Telegram-herald., 1890-11-18
COAST DEFENSES.
Secretary Proctor Strcngly Urges
TIER Strengthening.
syoopsis 81 t=is sanaai Report Gem
nasnts On tire National Guard
Some Other Suggestions


wAsHfS6roN. Nox lT-S-,creeArv of
War Pros Tor has 81 emitted his second an
naal report q The President showing sAs
coDaition sna needs Of tie department.
While admitting that tie Gossrnment
has little % fear lrom invasion the Sec
rect4ry SAYS no great elssllzed nation
has more just cause - lock veil % the
condition Of Us coast defenses Under
the iortihc&uon act Of last session posi-
tons for fofty-eight morsArs in three
groups Of sixteen each snd Ter three ot
the new long range Funs ~iii be pre-
pared IN New York harbors fer one
group Of mortars ana ore gaa ia Boston
harbor, AID Tor one group OF mortArs
and two guns al san Francisco he
says
Il trus, that fxsd policy may De adopte1
in the line Of = TeasonAhle yearly 4ppgopslauoa
Tor the completion Of me work on wtich the
Nation is eut jUsl catering With such a
po.iey manufacturers could safely pet IA the
neoessary piant and oe able 70 furnish
material st cheaper raie. With
an annual appropriation q 500 900 10
I00oo019- only little more than g1al of ths
present ycar-the construction and empiaoe
meat Of guns and mertsrs worxs o. torpedo
detersc for the whole coast can be eaTf-ea On,
and ia ten years our principal haroors az
cities rendered reasonably secure.
The Secretary calls attention 10 the
advisab,lity of the three battalion
formation for infantry which already
prevails in the other arms OF the service.
The number OF deSertions from the
army for the twelve months ended Sep
tember 80 were ? 0s5. as against :, T5I
for the same pefiot ,Ast year, decrease
OF "A PER cent This result is due 10
such improvements in the service as
could DO accomplished under existing
legislation.
Tne number of officers now awaiting
retirement Is about sixty. These men
are performing no service whatever
but receiye full pay, while junior OIL
Gers doing their duties for them are un-
Justly deprived OF both the pay and the
rank which the law intends TO attach 70
the positions they are flling. The in
congruity OF the present law is Illus
trated by the fact that where an officer
is disabled in the line of duty instead
of opening the way for the promotion
| Of juniors ii mag and often does actual
/ ly retard IL
Regarding the National guard the
/ Secretary says:
'Being impressed with the Importance Of an
effective militia as prominent aud necessary
factor IN any military organization suited 10 our
country. the department has endeavored by its
cooperation 10 encourage and aid the Ma
tional guard far possible under
existing law. omcers have been de
tailed to assist in their Instruction, and
detachments OF regular troops have been
ordered TO participate in some OF the larger
State cncampments. The department has N
deavored TO cooperate more especially with
those States which have manifested the most
interest in the matter By their own liberal ap-
propriaiions and earnest efforts. The results
have been very satisfactory. It's direct bcne-
fits are palpsbie, and It's indirect influence per
haps even more important.
"Any money which the National Government
expends for our citizen soldieTy goes 70 help
those who help themselves. and is bound 10
give proportionately large returns. l., der the
present law there is annually appropf lated for
the benefit Of the militia $4,000. while the in
dvdual States appropriate in the aggregate, so
far as known, over t3.oco.oo) and in many
States the militia receive also a considerable
support from local and private sources. IL the
appropriation OF the general Government
should bc increased, ard i wish IL
might be- | believe that II would be gen
crousy met by a corresponding increase by the
efficiency OF the National Guard, and 10 briaa
them into closer relation. with the War Depart
ment. ana hope that measures 10 that end may
receive favorable consideration OF Congress.
One Of the most useful directions which can be
given to the d III and training Of the militia Of
the seaboard States is in connection with coast
defenses. where its services are most likely "a
bo needed II at all. II that particular train
ing the general Government must Go more than
cooperate; it must take the Initiative
In order to obtain exact information
concerning Alaska the Secretary has
approved the organization of a sys-
tematic survey of that Territory and he
recommends an appropriation by Con-
gress for that purpose.
The expenditures under Secretary
Proctor's dire ction for the year ended
June so were: Salaries, etc, si,94o. 700;
military establishment, s23, col. 500;
public works. si5.Ss2 7s5; nniscellane.
GUS objects. s6.o72 eeo; total, Sal, 357,.
756. The total appropriations for the
year ended June 30. 1891, are s52, 799.-
COS The total estimates for the next
fiscal year ending June 50, 1922, are s4S,.
rg9 q26