The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-12-19
SECRETARY LINCOLN'S REPORT
The Proposed New Organization oi Rcgi-
mrnt- oar DrirnrrleS- -rucOnst.

y i
penlitmcs of the department for the
fiscal year ended Jane 30, at $40. T0l ,0jj
Of which $l5, ,3j7 was ior public
works, including river and harbor i'm.
prOycmcnts. The appropriations for the
fiscal year 1881 amount to S}l T6G, 952, |
Of which 81, 925, 3ii is for public works |
Tie e,tmntcs for the fiscal year ending |
June 30, 1885, are IA follows Salaries,
contingent expenses, and postage, in
cluding one.third OF the estimate OF the
Superintendent OF the State, War, and
Navy Department Building, $2,322,-
07S.33 military establishment (0lmy
and Military Adadcmy), S27, 1876 1872 Il
public works, including river and harbor
improvements, 81 ,Gl9. Gao G2 miscel
lancous Objects including Signal Service
So DTS, ,92G. ~ total $il,3SG, 2OG.7S.
The Secretary approves the rccom'
mendation of Gen. Sherman that new
organization bc adopted Tor the regi-
ments Of Infantry. 50 that each shall he
composed Of twelve companies, making
three haitalions Of four companies each,
each company having one hundred men;
aud that in time of peace two Of these
|
feet war footing while the other battalion
may be mere skeleton, with lis compile
ment OF officers, and be used as q MI.
clrus for recruits. The great advantage
! at th.s c'mur" h' .uys. H- suggested hy
.ur G.UrLd, b. the Important oHc "i be-
ing able to put large and effective
force in the field upon short notice, by
merely enlisting sufficient number OF
additional private soldiers, the officers
and organization being always ready to
receive them.
The Secretary also concus IN the
recommendation OF the Adjutant' Gene
raj TINT Congress be asked to authorize
the retirement of enlisted men who have
served faithfully tor not less than thirty
/ five years, with full pay Of the grade
held hy them at the time Of retirement
Y He also reviews his recommendations
, made last year, that officers ut remote
| posts he permitted TO employ enlisted
) men for domestic purposes where SER
5 wants cannot be obtained, upon the ap'
proval of the proper department COM
mandcrs, and that the per diem allow
= ancc to officers serving away from theii
v stations on courts martial or military
+. boards be restored.
4 The Secretary specially invites atten
Y ton TO that part Of the report of the
Chief of Engineers which refers to the
/ dclcnces of our seaco0st and lake from
tier. He says:
! "While our deielce for many year
/ must depend upon the completion o
4 harhetlo batteries designed for moder
o gums aud upon our system OF torpcdocs
q the use of armor has not been ovci
:. looked ard plans have been prepare
/. for the application of the turret systei
, to some of the most important harbor
4. Our scacoast, with its great cities IN
r important hurbors, is dclencelcss to-dU
40 against the attack of the modern irol
ne clad, aud it is Illuminating even
of imagine the modification, loss of lii
ia property, and prestige to which "
would be subjected should war CON
,e suddenly upon us, as the history {
Ia nations shows, may happen Mt any TINT
ii "For many years no appropriation
a have been made for continuing the col
NJ struction of our forts, and the barbett
batteries, designed for the country's d
fence, are incomplete and rapidly goi;
to ruin. 1t appears to be not only
matter Of prudence but OF absolu
q necessity that these works, SO long 4
,m laycd, shall ut once he commenced NJ
~ pushed to speedy completion.
-, "Attentior. is invited to the necessi
llo' for electrical rooms and cable galleri
mg for the most important of our seacoi
90 90 works. However well developed {
NV torpedo system may he, it will be co
nv. paratively useless 80 long as our inst
!. ments for firing submarine mines n
,n. our connecting cables are unprotecI
mt from the enemy's artillery. Th,
=, should certainly be no further delay
~ constructing these comparatively int
~, pcnsive, but absolutely necessary, 1
M juncts to the system of torpedo defenc,
WV WV The attention of Congress III invt
n TO the subject of giving substantial G
nd couragament to the formation of mill
ne m organizations in every State and in t
~ ~ District of Columbia, by liberal app
~ priatons to supply the necessary arm
80 equipments, tents, ammunition, a
lo other ordnance stores. "With G
nb small standing army" the Secrets
l", ',, says, "our main dependence for pull
Wom W defence must be on our militia; and
Nv, 1 wisdom of the comparatively small
'ou penditues which would encourage Il
,IGs., ; G organization and their efficiency in {
NY and discipline seems apparent.
n"' "a strongly recommends the passage Of
,TLo m,o act reported from the Senate Mill
ino Committee in the last Congress,
ions which it was contemplated that, in
,oSs, of the annual sum OF S20G, 200 prov
h,u n.a by the net of the 23d of April, 1908
i"Ao sum OF 5000, 900 should be annually