Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-12-05
MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.

The Surgeon General reports that the
total number of deaths in the army for the
| calendar year ending Dec. 81, 1884, was
263, OF which 179 were from disease and -
/ from injuries. No casualties from actual
warfare are reported.
The total number OF official calls upon
| his office during the year for information
as to the cause of death in the case of de-
ceased soldiers and for hospital record OF
inyalids was "A, 00S being II, oS9 less than
during the previous year. The total
number of cases to be disposed of was
| 5O,2S9, including 6,2Sl applications re-
naming unanswered at the end Of the last
fiscal year. Replies have been furnished
to the proper authorities in 46,94O cases,
leaving 3,349 TO be swered.
Plans Tor tire-proof building to contain
the medical records of the late war and
the Army Medical Museum and Library
have been submitted to and approved by
the commission, composed of the Secre-
tary of War, the Secretary OF the Smith
sOnian Institution and the Architect OF
the Capitol, and after due advertisement
the contract for constructing the building
has been awarded to Messrs. Bright "
Humphrey, of Washington, ID. c.. The
original estimate OF the cost of the con-
struction Of this building was $25O,OO0,
and as only 100000 were appropriated,
1NA'AC
necessary.
ENGINEER BUREAU.
The attention of Congress is invited to
the defenseless condition Of our sea coast
and lake frontier, The subject received
careful consideration in the report of the
Chief OF Engineers, submitted at the last
session OF Congress.
The examinations and surveys provid-
ed for in the river and harbOr act OF July
), 1884, have been completed. The act
provides that no survey shall be made
until the local engineer has reported,
after preliminary examination, that the
locality Is worthy of Improvement; and,
further, that the Chief of Engineers shall
direct such survey only in the case where,
in his opinion the river or harbOr proposed
to be surveyed Is worthy of Improvement
by the general government. OF the one
hundred and thirty-nine localities emu
merated for examination in the above act,
fifty-three were reported as not worthy OF
improvement.
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
The number of stations in operation
June 30, 1885, was 4S9. Telegrapbic re-
ports are received daily from 100 stations.
In addition, reports are received from %
Canadian stations by the cooperation OF
the Canadian meteorological service, from
$40 voluntary observers, from % army
surgeons at military posts, from 333 for
eigu stations, and from Cos naval and
merchant vessels. The meteorological
service organized in a number of States
has continued to cooperate with the Sig
nal Service with gratifying results.
The aggregate length of military tele-
graph lines now operated by the Signal
Service is 2,779 miles.
The expenditures for the signal service
during the fiscal year ending June 30,
1888, after deducting the receipts from
military telegraph lines covered into the
treasury were $102,592 81,
THE SOLDIERS HOME, DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.
The commissioners report that the rate
OF admission has continued the same as
last year. which was larger than in any
year since the home was established.
Nearly one-third of the men admitted
during the past year have served 20 years
or more in the army. The others were
entitled to enter through disability in
CURED in the service. 1t appears that
less than 10 per cent. of the soldiers dis
charged for disability seek an immediate
asylum at the home, but a large proper
ton Of those who do not at once apply will
probably do so in the course of time. The
indication is that the demands upon the
home viii increase for many years.
THE GRANT RELICS.
The Grant relics are now stored in the
War Department. To avoid any misap-
prehension as to the character of the
custody undertaken by the Secretary of
War, there was some further cOrrespon-
dence on that subject to the effect that
the articles would be kept in safe custody
in the War Department building to await
the action Of Congress, subject, however,
to the control Of Mrs. Grant, if she de-
sired the return Of any or all the articles;
IL being assumed that until the action of
Congress accepting the donation the title
to the property remained in Mrs. Grant