The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-12-12
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
EypENses

In the expenses of the war department the
secretary reports a decrease of more than
$9 100000, of which u reduction of So, G00,-
w was effected in expenditures for rivers
and harbors and So, 100000 in expenditures
TOR the quarter1master's department. Out
side of that department the annual expenses
for all the army bureaus proper Except
probably the ordnance b%ureaus) are sub
stantially fixed charges which cannot be ma
terially diminished without a change in the
numerical strength of the army. The ex-
penses in the qnartermaster's department.
can readily be subjected to administrative
discretion, and it is reported by the secre-
tary OF war that as a result of exercising
such discretion in reducing the mum
Der of draught anil pack animals in
the army, the annual cost of supply
ing and caring for such animals is now
l Jos ,OS5.9O less than it was in 1882.
The reports of military commanders show
that the last year has been notable for it's
freedom from Indian outbreaks. In defiance
of the presidents proclamation OF July l.,
1884, certain intruders sought to make set
Elements in the Indian Territory. They
were promptly removed by a detachment Of
troops, During the past session of congress
O bill to provide a suitable tire-pfoof build
ing for the army medical museum and the
library of the surgeon generals office re-
ceived the approval of the senate. Asimilar
bill, reported favorably to the house of rep
resentatives by one of its committees, is still
lCauiHS DClo1C oLlhU UOuy. Y Is LOpcu GLluU
during the coming session the mea sur
may become a law, and thereafter imme-
date steps may be taken to secure a place of
safe deposit for the valuable collections now
in q state of insecurity. The funds with which
the works for the improvements of rivers
and harbors were prosecuted during the past
year were derived from the appropriations
of the act of Aug. 2, 1882, together with
such few alances as We're on hand from pre-
vious appropriations The balance of the
afrnn Ar ,,x ~, S1- = - ~ - I = ob1
was $fO,o2i ,649.55. The amount appro.
priated during the fiscal year 1884 was
$13, .346.2 81, and the amount drawn from
the treasury during the fiscal year was
SIS ,22S ,7O3, Sd, leaving a balance of So, 49,
SOC in the treasury subject to requisition
July 1, 1884.
sEACoAs
The secretary of war submits the report Of
the chief OF engineers as to the practicable
ity of protecting our important cities on the
seaboard, by Notifications and other de-
lenses able to repel modern methods of ut
tack. The time has now come when such
defenses can be prepared with confidence
that they will not prove abortive; and when
the possible results of delay in making such
prepe Tattons is seriously considered. DELAY
seems ~lnexcusable. For the most important
cities, those whose destruction or capture
would be a national humiliation, ADEQUATE
defenses, inclusive of guns, NAV be made by
the gradual expenditure of $50, 900, 600,
q sum much less than Il victorious enemy
could levy as a contribution. An appropria-
ton of about one-tenth of that am.ount is
asked to begin the work, and l concur with
the secretary of war in urging that it be
granted. The war department. is proceed
ing with the conversion of ten-inch smooth
bore guns into eight-inch rifles. by lining the
former with tubes of forged or of" cold
wrought iron. ri ty guns will be thus con-
verified within the year. This, however, does
not obviate the necessity of providing means
for the construction of guns of the high
est power, but for the purposes Of coast de-
Tense and for the armament of war vessels
The report of the gun foundry board ap-
pointed April 2. 1888, in pursuance of the
act of March 3, 1883, Yves transmitted to
congress in a special message of Feb. s., 1854.
attention to the recommendation of the
board that the goyernmentshould encourage
the production at private steel works of the
required material for heavy cannons, and