The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1893-12-06
WAR DEPARTMENT.
What Has Been Done and What Coul
PrOfitably Accomplished.

What Has Been Done and What Could BE
Probably Accomplished.
The secret ry of war reports that the
str myth of the army on the Thrift, tn day of
September last was 2j,.7o nlisteI men, and
RIA officers. The total expenses of the de-
/ pa ent for the year endin. June 30, 1885,
amour, ed 10 SOL ,96j, H.,0; of this a $1,Y e.
b l9o was for sa.aried and contingent ex-
pen: es, $233.7 10 for the su port of the
miiitary establishment, $6,O71,n 8. q for mis-
cellaneous objects and 5 O,51S, l.t1 TO. puo.ie
works. This iAt er I'M includes 81 J,2J6, ,76.4j
Tor river and harbor improve m ts, and S.
266, 1..O for Notifications ami Otuer works of
defense
The tot Il enrolment + the milit a Of the
several states was, on t e 81 Of October of
the current year. LIZ 597 tffcer and enlist
men. The Off :ers OF the army d It lied for
the ms @ ton AMI instru ton Ct tn,s re er 9
of our military for report that increased in
terest and mar Aed pro .ress are ap aren't IN
the stipllLe AMI fficiency Of tie or "a MIA
ton.
A Peaceful Year Internally.
Neither In outbreaks or domestic VIC
lence have called the army into servi e during
the year, and tie only &C i've military duty
required of it has been in the dep rtment IF
Texas where vi ,lations of the neutrality laws
promptly and efficiently dea t with by the
troops. ei-iting tue warm approva, OF the
civil and military au horlties Of both coun-
tries.
The operation of wise laws and the influence
of civil "a iOl constantly tending t. re.ieve
the country from ths dangers Indian hos
tilIties. ugelher with the Incl easing ability Of
the states through tue efficlenc, of the national
gu I'd Orga niZat ons to project their citizens
from domestic violence, lead 10 the sugg, stlon
that the time Is laol approa ching when there
SHOULD be reorganiZat On If our army on the
lines Of the present net essitie OF the country
This change cOntemplates neit her increase ia
number nor audeI ex penSs. but a redis, ri ,u-
ton OF the force nd an encouraged ent of
measures lending to greater eff lie ICY .munx
the mea md Improvement of the 8 rvice
Tie adoption of La,tl.ion tormat ons for in.
fahtry re ,i.neLts. the siren. thening of tue
artillery force, The abandon lent Of SINAI er
and unnecessary posts ami the massIng Of the
troops q. impo- tant and accessible stations q Il
prO.AiSe to promote he usefulness IF the
army.
It Is 7ra ifyinyt e that we hav, begun
to attain complex su Is in the c. mpr hen.
sivc Scheme of sea oast def nse and fortiti.
cation entered up, II :t ears ago. lar Q
sam has cen already expende but the cost
of maintenan w.I be IN, ousidera | rs
compAr VITA the exp nss of CO struction,
and ordnance. At the end of the curr n cal.
endar year t..e war de artment will have nine
1x-inch guns. % 1Iinch and 81 S-inch yuns
rea ~ t. be mounted gun lifts and car.
riages and I, l--inch mortars. In addition to
the product of the army I'm factory
now complete at Watervli, t, the over mel
has contract with private parties for the
purchase of lC0 guns Of these calibres, the
first of whi> h shou d be delivered to the de-
partner, for test before .u.y l. 1894. Tho
manufacture of heavy ordn nee keeps pace
with current needs; but to render these , ms
available for the purposes they ARE desi med
to meet, emplacements must be prepared for
them. Progress has been made in this direc-
ton, and 1t is desirable that conyre 9 by ade-
quate appropriate 8 sh uld provide for the
uninterrup ed prose- ution OF this necessary
work.
Infantry Equipment.
After much preli mary work and exhaus-
tive examination in ccOrda .ce with the re-
qu.rements of law the boar appoi tel to
sole magazine rife Of modern type 10 =
ace the obsO.e.e oplingfie rife Of tie infau-
try SER ice. compl ted its labors during the
last ear and the work of Manufacture is now
In pr gress at the nat .onal ar .nory at . ring
flo d. II is nfi en- ly expected that by %
end Of the current ar our infantry will be
supp. led with " cap n equal to at of the
most progressive armies OF the word.
Chickamauga and Gettysburg.
The work on the projected Oh ckanauga
an Chatta nooga national military park has
beea prose, uted with zeal and judgment, and
its opening will be celebrate during the
coming yeaZ Ov5r nine square miles Of tle
Chckanauga battlefield have been acquired.
2, miles Of roadway have cen constructed
and Permanent tablets have been pla ed ut
many historical points, while the invitation
to the states t mark the positions Of their
troops participating in The tattle has been
very generally acce pied. The work of 10 at
Ing and preservin the lines of battle at the
Gettysburg battlefield is making ga. isfactory
progress on the Plans directed by The last
congress.
The re orts of the militar academy at West
T. int and the sevcra sch 'ols for special in
s,ructiOn of Off ers show mar ed advanc, in
education of the army an. com IL endable
ambition anon its Off ers to excel in the
mi itar.; profo ,sion n to 1T themse YES for
t,e highest servi e to to country under the
-.:r -