New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1884-11-11
wuE CONDITION OFTHE ARMY
nry,,YA!, sHERIDAws ANNUAL REPORT.
A PEACEFUL YEAR-THE PERrLExfSd iNpiAN-
FRONTIER oUrPosTs ABANDONED.

FRONTIER oUTPosTs ABANDONED.
WILMINGTON. Nov. 10.-The annual report
-. Yor,enant General T. H. Sheridan has been made 70
N. Secretary Of War; II covers the perioo io.'
assignment to the command of the Army No'ou,'o'
,osa q, Novemncr l. 1854 He says the army mas en-
,os, oo,nre,e rest from active field operations
hut its other duties. consisting OF oeeupaon =.
NO, the fronters of Canada and u McMco WIZ" SO
,sors near Indian agencies and pro'ee'ioh VI 49,,
r,seryations have been important anu III So -,
cory active laborious and annoying, espo0i''' " q,
sny tho Indian Territory. In malh'hiins
Arizona, where the Indian si'""o " .,so,or.
snni,iye. and in the Northwest. where proprietor.
:, o,lo ranges have been greatly DISTURBED ~
,,, Inv the appearance OF roaming p"ius
y. Sioux Crows, Northern CheSehneS "
ror.hern Arapahoes, much activity anu eAc,OSo
81 rcat discretion have been required rom po'h ouoo
men A few dcpredations by comparatively hsls
,acant parties Of Indians have involved scouting expo
d,ions bv small detachmcnts but generally speaking
,he entire territory under the supervision OF troops mas
iecn unusually free from collisions resulting III loss
either life or property. Every year shows 'ha' ai'oh
The Indian question so far RS hard fighting Is
ROY, practically eliminated from military CONSIDERATIONS
,c nirol Of Indian reservations In sparsey setleu re-
-, ,,5 ,t cuco,ra cement which should be given to
~ settlement I'd volvc conditions In the settlement Oh
which the services OF the military In the west cannot DC
safely dispensed with for many years to come
IN seeuinr with the rapid extension of our vastraiway
,.,en and the continual spread OF Western settlements
,he nnllcy Of abandoning small frontier outposis when
nn iaiger needed and the concentration of thcf gar
~ a, istce, uetracnt stations has been stcadiy con
, ca ff ~ srntnrfiaons fot barracks anii1uattefs
atlg hale VS. Congress would permits useless fe'ei'a
ips rrnc ,urned 6tef Us ,hp interior Department rom
,t as ,i,r ~ ut,,t iel hy law Ihis Fninni conreh
,i,. h si,f,af beslgNlrg VS. sh6w bereHt'n eht's ~
eia,,is aeflasHi etHHHiNt W srrflt MN ~ ihpfp't'
us,,se gi l.iabi gesHiiiNe ffi'r opportunities ny w
.,,,eU, ekek lisa egHi Ae teieNtb't t'Nbi ~ 'he't
scattered eHNii''NH; -
iNYkuKtp sHAEFsHanllAG- siAhhAhh hittts'
Nl,h hhp,a ainN s'ees 81 HN'NNN''NN "NN N1''r'
fc,es fag iaiset pyaciiea thau hhrFin much hoNrNl
anna att.ntiou have hapa given ~ ride nrg the h's'
t.or., attained IN the annual contests lui the army
mics dulug last ,gas0n attest sfdlllhf i"H'''' !"
uis vitality important branch Of military INSTRUCTION.
