The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1885-12-09
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Iho Most important Recommendation
Made by tho Secretary.


WASHINGTON, December 5.-The annual
terday. shows that the expenditures OF ap-
propriations for the fiscal year ending June
80, 1885, were $45 1851 900, OF which
$2,O23. 900 was for salaries and contingent
expenses, $2.754 200 for the Army and
Military Academy, $15, ,l64, 900 for public
works and river and harbor improvements,
and $4,S59,OOO for miscellaneous. The
above figures include $4,000 credited to
the subsidized Pacific Railroads for the
transportion during 1885 and prior years.
For the fiscal year ending June 80, 1884
the expenditures were $31, 10000, OF
which only $2,248,O0O was for public
works. The estimate for the fiscal year
ending June, 1886, amounts to $S7, ,7S2,-
900. which the Secretary of War re-
duces to the following amounts: Sal
aries and contingent expenses $2,058,-
600, military establishments. army
and military academy, $25, $780,
900; public works, including river and har-
Dor improvements, $16,466, 900; miscel-
laneous, $4,OOO,OOO; total $48, 1904 900.
The report speaks OF the operations of the
troops in Oklahoma and Arizona at some
length, and cites the fact tnat Lieutenant
General Sheridan is now investigating in
person as to the condition of affairs in the
latter Territory. The Secretary concurs in
the recommendation of General Sheridan of
concentrating troops and putting large gar
risons in the vicinity of large cities, and the
addition of two companies and two majors
to each regiment of infantry. The Secre-
tary also conc irs in the recommendation
that legislative provision be made author
izing the retention OF
WEST POINT GRADUATES
l. IL -.
in the army, provided vacancies in the
army are not sufficient to accommodate all
those who graduate from the Academy.
The report recommends that militia and
State troops be armed with the same
weapons as the regular army. The report
of the Judge Advocate General shows that
eleven hundred enlisted men Of the army
were tried by court martial during the
year, but majority OF the offenses charged
were trivial in character. The report
recommends that power to punish a soldier
for minor offenses should be rested in the
commanding officers, obviating the neces-
sity for numerous court martials. The
Secretary says that the Judge Advocate
General having been convicted OF
CERTAIN GRAVE oFFENsEs
and suspended from duty for twelve years
that new Judge advocate general be APP
pointed in his place, or that there be some
iegi lation by Congress to meet the case in
view of the fact that it will he impossible
for the suspended Judge advocate general to
occupy the office: as before the expiration
of the sentence he will be retired from the
army by operation OF the law. The report
recommends legislation to enable the ar
rest Of dc serters by civil process to limit
the claims of officers and enlisted men for
losses of personal property in time ofpea ce,
the enlistment Of trained cook for each
company, troop and battery. and baker
for each garrisonal post. The Secretary
speaks OF the reports submitted upon the
necessity for coast defenses and improve.
ment of the Mississippi river, but makes n o
general recommendations. He urges the
necessity for the appointment OF an assist
a Mt secretary OF war.