Morris tribune., 1884-12-03
THE ARMY.
Leading and interesting Features
in the Annual Report of Sec
rotary Lincoln.
The Estimates Increased to Fifty
Millions for the Year End
ing in 1886.
Stronger Notifications, Improved Ord.
nance, and Increase of the Ar
INV Recommended.

the fiscal year ending June 80 1884, to have been
as follows Salaries, contingent expenses, and
postage, 50, 172. 94lS6; military establishment.
Army and Military Academy, $25, 640, 672. AZ;
public works, including river and harbor i'm
jects S., 1856 66s 34 total, 1885,, s76.21, which
included the sum of $1,5s6.0 35.72 not drawn
from the Treasury, but credited under the act
of March 8, 1879. to the subsidized Pacific Rail-
roads for transportation services rendered the
War Department during the fiscal year 1884 and
prior years. The amount carried to the surplus
fund juno 80, 1884. was 81 ,olO, IS.
The ar preparations for the fiscal year ending
June 80. 1885, were a, follows: Salaries. contin-
gent expenses, and postage, $2,0s 4.56; mil
itary establishment, army and military acad-
envy, 4742 1873. so; public works, including river
and harbor improvements, SIS, 6ST ,4S5: mlscel-
laneous Objects 052, 308 At; total SOL 49,
The estimates for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1885, are follows: Salaries, contingent ex-
penses, and postage, 81. 118,315; military estab-
lishment, army and military academy, S26, 429,-
577.45; public works. including river and harbor
improvements, and new seacoast Notifications,
Sic, 497 400 49, miscellaneous objects 81 1906
total $50 $50 5Oo59. The estimates for the fiscal
year 1886 are below those for 1885, with few ex-
captions, the principal increase being for FORTH
cations and other works of defense, $6,3O3, 600;
building for signal office, $3.50 600; artllcla!
limbs, $3.50, 600; and support of the National
Home for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, $199, O9588
The reports of military commanders show an
unprecedented quiet among the Indians, there
having been reported during the year no dis
turbance to cause the firing OF single musket;;
The policy of concentrating the many small
frontier outposts in larger permanent stations,
which the rapid extension of railways has made
feasible, has been continued as far as the ap-
preparations for barracks and quarters would
permit. This concentration is resulting IN
greatly increased economy of supply and the
improvement of military discipline.
The Superintendent Of the Military Academy
at West Point reports an improvement in the
tone and discipline of the CORPS, and the Secre-
tary recommends the rigid enforcement of the
statute which prohibits the return to the acad-
envy of any cadet found deficient in his studies
or conduct, except upon the recommendation of
the Academic Board. He recommends, also.
that professor of law, OF the same rank and
tenure as the other professors, be placed in
charge of the instruction in legal principles now
given at the academy.
The interest among the students in schools
and colleges where military instruction is given
by the forty officers assigned to this work by
the department is steadily increasing. Out of
total average attendance of 5,474 at these insti-
buttons, 1888 attended infantry drills and 424
artillery drills during the last year.
The Secretary recommends that thirty-five
years of honorable and faithful service in the
army entitle enlisted me to be placed on the re-
tired list, and that the term of enlistment be
reduced from five to three years as means of
reducing the number of assertions of men who
become discontented by reason OF inaptitude
for the service and the contemplation of the
present contract of enlistment.
The acting Judge Advocate General reports
during the year to be 1850, which is an increase
over last year of 295; number OF convictions for
desertion, 700; number of trials by garrison and
regimental courts martial $685. which is an
increase over last year of 1865, making total
increase of trials by cOurts-marti of 1850.
Total number of trials by general garrison, and
regimental courts during the year ending Sept.
80, 1884. 1928.
The report of the Quartermaster Generals
Department shows that at the beginning of the
last fiscal year there remained in the Treasury.
as balances applicable to expenses of prior
years, the sum of 81, 295, 27901. There was ap-
propriate Epr the year the sum Of $40 1856 1874 IS,
for %tay pGstss and $500
Tenn. The balance undrawn on the 3oth Of
June, 1864, was s., l93.9s2.54.
The report of the Commissary General Of
fiscal year of S3,2l7 224.33, Of which $1,905: rs
was embezZled by an officer of the army, who
deserted, and, it is believed, fled to Mexico
Treasury by the dishonesty of any person in
the military service. In the other three in
stances OF dishonesty during the present adj
rs the the
gress for persons made destitute by the floods
Of the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. S326,61s.24
was expended on the Ohio and it's tributaries,
expended $40, 942.42
The chief of engineer shows the urgent neces-
sity Of beginning at once the construction OF
coast defenses. Steel forts and turrets to resist
guns which send projectile weighing ton
through sixty feet OF sand, and which must
have like guns, with machinery to load and
enemy would give after the cessation OF diplo-
matte intercourse.
The balance in the Treasury July /, 1883, for
improving harbors and rivers was $40, OBJ 649. IS.
The amount appropriated for 1884 was 81 3d.
634.62, and the amount drawn from the Treasury
was SIS, 228, 7O3.54, leaving balance OF $3,112,-
58O. 60 in the Treasury July l, 1884. of the lat
places enumerated in the river and harbor act
of Aug. 2, 1882, seventy six were reported as not
worthy of Improvement During the year end
ing Sept. g. 1884, the channel Of the South Pass
Of Mioaiacinni River maintained min
terruptedly. During that time 500, 900 was paid
for maintenance of the pass and $50, 900 in inter
est on the s1,oo 900 retained was paid Mr. Eads,
making the total expenditure for the improve
ment to the latter date, $5,00o,OO0.
The Secretary urges Congress to make lib
eral and permanent appropriations to.the ord
material. The steel-makers Of the country re-
quire the inducement of being fairly remuner-
ated for OUTLAWS necessary to enlarge their
sufficient size and of suitable quality for gun
construction. The manufacture and test of
experimental guns will require four. or five
ing this appropriation and establishing Govern
ment gun factories to secure within reasona-
BILE time efficient means of coast defense.
t Ecu
smooth bore guns into rifles; fifty viii be thus
converted this year.
expedition receive the highest commentator,
and vigorous defense Is entered against the
assertion of the chief signal officer that after
the arrival Of the Proteus party at st. Johns,
Sept. Is, 1885, there was still time to send suffi-
Gent relief To send an expedition with such pre-
iparatton as could be made after the middle Of
September, the Secretary thinks, would have
been practically useless. Persons whose expe-
rience and studies give their opinions weight
were consulted by the Secretaries of War and
the Navy, and the conclusion reached that I'M
der most favorable conditions vessel could
not have gone further north that season than
Upernavik, point TOO miles from Littleton
Island, which distance is impossible for boats
or sledges.
The impossibility of overcoming the difficult
ties Of arctic travel by land or sea was Illus
trated by the fact that two-t thirds of the Greedy
party starved to death at Cape Sabine with $50
pounds Of meat untouched at Cape Isabella
thirty miles distant and $50 rations at Littleton
island, about the same distance, but separated
by Smiths Sound. Commander Schley, of the
Greedy expedition, in his official report to the
navy department, said: I'm view Of the disaster
TO the Lady Franklin Bay expedition at Cape
Sabine, and the conclusion OF the department
last year that it was impracticable to send an
bther vessel north after the Yantics return to
st. Johns, Sept 10, 1885, with the report Of the
loss of the Proteus, would state that the past
winter in Melville Bay was the most severe ex-
perienced for thirty years"
THIS AND THAT.
MApprEn 1odv in Whitnav Tav