The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-11-29

'AOhS uufihS tue previous year. lnclu-
ding the 1882 applications remaining
unanswered at the end of the last fiscal
year, the total number of cases to be
disposed of was $500.
OF the new cases, $3.50 were received
from the commissioner of pensions, o.
4SS from the adjutant. general of the
army, and 500 from miscellaneous
sources.
Replies have been furnished to the
proper authorities in %, l4s cases, of
which $500 were to the commissioner
OF pensions, 5,5S3 to the adjutant-gen-
eral, and G25 to miscellaneous appl-
cants, leaving 6,2Sl cases to be searched
and reported on. In addition TO the
number Of reports above stated, as fur
nished the commissioner of pensions,
i,A1O have been prepared and furnished
the same officer by the administrative
aud miscellaneous branch of the Office,
making a total Of $40 reports in pen
sion cases furnished during the year.
The paymaster has accounted in Same
period for Sl5,lS0, lGD,SG. Recommends
repeal Of the law allowing mileage to
travelling officers.
The secretary incorporates also the
engineers report, The text Of which is
ibis:
"Ihe chief ofengineers presents in his
annual report "A review of tho modern
requireme is for the defense of our i'm
portant sea coast cities, and in his con-
prehensive but brief discussion, shows
not only the urgent necessity of be
ginning the defensive works which can
not be improyised, but their small cost
III comparison with our national re.
sources. Ste,l forts and turrets to re-
sist guns which can send proectile
weighing ton through sixty feet Of
sand," and which must themselves
nave ike guns, with steam
machinery to load and manipu-
lac them, cannot be built in the shorr
time which would be given us by an
enemy for preparation after the cessa.
ton of diplomatic intercourse; and, as
Is said by the chief of engineers, "tho
contribution which could be levied
from New York alone would probably
pay four or five fold the cost of all the
Qualifications Of the important harbors
OF the country" | trust that the earnest
attention Of congress may be invited to
TINS subject, aud that adequate appro-
priations may be made to carry out the
views of the chief of engineers.
The danger to the efficiency of the tor
pedo system without the construction of
electrical rooms and cable galleries has
been dwelt upon in my previous reports,
ana cannot urge too strongly the i'm
mediate construction of such works.
lie invites special attention to the esti-
mate submitted for the commencement
OF the system of works designed for the
deiense OF the harbors of Portland, Bos-
ton, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore.
Hampton Roads, and San Francisco; for
the modification and continuation of
construction of existing forts and bat
terles, and for the continuation of the
purchase Of submarine mines.
For the Improvement of the south pas
sage of the Mississippi, he reports the
payment in full of the 5000 600
to EADs; favors steel ordnance, saws S5.-
OOo small arms were made at the ma
tlonai armory, and the Lee, ChafTee.
Reece and llotchkiss magazines issued
several hundred of their improved spec.
linens. Thinks target practicing is won
derfully increasing in proficiency. but
doesn't favor llAzEN's signal
service idea Of increased appro.
prlation; nor docs he like his |
expressed opinion on the Pro-
tens party expedition, and thinks the
department did the best it could under
the advices of experienced officers. A
to the printing of the record of !
the war Of tho rebellion he re-
ports volume 10 now in the hands of the /
printer and the manuscript fro,r ~ To 81 |
ready Tor him. Says the Yorktown
monument cost less than the 100000 an.
propriated for it by 5000, and advises
tho decoration and Improvement of the
grounds with the surplus.
MIR. LINCOLN reports tnat the cost of
the building for tate, war and navy do |
so Ear as the north wing
goes, is $l,ol2,O9492. and asks for
S5O,OOO more for continuing the con. 1
Slnction of building tor preserving
records. As to army education he re.
ports tho average daily attendance a,
S'Iil, and attendance upon reading
rooms, 5,4SO. Number of volumes in
post libraries, 5S,7lO. He concludes his
report with the recommendation that
congress authorize the enlistment of $50
competent instructors with the rank and