Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-11-29
LINCOLN'S DOGS OF WAR
THEIR CHAINS NOT BROKEN
DURING THE YEAR.

$40, ,S76 FL Expended During the
Twelve Month in Keeping the Fire
Eaters in Trim for Service-The Arctic
Trip Leads the Son of Mars to Invade
the Realm of Neptune.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 2S.-The following
are extracts from the report of the Secre-
tary of War:
The expenditures by requsition under the
direction of the Secretary of War for the fiscal
year ending June 30, 1884, amounted to $42,-
332S76 q. '
The estimates for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1886, as revised, are as follows:
Salaries, contingent expenses, and
Military establishment = Army
and Military Academy 26, ,429, ,577 As
Public works, including river and
.harbOr improvements, and new
seacoast Notifications. ......... Is,497. AGO As
Miscellaneous objects ........... 3,S05l47 e5
IOtaI. 500, ,S5O, 800 5S
The Lieutenant General renews the recon-
mendatlon of Gen. Sherman that there should
be made uniform organization of the three
arms of the service by adding two companies,
with the corresponding majors to each regi-
ment of infantry. The reasons for this change
were given at some length in my last report.
and concur in the recommendation of the
Lieutenant General.
The Lieutenant General reports a slight in
crease IN the number of desertions from the
army.
The artillery school at Fort Monroe and the
cavalry and infantry school at Fort Leaven-
worth are continuing their work, from which
II IS believed that very great good results to
the army.
The Superintendent of the Military Acad-
emy at West Point reports that there were
present at the academy Sept. l, 1884, 3l4 ca
let's, and that there has been an improvement
IN the tone and discipline of the corps
The superintendent of the academy calls
attention to the large number of cadets in the
class which will Re graduated in June, 1886,
the class now having SO members: and he eX-
presses the opinion that probably so will be
graduated. Unless there shall be change
IN the law, 1t will not probably be possible for
all of the class of 1886 to be appointed into the
army if any civilian appointments are MADE
before their graduation, as the members of
that class and the one which will be gradu-
ated next June, together with non commits
stoned officers to be appointed under existing
laws, Will probably be sufficient to take up all
the vacancies which will occur in the two
years.
One of the most important duties of an Off
Ger is the administration of justice under the
military code. believe that it would be high
ly beneficial to the army if the instruction in
legal principles given at the Military Acad-
emy were placed in charge of a professor of
law of the same rank and tenure as is held bv
the other professors, and recommend legis-
latlon which will accomplish that result.
Inc AuJutant General renews the recon-
port of last year, that provision be made for
the retirement of enlisted men on the COM
pletl0n OF thirty five years of honorable and
faithful service in the army. He also suggests
the proprlety, as a means of decreasing the
number OF desertions, of dminutiOn of the
term of service from five to three years, be-
hevlng that there would thus be eliminated q
great source of discomfort on the part of men
whose lack of aptitude for the service makes
them dissatisfied and desperate in contem-
plating the length of the present contract of
enlistment entered into by them
The acting Judge Advocate General reports
the number of trials by general courts-mar-
tlal during the year to be 2,2S0, which is an
increase over last year of 295: number of con-
victiOns for desertiOn, 700; number of trials
by garrison and regimental courts martial
lO,9S3, which is an increase over last wear of
1868; making a total increase of trials by
courts martial of 1860. Total number of tri-
ais by general, garrison and regimental courts
during the year ending Sept. 80. 1881. l3, ,263.
Number OF reports and opinions rendered
upon proceedings of courts martial, miscella-
neous questions OF law, applications for elem
ency anu other official business, 1872: number
Of applications from the War and Treasury
Departments and Pension Office for abstracts
OF proceedings of trials answered, 7l5. and
the number of copies of records of courts
martial furnished to parties tried and to the
PENSION Office. 223, containing 9.679 pages.
Under the act of Congress approved April
Z, 1882, the reservation and military buildings
at savannah Ca, were sold at public auction,
realizing S61,3Sl SS, which sum was covered
into the Treasury.
