Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1890-11-24
Features of Secretary Proctor's
Annual Report.

tenn of coast defence.
BY the act of Oct. l 1890, promo
tions below the rank of a general
officer are hereafter to be made line
| ally throughout each arm of the SER
vice. The operation Of the law is
postponed in the case of present First
Lieutenants only. A companion
measure provides for a system of ex-
aminations for all officers of the army
below the rank of Major, and makes
their right to promotion conditional
on them. There are exceptional pro-
visions, however, in the interests of
officers who came in from the volun-
teer service. 1t is believed that these
new laws will increase the zeal and
industry of young officers. Though
the new legislation affecting court
martial was passed too late to be ope-
rative the present year, the Secreta-
ry records with qualification that the
number of court-martial has decreas-
ed from 1899 in 1889 to 1892 in 1S-
so, which is Indicative, he thinks, of
the improving tone of the army.
There is also an improved showing as
to deserters. The number of deser-
tions from the army for the twelve
months ending September Both was
2006, as against 2751 for the same
period last year, decrease of "a per
cent. This result is due to such i'm
provements in the service as could be
accomplished under existing legisla-
ton. The Secretary thinks that there
is too much disparity between the
pay of Second Lieutenant and that
of First Sergeant, and recommends
that the pay of non-comimssioned
officers be increased. He also strong
ly urges the adoption of the three
battalion formation for the infantry.
On the subject of coast defences
the Secretary says: 1.-The military
resources of the nation have been so
recently demonstrated and it's net
E95k Tapld 9f 9aonEdghEEfaYfo nEdaghEEfaYfo Of 10 uf6d589ted ta
threatened point, that no hostile
force is likely to seek an encounter
with us on our own soil. A small
army sent upon our shores could not
hope for success it is not probable
that any large one will incur the risk.
We have, therefor, little to fear from
invasion, and are free from the ne
cessity of maintaining large stand
ing armies or of fortifying against
land attacks, But our long coast
line is peculiarly exposed to an at
tack from the sea. So long as an
enemy can reach vulnerable points
without exposing himself to our land
forces he may infiict blows which
NAV cause losses i'll to be endured. No
great civilized nation to-day has
more just cause than ours to look
we'll to the condition of its coast de-
fences, and none, since the Civil War,
has so wholly neglected them. 1t is
a matter of congratulation that this
national deficiency is beginning to ex-
cite the attention it merits, especially
as time, even more than money, is
necessary for its proper preparation.
Under the fortifcation act of last ses-
sion positions for forty y-eight mortars
in three groups of sixteen each, and
for three of the new long-range guns
will be prepared in New York Har-
bor; for one group Of mortars and
one gun in Boston Harbor; and for
one group of mortars and two guns
in San Francisco. AS this is a mat
ter in which make-shifts from year
to year are both expensive and des-
tructive of the object to be attained,
trust that fixed policy may be
adopted in the line Of reasonable
yearly appropriation for the compile
ton of the work on which the nation
is but just entering The Secreta-
nv does not think, however, any ex-
tensive fortification of the lake cities
advisable. The Canadian canals, it
has been argued, might be used to
admit feet of English light-draught
gunboats, but the Secretary, believes
that land forces, properly disposed,
could easily ward off all danger from
that source.
In the matter of armament, says
the Secretary, a fair and promising
beginning has been made. The art
of modern gun making is now we'll
inaugurated in this country. The
expenditures of the department for
the fscsl year ending June 80, 1890,
were S47,357, ,76. The appropria-
tions for the present year are S62,
799, ,695, including s30,874,165 fol
public works. The estimates for the
next fiscal year are S43 ,649, ,937, in
Guiding $40, 0,809, ,288 for public works
A result of the general overturn-
lug that the Farmers Alliance has
made in Kansas IS that there will be
only four lawyers in the lower branch
of the next Kansas Legislature. The
lem battled farmers of Kansas viii
be represented by men of their owr
calling in the Legislature, and the re
suit, so far as law-making is concern
ed, will be awaited with good dea
of interest.
! Mrs. John w. Kendall, one of the oil
residents OF Montpelier, dropped dea
in la NJ. o.