The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-12-11
Secretary Endioott,s Report.

The annual report of the Secretary Of
War makes a pamphlet of 48 pages. The
expenditures Of the department during the
fiscal year ended June 30 amounted to
$36, 900, 903.3S. The estimates for the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1888, aggregate
S48, 268, 1851. OF this amount 81 ,645,-
900 is for armament of Notifications, S10,-
Us, $40 for improving rivers and harbors
and $50, 900 for building for the signal
Office. The army at the last date of COM
solidated returns consisted of 2, JOB officers.
1916 enlisted men, The Secretary all
iudes In terms of regret to the death of
Gen. Hancock. Attention is called to the
absolute ineficiency" of the Notifications
and ornaments in the department of the
Atlantic. With reference to frontier op-
erations, the hope is expressed that Con
gress will take the necessary action to set
tie the troubles in the Oklahoma country
of the Indian Territory The campaigns
of Crook and Miles against the Apaches
are described, and the fact is stated that
Geronimo and the other hostiles surrender
ed on the condition that their lives should
be spared, and that they should be
sent out of their country The trans
fer of the dangerous Apaches to Florida is
also described and the reasons given there
fore. DIT is hoped, says the Secretary,
shat the Apache wars and raids that have
devastated Arizona and New Mexico and
the adjacent States of Mexico for SO manv
years are ended by the permanent removal
of the fercest and most dangerous of the
Apache tribes"
The Secretary concurs in the opinion of
Lieut.-Gen. Sheridan that if the army were
increased 5000 men and two-companies
were added to each of the infantry regi,
ments, "the army would be enabled to cred
itably perform such service as the country
might demand" The Secretary expresses
the opinion that, as the nucleus of a great
military force in time of war, the army
should be a model establishment the eff
eieney of which should be kept at the high
est point, To this end examinations as a
condition to promotion are urged. Similar
examinations, he says, have been of great
benefit to the navy An increase of the
appropriation for the militia is urged in
order that the militia forces of the States
may be uniformed and equipped like the
regular army, Notifications of the present
regulations for trying military offenders are
recommended to obviate the necessity of
holding court-martials for minor offenses
and to restrict the scope of pnnishments.
With reference to seaeoast defenses, the
Secretary urges that the work of fortifying
the cities of New York, San Francisco.
Boston and Washington should begin at
once, 'The utterly defenseless condition
of our seaeoast and lake frontier" he says,
"is now well understood by every civilized
nation in the world" Reference is also
made to the progress of work on the water
supply of Washington city and the recla-
nation Of the Potomac flats, on the latter
of which, it is stated, 100000 could be
probably expended during the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1883. The Secretary
renews his recommendation in last years
report that provision be made for an assis-
tant Secretary of War,