Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-12-03

SIGNAL. SERVICE

and harbor improvements ..... 1868, ,337 81
miscellaneous objects ..-.......... 4,I54,736 s6
Total l...................... $49,79l ,O55 42
SIGNAL SERVICE.
The appropriations for the support of
the Signal Service for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1888, have been found insult
icient, and estimates will be submitted to
supply the deficiencies.
ADDITIONAL COMPANIES.
During the past year an additional COM
pany IN each of the regiments of artillery
has been mounted and equipped as a light
battery. so that there are now in service
ten light batteries, stationed in different
parts eff the United States.
! DEsERTIoNs.
The number of desertions from the army
in the past year was nearly $500: only a
few less than the extraordinary number
OF the year before. The most earnest eff
forts are being made to ascertain and. so
far as possible, do away with the causes
of desertiOn. | beg leave to renew the
recommendation made last year, that a
partial remedy may be found by increas-
ing the pay to what it was in 1865, that is,
SIG per month for private soldier and a
pr0portlonate amount for non-commis-
stoned officers.
RETIREMENT OF ENLISTED MEN.
The AdJutant General recommends that
Congress be asked to authorize the retire
ment of enlisted men who have served
faithfully for not less than 35 years. with
full pay of the grade held by them at the
time OF their retirement.
CASES OF COURT-MARTIAL,
The number of records of trials by gem
eral courts-martial received, revised and
recorded during the year was 1885, being
an increase of 131 over the previous year,
and the number of records of cases tried
before garrison and regimental courts
martial received and filed In Judge
Advocates offices at department
headquarters during the same Pc
rlOu, so far as reported
was 8,404. The number of reports and
opinions rendered upon courts-martial
and miscellaneous questions of law was
l,4o7, being an increase of 596 over last
year. The number of transcripts of pro-
ceedlngs Of courts-martial furnished was
511, and the copies of records of courts
martial furnished IN conformity with the
Hath Article Of War numbered 119.
LARGER PERMANENT POSTS NEEDED.
In regard to quarterlng troops, the ne
cessity for so many very small and scat
tered military posts is fast diminishing,
inasmuch as the Indisns are collected on
permanent reservations; at the same time
the necessity for larger permanent posts
near Indian reservations and frontiers is
increasing.
THE DEATH ROLL.
The total number of deaths from all
causes reported from the army for thekis-
cal year ending June 80, 1883, is 162 from
disease, and so from wounds, injuries and
accidents. The casualties from actual
warfare during the last fiscal year were
few, only two reports of this nature hav-
ing been received, involving the death of
one soldier and the wOunding of nine
others.
UNION AND CONFEDERATE RECORDS.
The general examination of the records,
both Union and Confederate, has been
completed. Any further examination
that may he necessary will be for such
missing links as may be developed in the
compilation. The formal reports of mill
tary operations made by the Union com-
manders have all been copied, and those
made by the Confederate commanders
will be copied by the end of the next
fiscal year.
Nine volumes in all have now been pub
lished; seven more are in the hands of
the printer nearly completed, and the
manuscript of five additional volumes is
arranged for printing.
OUR SEA COAST DEFENsEs.
Our sea coast, with it's great cities and
important harbors, is defenseless to-day
against the attack of a modern iron-clad,
and 1T is humiliating even to imagine the
modification, loss of life, property and
prestige to which we would be subjected
should war come suddenly upon us, as
the history OF nations shows, may happen
at any time.
For many years no appropriations have
,0
ton OF our forts, and the barbette bate
ries, designed for the country's defense,
are incomplete and rapidly going to rum.
1t appears to be not only matter of pru-
dence but of absolute necessity that these
works, so long delayed, shall at once be
commenced and pushed to a speedy COM
pletion.
THE GREELY PARTY.
1t will be necessary that early provision
should be made to fit out another expedi-
tion for the relief of Lieutenant Greely
and his party. Their exact situation and
condition is only matter of conjecture
They have had with them at Lady Frank
lin Bay supply of food, clothing and
other necessarles entirely sufficient to last
them until next summer, and there'Would
be no reasonable apprehension for their
safety if it were known that they had re-
manned and were now at Lady Franklin
Bay.
RECOMMENDATION REGARDING MILITIA.
l earnestly recommend that the atten-
tion of Congress be invited to the subject
of giving substantial encouragement to
the formation of volunteer militia organi-
cations in every State and in the District
OF Columbia by liberal appropriations to
supply the necessary arms. equipments,
tents, ammunition and other ordnance
stores. With our small standing army,
our main dependence for public defense
must be on our militia, and the wisdom
of the comparatively small expenditures
which would encourage their organiza-
tion and their efficiency in drill and dis
cipline seems apparent.