The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1881-11-10

i believe he Is willing TO give an oppOr-
tunity 10 examine everything he has l
don't think my order will be necessary;
however, / will consult the dissrict at
torney as soon MS he comes into court
and probably the matter can he accom-
modated without any formal order.
Subsequently, when District Attorney
Corkhill came into court he said that
tue papers demanded by the counsel for
the defense being evidence, he would
not cOncede the right of any person To
them. He had never received any COM
municatiOn of any kind addressed 10
Scoville and had nothing of the kind in
his possession. Scovillc said he would
tomorrow forenoon present the affidavit
of Warden CrOcker in relation 10 the
matter.
General Sherman's Annual Report to the
Secretary of War.
WASHINGTON, Nov. S.-General Sher-
man has submitted his annual report to
the secretary of war: enclosing the re-
ports of Generals Drum and Sackett
and the reports of the commanding gen.
erals of divisions and departments.
General Sherman says, referring to the
reports of the latter: "They all show
that our companies are too small for eff
flcient discipline and for economical SER
vices. When the national treasury was
poor and loaded with debt the army en-
deavored TO gracefully submit to be
overworked, but now" says General
Sherman, "they appeal for relief, and 1t
is recommended that congress repeal
that clause of the existing law which
limits the enlisted force of the army TO
% 900 men. Considerable space is de-
voted to q discussion of the subject of
officers servants, Gen. Sherman main
tanning that no soldier should be COM
PEELED to do mental labor without
compensation, or without his con-
sent, and he recommends that the
existing law he repealed or modified so
as TO secure this end. Referring to
West, Point, he says it has been and
must continue to be the foundation
sources of military education. In time
of peace, in his judgement, the military
academy at West Point fultlls its uses
and can safely be entrusted to prepare
boys to become the soldiers ofthe future.
ARMY STATISTICS.
There are in the army four bundled
and thirty companies, necessarily wide
ly scattered over our vast domain, to
guard property and as far as foresight
can go, complications and trouble of
every variety and kind, at one time pro-
tecting settlers against the lndi-
ans, and again the Indians against
the settlers. When these occur
it is always sudden, and re-
Inducements have to be hurried for
at great cost for the transportation of
men, horses, wagons and supplies. This
| cost in the aggregate, will in my Judge
ment be more than sufficient 20 supply
twenty per cent. more private soldiers,
all / ask for, because l believe the
increase will add but little, if any, to the
annual cost of the army and
yet give relief to our over taxed soldiers
In the last ten years our frontiers have
so extended, under the protection of our
several armies as to add at least thous-
and million of dollars TO the taxable
wealth of the nation. 1t has enabled emf
grants to settle up remote parts of the
country, and is the principle cause of
the great prosperity which is through
| out all parts of our country. When the
! national treasury was poor and loaded
with debt the army endeavored grace
fully to submit to overwork, but they
now appeal for relief, and l do most
earnestly ask the honorable secretary of
war TO apply to congress to repeal that
clause of the existing law which limits
the enlisted force of the army to %, 600
men, and to enact that each and every
company in the army may be enlisted to
at least fifty privates, making sixty-two
enlisted men and three officers to each
four hundred and thirty companies, thus
increasing the army proper to $4,000
enlisted men, which number, in prac-
tice, will probably never exceed $4,000
This should form q combatant force
and as experience and universal prac-
tice have demonstrated the necessity for
another or non-combatant force, fur
Their urge that special provision bemade
by the law for each of the following sep
arate and distinct. purposes, viz: En-
gineer battalion, 200 permanent recruit
ing companies and parties, 1850 enlist
ed men detailed in the general service
as clerks, 400 ordnance department la
borers and mechanics, 400 West Point
detachments at the military academy,
142 persons to guard at Fort Leaven-
worth, special, 80 hospital stewards, 125
ordnance sergeants, 112 com,nissary ser-
geants, 100 Indian scouts, 800 signal de-
tachment; total 1899; which number
adde'l to the $4,000 before explained
will make total enlisted force of every
nature and kind of 81, 449.
General Sherman submits statement
of the actual number of enlisted men in
",
6,682; artillery, 2,403; infantry, 1880; |
total combatants, 1856; non-combat- |
ants, engineer battalion, ordnance de-
partment. recruiting Office, signal corps, |
etc., 3,7S1 total enlisted force of the |
army, q, 1896. Nearly every gen.
eral officer and Commander of |
troops on the frontier asks for a larger |
increase than have here indicated, but
this may be better mplished by |
giving to the President the right to in
crease at his discretion the ompanies |
of privates not exceeding enc hundred,
limited always in practice by the actual /
appropriation of money. He advocates
the increase of nine majors IN the in
spectors corps, and recommends the I
whole question of coast defense be subj
mitted to board of high officers, while |
a similar board should consider the mat
ter of military posts and stations absolute,
these boards to view, sell and relieve the /
army from the care of useless iorts, posts
and stations. Some old forts, Gen. Sher-
order that they may be properly taken 1
care of he recommends that the Presi-
dent be authorized to transfer out of
the class of enlisted men who have
served for twenty five years or more, q
number not to exceed five hundred and
twelve, and establish veteran corps I
TO be stationed at these old forts,
with the rank and pay = they
held at the close of their active
career in the army service, TO be
be subject to the rules and articles of
war, but only 70 be used fofguarlIng pub
tic property One or two officers on the
retired class and half dozen OF these
old soldiers would compose good gar,
rison for an abanoned post or fort.
By granting retired officers thus de-
tailed full pay and quarters, We would
provide homes for worthy veterans which
would be most honorable and charitable
TO them and advantageous 10 the govern
ment.
General Sherman IN his remarks on
West Point says the board of visitors |
recommended that the SUI |
of the military academy
Ihould be a colonel OF engineers. / Will
soncede the engineers all they ask, but
when war comes engineering naturally 1
axes to maneverfng and parapets where
infantry, cavalry and artillery must go in 4
md do the fighting. II was 50 in 1872. :
46 and 81 and '65. WestpoInt is in
ended to make soldiers. not professional I
engineers, and the word fs0ldiers) EN-.
traces everything in war. II an engin- Ia
.er be better soldier than an infantry |
Dfiicef, then LET him in war and peace
laye all the hOuors and emoiuments, but 4
,ur recent experiences does rot fulfill :
he assertion. General Sherman takes !
ssues also with the oEfer recOmmenda- 3
ion Of the board of visitors. ii
81 y