National Republican., 1883-12-03

one rupturod in line OF duty, devotos some
space to the medical history Of the war and
the valuable libary of that department, and
adds 1.-THE attention Of congress is again
called to the great Importance to the army,
to the medical profession, and to tho nation,
of providing suitable 1reproof building for
tho safe deposit of these valuable collections,
the destruction Of which would bo an irro-
parable loss"
Tho secretary recommends the repeal of
the law forbidding payment of mileage TO of
flcers for so much of their travel as is over |
land grant roads.
Attention is also invited to the need of leg
islation on the subject of paymasters' bonds. |
A paymaster is required to give new bond |
at least every four years; but IL is under
stood that the accounting officers OF the
treasury hold that each bond covers all the |
transactions of an officer under his current |
commission; and it is represented that for |
this reason officers experience difficulty In
obtaining surctios upon their bonds. l con-
cur with the paymaster general in his opin-
ion that the liability of u surety should have |
some definite limit, and that the remedy
which has been enacted in the matter of
bonds of collectors of internal revenue and of
postmasters should be extended to paymas-
ters. In this connection, 1t has boon brought
to my attention that paymasters and other
disbursing officers Of tho army who are by
law required to give lorRe bonds for the faith
full discharge Of their duties, and TO renew
such bonds at stated periods. meet with pecu
liar difficulties III procuring such bonds.
Ord inarily, an officer of the government who
is required to give bond performs his duty
in the neighborhood where he is well known.
ank where it is not difficult for him to procure
proper suretics.
The case Of the disbursing officer is diff
ferent, as he Is permanently separated from
home, and the difficulty of procuring securi-
ties is hence apparent. The secretary recon-
mends legislation authorizing the acceptance
of corporate as we'll as individual security on
offered bonds.
Attention is specially invited to that por-
tion of the report of the chief of engineers
which refers to the defenses of our seacoast
and lake frontier. While our defense for
many years must depend upon the compile
tion of barbette batteries designed for modern
guns and upon our system of torpedoes, the
use of armor has not been overlooked. Our
seacoast with its great cities and important
harbors, is defenseless to-day against the
attack of amodern ironclad, and it is humil-
iating even to imaging the modification, loss
of life, property and prestige to which we
would be subjected should war come sud-
denly upon us, as the history of nations
shows, may happen Mt any time
He invites attention to the necessity for
electrical rooms and cable galleries for the
most important sea works.
The balance in the treasury July /, 1882, to
the credit of appropriations for improving
harbors and rivers was $4,73S, ,263.5S. The
appropriations by the acts of June 10, 1882,
Aug. 2, 1882, and March 3, 1888 were SIS, 751,-
1886, and the sum of $373, 3,592.24 was drawn
from indefinite appropriations for construct
ing jettes in the South Pass, Mississippi
river, operating and care of various canals,
and removing sunken vessels obstructing
navigation. The drafts Gncluding $500
transferred to the interior department) by
ranpiaifinp duriuo ba GIQ
54127, leaving balance of $l002l, ,649.55 in
the treasury July l, 1888, and on the same
date there was in the hands of officers or on
deposit to their credit the additional sum of
81, ,362, ,254.10. Since that date and up TO Nov.
l there has been drawn from the treasury
$4,966,S ,S1127.
Arrangements are still under progress for
making practical test of fume to increase
the depth of the Mississippi.
Discussing the improvement of the South
pass of the Mississippi river, he says: The
last annual report of this department brought
the history of this work to Sept. 8, 1882.
During the four quarters ending Sept. 8, 1888,
there was no failure of maintenance OF the
channel. From Sept 10, 1852, to Sept. o,
1883, both inclusive, four quarterly payments
for maintenance, amounting to 100000, and
wo semi-annuel payments of interest on the
$1,0O0,0OO retained, amounting to s50,00O
were made, tho total expenditure for the
Improvement to the latter date being 81, $780,
900.
Attention is called to the failure of any
provision for the fiscal year ending June 80
1854 to meet the cost of the examinations and
surveys required by law to ascertain the
depths of water and widths of channels main
tained at the South pass.
There were manufactured at tho national
armory at Springfield, Mass, during the year
ending June 30 1883, 33,621 small arms
The three systems of magazine guns mem
toned in his last annual report are still in
process of manufacture, and il is thought
enough Of them for trial will be ready next
spring.
A number of contracts have been made for
making, converting, and testing rifle cannon.
TO determine whether there was enough gun
steel in suitable masses and requisite quality
in the country tho steel works of this coun-
try were corresponded with, and 1t was found
that we cannot yet produce the steel tubes
and forgings for tubes and jackets for an
eight-inch gun. Those were, therefore, con-
tracted for in England. Smaller steel forg-
ings have been satisfactorily undertaken in
Philadelphia.
A board, composed of officers of the army
and navy, was on the second of April, 1888,
constituted by the President, to examine and
report which of the navy yards or arsenals
owned by the government has the best loca-
tion and Is best adapted for the establishment
of q government foundry, or what other
method, if any, should be adopted for the
manufacture of heavy ordnance adapted to
modern warfare. This board first visited the
principal iron and steel works in this country,
and then went abroad to pursue its investiga-
tions among the great steel works and gun fac
tories of Europe. 1t has recently returned, but
its report has not yet been made. 1t is hoped
that it will be able to submit to congress such
q strong and full report. and make such def
mite recommendations, that congress will be
able to take prompt action toward providing
for the great want of the country in suitable
facilities, and plant for tho manufacture of
heavy ordnance.
He recommends the appropriation of sums
specifically for the signal service bureau, and
after reciting the facts now we'll known about
the Protcus expedition, says:
at will be necessary that early provision
should be made TO fit out another expedition
for the relief of Lieut.. Greely and his party.
Their exact situation and condition Is only
matter of conjecture. They have had with
them at Lady Franklin bay supply of food,
clothing, and other necessaries entirely suiii-
cont to last them until next summer; and
there would be no reasonable apprehension
for their safety if it were known that they
had remained and were now at Lady Frank
lin bay. 1t is possible, however that he, in pur-
su ance of prearranged plans late in the sum
mer of this year left Lady Franklin bay to
come southward to the entrance of Smiths
sound and that relying upon finding there
an abundant supply of the nccessarieS of life,
he neglected to burden himself in the south