Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1891-11-28
TO GUARD OUR PORTS.


ress of Strengthening Our Const De-
fcnses - Increased Efficiency OF the
Army.
WASHINGTON, Nov. 21.-The annual
report of the secretary of war was
made public Friday. MIR. Proctor epito-
mizes the work of his department as
affected by new legislative and admin
istrative measures as follows:
Coast Defenses.
I'm the line OF coast defense sites for fortin-
cations have been procured and engineering
work has been begun on batteries for mortnrs
and empacements for guns Mt New York. Bos.
ton, San Francisco, Hampton Roads and
Washington Tho north wing and CEN
ter section Of the gun factory at
Watervlct has been completed and is nearly
equipped. south wing doubling the cupac-
ity, is now being constructed. Provision has
already been made for the manufacture by the
government of ninety eight brcech.loading
steelrifed guns of high power, and 100 more
have been contracted for with private manu-.
facturers. supply OF submarine mines aud
seventy.thr twelve.inch mortars are also un-
der construction.
'The problem Of adequate coast defense hns
practically been settled. Fortunately it has
not been question OF party politics. There
has been much discussion and some differences
of individual opinion in respect to the rapidty
rs regards details. 1t has been generally recog.
nized, however, in congress and by the public
| press rs o national concern-a thoroughly
| American policy.
Two appropriations OF 100000 each for tho
purchase of sites for fortifcation and sea-
coast defenses were made by the last con.
| gress. Allotments have been made under
these appropriations for sites for gun
and mortar batteries ut Glover cliff, In
Boston hnrbor; Point Comfort, Fort
| Wadsworth, Plumb island and Sand point
| In New York harbor; Laguna Merced in San
Francisco harbor, and Sheridan point on the
Potomac. Proceedings of condemnation
| have been commenced to obtain other
| ties near Fort Wadsworth and Fort
| Hamilton in New York harbor; viii.
| loughby spit in Hampton roads, and
| Point Lobos in San Francisco harbor. Over
onehalf Of the entire appropriation has been
allotted and about $500 expended. Other
| payments are to be made soon as the exam.
ination of titles by the department OF justice
| is completed. The balance OF the appropria.
| tion will probably be expended during the next
| five months but it will not be sufficient
| TO pay the awards of jurors in cases
| now pending. recommend that an appropria-
| tion of S5o0,0o0 be continued annually until the
| important sites are secured. 1t will require
| this amount for several years to pay for sites
| as rapidly as they will be needed for USE and
| 1t is economy to acquire them as quickly as
l
| mined upon.
| Building Heavy Guns.
Certain provisions in the last two fortiflca.
| tion acts were designed to induce private man.
| ufacturers in this country to cooperate with
| the government in fabricating guns as well as
| In supplying the steel forgngs. Advan.
| tageous bids were received and q con
tract made with the Bethlehem Company for
| supplying twenty five S-inch fifty 10.inch and
twenty-five 12.inch guns. This contract, and
| the output OF the gun factory from
| forgings already under contract, provides
for the manufacture OF 1913 breech load.
| ing steel rifle guns OF high power
sixty two of s.inch caliber, eighty.six of 10
| inch and fifty OF 12inch. Four have been fin
| ished. two s inch, one 10.inch and one l2
| inch; twenty-four more will be finished
| in 1899. thirty-four in 1893 forty IL
| 1894, when the machinery at the CUR
factory will be nearly complete. Two batter
les, each for sixteen l2-inch mortars, and en-
| placements for two 12.inch two l0-lnch unt
four s-inch guns are now in process of construc
| tion for the defense of New York; also one bat
| terry for sixteen 12-inch mortars ant
emplacements for one l0.inch gun, with two
more in preparation at Boston; and emplace
| ments for two l0-inch guns, with one l0.incf
| and three 12.inch in preparation at San Fran
cisco; for two lOnch guns ut Hampton Roads
and for two lO-inch guns at Washington.
| The Enlisted Force.
For the improvement OF the enlisted force
new methods of recruiting have been adopted
1t Is carried on more In small towns ant
rural communities, and the recruits
are held on probation and their ante
cedents carefully inquired into. The ration
has been increased by the addition of on
pound of vegetables daily. Soldiers are nov
entitled to discharge at the en-,
OF three years of faithful service, ant
are permitted to purchase their dscharg
at any time after one year. Summar.
courts have been established for the speed,
trial Of petty offenses. II the men desire 1
ompetent officers are assigned TO defen,
them before courtsmartial. Punishments un
der the articles OF war in times of peace hnv
been defined and limited. Sunday in
spections and tattoo roll call have bee
abolished; schools and gymnasa estut
,ished. These together with the specih
measures undertaken for that purpose hav
reduced the percentage OF desertions to a lowe
point than ever before in the history OF tn
army, and in the last year have reduced TIL
number of inmates IN our military prisons owe
20 per cent"
The report shows that the percentag
OF desertion has been reduced from IL.
per cent. in 1889 to 5.S per cent. in 1s9
and is still decreasing. The enlistmen
of Indians into the army is recon
mended as the cheapest and best insur
ance against further Indian troubles
What 1t Costs.
The appropriation for fiscal yea
ending June 80, 1892, was $50, 1873, 425. O5
Expenditures for fiscal year ending
June 80, 1891, ISL, $50, 764.GS. Estimate
for fiscal year ending une 80, ls9;
S45, ,975, ,6O3.37.
EANED ED nEnOE