The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-12-15
Report Of the Secretary Of War.

WASHINGTON, December
The annual report Of the Secretary of War
Is chiefly devoted to the consideration of the
important lamentations contained In
the annual report of the army chiefs. Gen.
eral Sherman's recommendation that the
army he increased to $1,000 men receives
Secretary Lincoln's earnest Endorsement.
The attention Of Congress is called to the
need Of legislation to prevent an intrusion
upon Indian lands, especially from Kansas,
into the Indian Territory Secretary Lin.
coin invites special attention to that part Of
the report of General Wright, Chief Of En-.
gineers, which refers to our seacoast de.
lenses, and on this subject says:
The Chief Of Engineers shows that de.
tense by Notifications and torpedoes Is the
only one which is at all practicable for
coast IS extended as ours. comprising SO
many rich maritime cities, extensive navy
yards, and depOts of supply; that any attempt
at any other mode Of defense would be
enormously expensive, both for first cost
and maintenance, and 1t Is the only mode
adopted by maritime nations. Experience
shows modern wars come on suddenly; that
serious International disputes occur be.
tween nations the relations of which are
than friendly, and condition Of readiness
for defense and an attitude Of belligerency
are sometimes the best preventives of actual
war. We know that the necessary new
works and the proper notifications Of the
old works will require many years for their
completion, and it seems simply matter Of
common prudence that we commence with.
out delay, and, under liberal appropria.
lions, put our coasts In an effective condi.
ton Of defense. -
Referring to the subject of the standard eft
requirements necessary for admission to the
Military Academy at West Point, the Sec-
Rotary says:
that 1t would not be well to raise the stand
ard Of admission. The result of the last ex.
animation, in which 40 out Of 1l8 candidates
were rejected, shows the standard Is so high
rs to prevent the admission Of many who
would undoubtedly, II they had been so sit.
uated as to receive the proper preliminary
training. prove valuable officers. It has re-
Academic Board to permit the discontinue
ance Of certain prescribed studies in the
course for the purpose Of giving time for
others, the importance Of which was appar.
emit. A consideration of the subject yug-
gested by this recommendation leads me 10
believe 1t would be best to extend the course
SO as to cover five years. 1t is believed that
by SO doing not only would the benefits Of
the academy be more widely extended, but
that the graduates would be prepared to
render better service to the country"
The actual expenditures under the War
Department for the fiscal year ended June
30, 1881, were $4s, 122, 2O1. The appropria-
tt0ns for 1882 were $44, $50, 725, and the esti-
mates for 1888 call for $44, 54l .27G. The es-
Inmates presented to the Secretary for re.
vision included, for the armament Of fortifi-
cations, $220, 1900; Notifications and other
works Of defense, $4,ls6, 500; improving
the Mississippi River by the Commission,
a, 81, 900; public buildings and grounds ii,
and near Washington, 1000; surveys
taken, $4,000; total, ia, O93, 500. "This
amount has been reduced on my revision to
an aggregate Of $40, 6S9, 600, which sum, II
1udiciously allotted by Congress, will be, in
my judgment, . reasonable allowance for
this class Of expense during the next fiscal
year."