Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-17
Our Northern Frontier Defenseless.


each party is restricted to a single armed YES
sci on lakes Ontario and Chanplain and two on
the upper lakes. Since then the Great West
has become an empire of production and popu-
iation, built on the straight shores of the broad
lakes and defenseless against naval attack The
Welland Canal and the six canals along the st.
Lawrence, between Lake Ontario and Montreal,
have been constructed. and are wholly in for
eign territory. The smallest of the st. Law
renee canals have nine feet depth of water and
locks 200 feet long and 45 feet wide, sufficient
for the passage of over so of the armed vessels
of the British navy. Measures have already
been commenced to enlarge the smaller
canals SO that none will have less than IA feet
depth of water, which would admit the pass
age of as many more of a heavier armament.
One of these canals, the Beauharnois,
~ miles long, is wholly on the right (south)
bank of the st. Lawrence. Another is within
rifieshot of islands belonging to us. The Board
of Fortifcations and other defenses under the
act of March 3, 1885, composed of army and
navy officers and of civilians, of which my pred
ecessor was president, made a full and very
able report in regard to the situation. and
recommended considerable works of defense
for the lake ports.
In the absence of any preparation on our part
the lake cities might, in the event of war with
the power holding the highway of the st.
Lawrence, be in more defeuseless condition
even than the sea-board cities. Although we
can not, under the agreement, build armed ves-
sells on the lakes to overmatch on those waters
the force that might be brought against us, 1
do not think 1t necessary to undertake any
elaborate system of defenses as proposed.
Desertions Decreasing in Number.
The number of desertions from the army for
the II months ending September 80 were 20s6
as against 2 ISL for the same period last year,
decrease of "a per cent. This result is due to
such improvements IN the service as could be
accomplished under existing legislation. The
act of Congress entitled San act to prevent
desertions, and for other purposes" approved
June l6, 1890. was passed too late to have had
much effect up to this date. Because OF the
time required to work out its details, the gen.
eral orders to carry it into operation were not
issued till July g. and could hardly become
fully effective at once. The figures, however,
for August and September were 30S as COM
pared with 459 for the same months last year
and 5l5 the year before, decrease of 80 and 40
per cent
practical suggestions which have been made
for lessening this evil. 1t provided for the re-
tention, until the end of his enlistment, of 81
per month from soldiers pay for the first
year. This is pledge for his honorable
service but as it and interest are to be paid the
man If he serves honestly and faithfully until
the date of his discharge, it IS really also a
provident feature for the soldier himself En-
listments are to continue to be made for five
years. but after one years service a soldier is
permitted, in time of peace, to purchase his
discharge for a prescribed sum VARYING with
endorsement of the Government for the actual
expense of recruiting and transporting new
man to take his place. At the end of three
years of faithful service he is entitled to free
vegetable ration, and finally authorizes the
of deSerterS bV civil Offlcers