Co, 9O9 Pennsyl-
vania avenue, continues, they say, undated, and
every purchaser speaks, they claim, in the highest
terms OF praise of the splendid bargains made
there. The line OF boys overcoatS attract eSpe-
cial attention. See advertisement of speciality.