The establishment Of the higher grade Of shaI,HooleE
h.s de, cupcd many marhsmen OF Nona't" ss l ~ ,'d
wards aud 10 would now be Impossible iol
slirmisn line composed Of qualified marhsmen c
Tho standard gun Tor the army Is the Spilhsc'' ino
Lieutenant General says IL l. an excellent ARM b ca
PRESSES opinion thai the weapon ~ the HlulG WIN ne
magazine ri or one cquang In the rapdy with when
II NAV he discharged The Lee the Chae heece ana me
new lIofchliss magazine rifles have bcen leslcu anu
mir rsprciyc merit, are found t. stand in the order
named A. danger Of war with foreign nations seems
remote ne think, all can walt still further improvement
before finally adopting standard magazine gun" lie
expresses great interest in the National Guard Of the
states. In some of thcn it is placed
organization aud efficiency Of this body Of troops, he
thinks Congress should designate the number OF men
which each State should have and should poNl"e iop
them arms and camp and garrison eQniplse under some
wise method OF accountability for TINS proper{ Wheh-
sfantia snms o money the support q thcr respect
i've military systems in such manner that these sums can
lot be- affected by party legislation.
TIE MED or BETTER COAST DEFfNC-s.
Excepting for our ocean commerce and for our sea
board cities not think should be much alarmed
about probability with foreign powers since 1t
would require than million and hall OF men 10
make a campaign upon land against ~. To transport
from beyond the ocean that number Of soldiers
win oil their munitions Of war their cavalry, ailh'iy,
a infantry even If not Wocstcd by Us whilst IN transit
would demand Large part Of The Shipping IN an EUROPE.
lie earnestly invites immediate attention 10 the perfectly
dcfenceiess condition Of our scaboard cities and Their
pc,oes fired 10y electricity shore stations, form an
Important feature of harbor defenc,s sll unless VOL
protected by strong f0rincahous' iey may ne tl'I!
removed by an enemy, be rendered comparatively
harmless by cutting ne wires hlans 10 i ,IJm Of re
urgently recommends therefore Inc cary peeihlns o
general ~ cf scaoOat Qualifications t. be constructed
III accordance Win the requirements involved 10y latest
Improvements ~ heavy arllIlcfy. rue pericto
possess belong 10 an obsolete system 81 I"IuH
ton and are practically worthless as u'icN0oS "s's'
This Nation he says, Is growing 50 rapidly, how
ever that there signs of other troubles. which,
hope VIII MOI occur, ana i,Sn P.9p,o} h c,e,
tive Still should he remembered that destructive e-
pOsous easily made; and that banks Ohled states
subTrcasurics public buildings; and large ner,lnue
houses he readily demolished. aud the commerce ~
entire cities destroyed by Infatuated people with
means carried with perfect safety TO themselves III the
He has no important suggestions for recognizing the
Army except to add two companies of infantry ana me
ponding number Of majors to each infantry rtgl-
ment. He recommends providing for the retirement ot
eighty ninety disabled officers for whom there 10
places on the retired list He also expresses interest in
the improvement of the cavalry. and points ont the al
Vanages of retaining the Government military ieScrYl
ton at Fort Riley" the garden spot of Kansas He
proposes make IL the cavalry headquarters. and 10
assemble hrokcn-Own horses there to recupertc. lie
thinks horses might be bred there Tor the service
adyauageously.
WAR METHODS OF THE FUTURE.
II improv in guns OF every cabre continue TO
be rapid In future during the last fifteen
twenty years, and good magazine rifle he finally A.
ained battles will become destructive 70 human life
that neither side in will be able to stand up before
the other Armies will then resort 10 the spade the
pick and the shovel both sides viii TIA 10y
and any troops daring 70 |
make e1posod attacks will be anuihiated The |
old methods of reducing fortified places, by means of
regular approaches, will bc overturned hY the revolution
caused by the Introduction Of modern explosives The |
larger force will have to cncircn the smaller one and
directly depend upon it, supplies of food and anmuni
ton This condition of affairs will too greatly prOlung
and the natural result will be tho eventually the
character OF warfare will Itself become
changed. Questions AT Issue between countries
will then have ~ he settled either hy arbitration |
or by wasing war under now code. on tho onpnt.s |
runnstc upon land Nations now attack each others
ono annihrts ashore luf this latter Kind ~
warfare inrn nunn horseback viii hr Indispensable |
Since, then, We have good place ~ Fort IdlrY for all
ph poses ~ taValiN. establishment worthy ui uui
v" prepared tu take It's part when necd9d lh Tho now
"A tTatu itay