The Surgeon General reports that the total
number OF deaths In the army in the last fiscal
year was 272, of which 1913 were from disease
and 79 from injuries. No casualties from ac-
tual warfare are reported,
The Paymaster General shows in his repOrt
that his department has during the last year
duly accounted for SIS, ,ls0, l60 Sc. He again
recommends, with nv cOncurrence the re-
peal of the law forbidding payment of mile
age to officers for travel over land grant
roads. AS mileage is given to an officer not
merely to pay his railroad fare, but to cover
Other travelling expenses. and as officers of
the army are the only public officers against
whom discrimination is made in this re-
gard, recommend legislation to correct it.
Ihe Chlef OF Engineers presents in his an
nual report review of the modern REQUIRE
ments for the defense of our important sea-
coast cities, and in his comprehensive but
brlef' discussion shows not only the urgent
of beginning the defensive works
which cannot be imprOvised, but their small
cost IN comparison with our national re-
sources. Steel forts and tuTrets to resist guns
which can send a pTOjectile weighing a ton
through go feet of sand, and which must them
selves have like guns, with steam machinery
to load and manipulate them, cannot be built |
in the short time which would be given us by
an enemy for preparation after the cessation
of diplomatic intercourse; and as is said by
the Chief of Engineers, ''the contribution
which could be levied from New York alone
would probably pay four five fold the cost
OF all the fortifications of the important har-
bOrs of the country.
During the fiscal year ending June 30 1884,
the entire expenses of the Signal Service were
Tor the first time kept distinct and separate |
from the expenditures for the support of the |
army. and the cost of the service for that YEAR
including the amounts drawn from the Treas |
ury up to Oct. 81, 1881. for the expenses of the
above-named fiscal year, under the several
titles OF appropriations, was 1858 1872 95 from
which should be deducted the receipts of mil
ltary telegraph lines covered into the Treas
ury during the fiscal year, $lT,O74 r. leaving |
the net expenditure $94 ,3lS %. The appro- |
priations for the fiscal year 1885 aggregate ST.
o 22S 20, and the estimates for the fiscal wear
1856 amount to $l,552,659 81.
The Secretary of War observes with regret |
that the Chief Signal Officer has chosen to |
make, IN his annual report, a formal express
sion OF opinion that, after the arrival of the |
wrecked 'PrOteus" party on Sept. l3, |
1883, at st. Johns, there was still time "as |
Known from previous experience and shown |
by subsequent facts, to send efficient relief" |
stating that captain Melville and others |
volunteered to go, giving their full plans for
the relief'
A contention as to what would have been
the probaDie result of an expedition to the |
arctlc regions started in the autumn, with
such preparation as could be made after the
middle of September, is now useless for any
practical purpose, but few words may prop
erly be given to the subject, as there may be
persons whose humane consideration for the
terrible situation in which Lieut.. Greely
ana MS party existed for months NAV not be |
accompanied by knowledge Of the opinion
disaster and the little hope of success Of any
attempt to approach him at that season.
10 some OF the criticisms made bv the Chief
Signal Officer in his report no reference seems
to be required beyond saying that the PRO
teous" court of inquiry, so called, had the
merit of basing its conclusions as to the Off
GERS with whom il dealt upon such lnforma-
tion of facts and conditions as was attainable
by the officers themselves at the time
OF their action, as well as by
the court. By the expression Of
the Chief Signal Officer, above referred to, is
an Intrusion of an official opinion as to the
proprlety of the course of the Secretaries of
W ar and of the Navy in not hazarding more
lives in 1888 in nearly hopeless adventure,
upon his telegraphic requests. This excursion
INTO an official jurisdiction beyond his own
and his dtctuna upon the exercise of a superior
responsibility which he was not invited to
share are extraordinary IN their time and
place, and are hardly excusable even under
whatever of irritation may have been caused
by the findings of the Proteus court of inquiry.
Death of Costa Rica's Commissioner.
New ORLEANS, Nov. 2s.-Gen. Miguel
Guardia, of Costa Rica, who arrived here
last Thursday from Port Linen, died sud- |