The Dickinson press., 1884-12-06
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
DECREASED ExpnNses

In the expenses of the war department the
secretary reports q decrease of more than
$9,OOO,OOO, OF which q reduction of So, $780,
900 was effected in expenditures for rivers
and harbors and So, zoo, 900 in expenditures
for the qu~artermaster's department. Out
side of that department. the annual expenses
for all the army bureaus proper Except
probably the ordnance b~ureaus) are sub
stantially fixed charges which cannot be ma
terially diminished without q change in the
penses in the quartermaster's department.
can readily be subjected to administrative
discretion, and it is reported by the secre-
tary OF war that as q result of exercising
such discretion in reducing the num-
Der Of draught and pack animals in
ing and caring for such animals is now
ST., 1O8 ,O85. 80 less than it was in 1882.
The reports OF military commanders show
that the last year has been notable for it's
freedom from Indian outbreaks In defiance
OF the presidents proclamation of July 1,
1884, certain intruders sought to make set
Elements in the Indian Territory. They
were promptly removed by a detachment Of
troops. During the past session Of congress
. bill to provide a suitable fire-p1oof build
ing for the army medical museum and the
library or the surgeon generals office re-
ceived the approval of the senate. A similar
bill, reported faYorably to the house of rep
resentatives by one of its committees, is still
pCA0AuS OCLO40 udu UOuy. IL IL uOp0u NVQaV
during the coming session the mes sur
may become a law, aud thereafter imme-
date steps may be taken to secure q place Of
safe deposit for the valuable collections now
in q state of~:lnsecurity. The funds with which
the works, for the improvements of rivers
and harbors We're prosecuted during the past
| year were derived from the appropriations
Of the act of Aug. 2, 1882, together with
such few balances as were on handsfrom pre-
vious appropriations The balance d the
TREASURY Slhiect To reuniaitinnS .Ji11u 1S1RSQ
was $lQsO21,844. 3d. The amount appro-
SIS ses34a5s7,s and the amount drawn from
the a ,stea aHay.. during the fseai year was
bs063lasthe treasury subject to requisition
Julys1, 1884
5As - sRAcoAsT DEFENses.
The, secretary of war submits the report of
the chlet OF engineers as to the practicable
seabeard, by fortiicatons and other de-
lenses nbles tQ.repel modern methods of at
tack. The time has o come when such
defenses can be prepared with confidence
that they will not prove abortive; and when
the possible results of delay in making such
preparations is seriously considered, DELAY
seems inexcusable. For the most important
cities, those whose destruction or capture
would be o national humiliation, ADEQUATE
the gradual expenditure OF $50, 900, OOG,
a sum much less than a victorious enemy
could levy as a contribution. An appropria-
ton of about one-tenth of that amount is
asked to begin the work, and / concur. with
the secretary of war in urging that it be
granted. The war department is proceed
ing with the conversion of ten-inch smooth
bore guns into eight-inch rifles. by lining the
former with tubes Of forged or of cold
wrought iron. FL. ty guns will be thu CON
verted within the year: This, however, does
for the construction OF guns Of the high
est power, but for the purposes of coast de-
Tense and for the armament of war vessels
The report Of the gun foundry board ap-
pointed April 2. 1883. in pursuance of tho
congress in a special message of Feb. 8, 1884.
In my message of March %, 1884. I called
attention to the Recommendation Of the
board that the government should encourage
the production at private steel works of the
required material for heavy cannons, and