Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-12-02

s.,-. 3cse sfsL =
CAPITOL HOTEL,
@. McGGNLY, Prop'r. HoUsToS. Tex.
The only FIRsT-CLAss HOTEL in the city. |
lures for the quartermasters depart
ment. Outside Of that department, |
the annual expenses of all the army !
bureaus proper except possibly the ord
nance bureau, are substantially
charges which cannot be materially
diminished without change in the
numerical
STRENGTH or OUR ARMY.
The Expenditures in the quartermas.
ter's department can readily be sub.
jected to administrative discretion and
| it is reported by the secretary Of war
that as result of exercising such dis
cretion in reducing the nun Der Of draft
, animals in the army the annual
cost of supplying and caring for such
animals is now 81 ,l0S,0S5 less than it
was In 1882.
The reports of the military com
mander show that the last year has
been notable for its entire freedom
from Indian outbreaks. In defiance
OF the Presidents proclamation Of
July !, 1854, certain intruders sought
to'make settlements in the Indian
territory They were promptly re-
moved bya
DETACHMENT OF TROOPS
During the past session Of congress
a bill to provide a suitable fire-preof
building for the army medical museum
and the library Of the sur
| ~ a
approval Of the senate. A similar Dill
reported favorably to the house of rep
resentatiyes by one Of its committees
Ia still pending before that body. It
is hoped that during the coming ses-
sion the measure may become Il law
and that thereafter immediate steps
may be taken to secure place for the
safe deposit of these valuable collec'
tons now in a state OF insecurity.
THE RIVERS AND HARBoRs.
The funds with which the works for
the improvement OF rivera and har-
bors were prosecuted during the past
year were derived from the RppropTi-
alions of the act Of August, ., 1882,
= together with such few balances
as were ON hand from previous appro-
priations. The balance in the treasury
subject to acquisitions July /, 1888, was
, $lO02l, $40. The amount appropriated
! during the fiscal year 1854 was Sl3, 1856.
: 348 and the amount drawn from the
treasury during the fiscal year was
, So Dos. 7O3, leaving balance OF SD, ll2'
, $50 in the treasury subject TO requisi
tions July /, 1854,
OUR COAST DEFENsES.
J The secretary OF war submits the re
! port of the chief of engineers as TO the
l practicability of protecting our impor
tsnt cities on the seaboards by fortifi'
cations and other defenses able to repe
the modern methods of NJ
8 tack The time has nov
come when such defenses cal
p be prepared with confidence that they
; will not prove importune and wbeI
= the possible result Of delay in making
r such preparations is seriously consid
q cred.
3 DELAY SEEMS INENCUSABLE.
n For the most important cities thos
. whose destruction or capture would b.
a national humiliation, adequate de
/. lenses, inclusive of guns, may be mad
q by the gradual expenditure OF $50 900,
!. 600, r sum much less than a victOriOu
~ army could levy as contribution. Al
~ appropriation of about onc-tenth q
that amount is asked 10 begin Tn
work, and / concur with the secretar,
OF war in urging that ii be granted.
= The wardepRrtmentis proceeding witt
If the conversion of the ten-inch smooth
~ bore guns into eight-inch rifles FIT.
2. guns will thus be converted within
l. the year. This, however, does not OF
N viate the necessity of providing mean
Ie for the construction of guns of til
Is highest power, both for the purposes
2 coast defense and fer the armament
al war vessels.
Al GOVERNMENT sTEEL'WoRRs.
r. In my message of March 20 last
il called attention TO the recommends
r ton of the naval board that the GOV
eminent should encourage the produC
ton of private steel-works OF the r.
auired material for heavy cannon, an
" two government factories, enc for Tn
e. army and one for the navy
III should be established 10
Il the fabrication of guns from sucl
ne material. No action having beel
s.. taken, the board was subsequently ~
TO convened tD determine more fully TN
or plans and estimates necessary for ca
II, rying out its recommendations.
ct has received information which II
III dictates that there are responsible ste'
,s. manufacturers in this country Wn'
Mt although not provided at pre- ent vii
IS the necessary plant, are willing,
construct the same, and 10 make bic
for contracts with the government Il
the supply of the requisite materi'
n for
sn HEAVIEST GUNS
al adapted TO modern, warfare
rs a guarantee order OF sun
IT Gent magnitude aceompanit
o. by a positive appropriate
i'll extending over a series of years sha
he he made by congress. All doubts As
Ar. Inc feasibility of the plan being tn
relieved, / renew my recommendatlC
that sueh action be taken by congre
he as will enable the government 70 co
he struet its own ordnance upon It's ON
TO territory, and 80 10 provide the arm
oy ments demanded by the c,onslderstlol