The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-12-18
THE ARMY AND NAVY.

SECRETARY ENDiCoTT'S REPORT.
The renort Of the secretary Of wa. is herewith
submitted: The attention of congress is invited
TO the detailed account which it contains of the
administration Of his department, and his rec
concentrations and suggestions for the improve
ment of the service. The army consisted, at the
date Of the last consolidated returns. OF 2,l54
officers aud -. Tn5 enlisted men. The expenses
of the departments for The fiscal yelr ended
June 81, 1850. including $l3,lti,39LG0 for
public WORKS and river and harbor improve
mcnls. were SiJ. $50. a39.5I. De side the troops
which were dispatched in pursuit of the small
bands of Indians which left their reservation in
Arizona and committed murder and outtaRes,
two regiments OF cavalry aud one of infantry
were sent last July TO the Indian Territory to
prevent an outbreak. which seemed imminent.
They remained to aid, II necessary, in the oxpii-
sion of intruders upon the reservation who. 1t
seemed, causcd the discunicnt among the In
dians. but the executive proclamation warning
them to remove was complied with without in
reference. Troops wore also sent To ROCK
Springs, in Wyoming territory, after the mas
slcrc of Chinese there, to prevent further dis
turbanccs, and aiterward to Seattle, in wash
ins:on Territory, to avert n threatened attack
upon Chinese laborcrs, and domestic violence
there. in both cases the mere presence OF the
troops had the desired effect. II appears that
that during the last fiscal year they numbered
2,9g7 and one instance Is given by the lieuten-
ant general OF six dcsertlons nv the same re-
cruit / am convinced that this number or de-
sertious can be much diminished by better dis
ciplinc and treatmcnt; but the punishment
should be increased for repeated offenses.
These assertions might also be reduced by less
euiug the Term OF first enltstments. thus allow
ing II d isc0utcnted recruit 10 contemplate a nearer
dis charge and the army a prohtanie rtauance;
After uac term of service u re-en!lstilcnt womb
he quite apt TO secures cou,ontcd recruit and Il
good soldier. The acting judge advocate gen.
cral reports that the number OF trials by general
court martial during the year was I,a2'. and
TINT II ,S5l trials took place before garrison and
rcgimcntal courts martial. The suggestion mat
probably more than half the army have been
Tried for offcnscs, great and small, may well ar
rest attention. The cause OF many OF lncse triais
before garrison and regimental courts martha!
were for ~ofrenscs almost frivolous, and there
should, | think, be a way devised 10 uispose OF
these in n more summary and less lnconSentent
manner than by cour. martial. II some OF the
proceedings Of courts marital winch ! nave mao
occasion to examine presens inc ianas Oh JIs'aGe
satisfied that they should be much reformed-,
if the honor aud the honesty of the army and
navy, are by their ns1Ipmemta1iIy 70 DC 'ihu'-
FoRT1FICATloNs AND OTHER DEFESSEs
anpoiutcd in pursuance OF the provisions or the
act OF congress approved March 81, Ieeo, VII,
in a short time. present their report. and II Is
houcd TINT this may greatly aid the Legislation
80 necessary to remedy the present dctenseiess
condition of our sea COASTS. The work OF the
signal service has been prosecuted curing tne
past ycar with results Of increasing benefit to
the country. The field of operations mas peeh
enlarged with n view of adding TO It's useiniheSs'
The number OF STATIONS III 'IN'htioh ""A. ~
1885, wns 4S9. Ielcgraphic reports ere received
daily from lG0 stations. Reports are also
received from IS Canadian stations, $40 v3iun-
teer observatories o. army sutseon isS :. mS
posts, and three foreign stations. Inc expense
Of service during the fiscal year, after ueduGtinR
receipts from military telegraph INES, w"s 2 90
1927. In view of the TACT reterreu 70 Il
secretary OF war that work OF this service, ordl-
uarlly Of a scientific nature, ana 1urther laG6
that it Is assuming larger proportions eoas.au, =
and becoming more and more nhsulteu W u
~ 49, - - al ,,ngt ttnu.rn n GUlN i Hi
Inclined to agree with him IN the
opinion that it should be separately estaolisneu
II this is done the scope aud extent OF us
operations should as nearly as possioie oe uons
AZ prescribed bv the law, and always capaoie ot
exact ascertainnent, tho military academy ~
Vest Point il reported d as being III II Iieh stste
factory accomplishment Of tho purposes OF its
maintenance. The fact that the class which
graduates next year Is an unusuahy ihrse ohe'
has constrained me 20 decline 70 MAKE apPt trnn,
mcnta In second lleutenancles In the army from
civil life, go that such vacancies as eAisr ~ " ~
places may be reserved for SUCH gIaaua.cs, vi
yet 1t is not possible that there WI hen, " ali when
they leave the military school. undet tne pt "
yailinQ law and usage those not thus asssnsu w
duty never actively enter tns t ,his syhicnt bs
changed. that such OF these young Ineh as ~
not at once assigned to duty a1ter w tho
may be retained ns second ieueena aasi,nn,snt
ARMY. il they so desire 1t, subject 10 assishnlen ~
'.hnn onnortunity occurs, under proper rules b
tn nriority OF selection. The expenditures ~
account of the military academy FOR iast nsuai
year, exclusive of the sum taken io mnn ,ml' 81 tho
pu1u we're ps5ia9n, 7I2.O7. The act approved
ni,rc = 1873. designed to compensate oincers
and enlisted men for
..,i,o 4, ,hc service of tho United states is 30
iTndnfnite ia its terms and apparently admits 30
many claims. the adjustment OF wi !. IN e" rr,nn Il
have been contemplated. that II II Is 70 rS Thann
~, thr statute book It needs amendment; hn,e
si,onld he a general law OF congress- Iroh m,o ,.as
Ire construction Of bridges over haVissoio W.