The rustler., 1891-12-04

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MksufxeTox. Nov. ez-The annual
Fepartof the secretary of war has bsxu
made public
The matter - coast defsnses Il dis
eussed At considerable length The
problem 81 harhor defense the seere-
tarv considers practically Nettled. This
/ policy, he sayS necessarily causesn.
plates system of land defense e. it.
most important feature We have some
Aoao miles ~ seaeoast exclusive Of
Alaska No great naval power has
more than few hundred miles Of coast
T. defend. aud yet even they defend
their harbors with heavy Qualifications
aud high power guns The cost of land
/ defenses has not increased a. ranldlv
a. the cost of the means u attacking
them They are not only cheapest b
build. but once built the cost Of main
tainiug them can be reduced 10 the
7 minimum"
II u recommended that an annual
appropriation Of $500. 600 be continued
until the important sites are secured
as Il is considered economy 10 acquire
them rs quickly as possible after their
location has been determined upon.
Owing 10 financial embarrassment Of
the contractors the department was
compelled 10 extend until June. Isaa.
the time for the delivery Of the ten
guns contracted for with the Pneumatic
Dynamite Gun Co for SANDY Hook
Fort Schuyler. Fort Warren and San
Francisco
Desertions for the year ended Sep
tember 30 are reported as less than In
any other year in the history of the
army, commencing with isa0, there be.
ing no record previous To that time.
Up TO the commencement of the war
the average annual rate of desertiou
was las per cent and since the war il
has been nearly the same. From Jan.
uary /, isG1, To June 80, 1901, twenty.
four and one-half years, the number q
deseriions from the army was IS. AIS.
Ii cost the government very large
sum for pay, clothing, subsistence and
transportation of the recruits to replace
these men. For the year ended June
30, 1889, the rate was it.6 per cent; for
the year ended June 30. 1890. o per
cent; for the year ended June 30, 1891
g. ! per cent During the twelve months
ended September 80 1891. the rate was
only SIS per cent The dimiuution is
still going on and the percentage Is be-
ing reduced month by month.
The subject of recruiting for the
army receives the fullest attention from
the secretary. lie says: IAN effort
has been made TO improve the charac
ter of the recruits of the army by ex-
cluding, as far ns practicable. men of
questionable habits or reputation. Ap- |
plicants for enlistment are not accepted |
unless they produce satisfactory evi. |
dcnce OF good character In ease OF /
doubt they are held on probation n |
reasonable time, and, II the result of |
the probation Is not satisfactory are |
discharged before any expense for
uniform, pay or transportation is "a.
curred.
The enlistment of Indians as regular
soldiers meets with the secretary's
most hearty approval.
Since June /, 1850, twenty-eigh;
army posts have been abandoned. Ii
is believed ten or twelve more can be
abandoned as soon as suitable shelter
for the troops is provided at more
central points.
On March 4, issa, there were eighty
five licensed post traders There are
now twenty-five, and seven OF these
have been notified that their licenses
will be revoked within a short time.
-Four OF the remaining fifteen are at
posts whose abandonment has been
ordered or soon will be. "The
parties who held these privileges,
says the secretary ''had larra
and political influences and
1t has not been an easy or a pleasant
task to make this charge Many of
them also had invested considerable
capital in these enterprises, and were,
therefore, entitled TO consideration and
n reasonable time to close their bust.
ness But their profits had been large,
and ! believe that no injustice has been
lone them. 1t was pernicious system
and necessity was the only excuse for
It's existence at any time. 1t has out
lived whatever usefulness it may have
lad, and its longer continuance is not
'or the interest of the service or for the
public good"
The estimates for the fiscal year end.
ing June 30, lS93 are as follows:
salaries and contingent ex.
nehses' '.....',..........S 2,0s6, ,i7sM
Military establishment, support
of the army and military acad.
einy ....,.................... 1929 10 q
u"''c "ofNsss-. .s'ss.s'.s.......... la,4Us, $500
obje jects............. 4.ssl sgl. 90
The expenditures for the year ended
.nne 30, 1891, reached s5f, $50, 764. Gs and
he appropriations for the current fiscal
'ear are $50 1873, 425,05.