Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-11-30

Annual Report or War Department.
With Recommendations

WASHINGTON. Nov. 2a-The annual
report OF the secretary OF var Of 1900
words gives the usual review u the con
dition and operations Of the army and
10 addition is devoted especially 10 the
passage OF tho works on the sea coast
dsiences. Secretary Lamont reports
that IL may bc assumed that Indian war
fare Is practically at an end In the
United States, and the gradual concen-
tration Of the army on the sea coast and
the frontiers is prescribed by the condi-
tlons Of the time. Any considerable in
crease In the numbers Of the army would
not meet with popular favor and is not
suggested with any contingency i'm
mediate or remote. but the work on
fortlncations at thirteen OK our large
seaports. already begun or projected for
the near future. renders the conversion
of a portion OK the infantry TO the artilley
arm a manifest necessity Of the period
directly anead Of us The total strength
Of the army September 30. .,s93. was
Zl&i officers and 25.T73 eniisted men.
From various causes. discharge. pur-
chase. desestion. etc. the army lost .. $50
enlisted men. The secretary of war
recommends strongly the repeal of the
law fixing ten years as the maximum
period Of enlistment and favors a reduc-
ton Of the period OF first enlistment 10
three years instead OF i've The expert
ment of enlisting Indian companies will
be continued only on tho present small
scale until its success or failure has been
proved. The three battalion organiza-
tions for infantry regiments is recon
mended- The adoption OF the new mag.
azine rifle ~ the most important step
taken for the infantry since the civil
var. and the entire infantry force will
be equipped with the new arm before
the close Of the coming year. The grad
ual man ufacture of reserve supply OF
the arms sufficient for the organized
militia - recommended.
One-thrd Of the report Is devoted 10
the progress of the last eight years in
the manufacture of heavy ordnance and
sea coast defense under the project OF
the Endicott board 81 lsS9 BY January
/. 1894. there will be ready for mounting
nine IL inch guns. twenty lOinch guns.
thirty four inch guns aud seventy live
l2inch mortars. The engineer corps il
preparing at Portland. Maine. Boston.
New York. Washington, Hampton
Roads and san Francisco emplacements
Ia all four l2-inch guns. twenty l0-inch
guns. tive s-inch guns and sixty four L.
inch mortars, also twenty four care
mates fSr submarine torpedo operations.
Work on the coast defenses OF Nara
gansett bay. Charleston. Tybe Roads
and the Savannah river and Pensacola
wall be begun during the year Work
Wiii be progressing next year at thirteen
OF the twenty eight ports proposed for
fortiEcation by the EndIcott board.
The invention and manufacture- of
American brown and smokeiess powders
Tor heavy ordnance and For the magazine
rifle have made slow progress and the
secretary 81 war urges manufacturers TO
solve tbs problem for their own profit
aad oar rational pride. The secretary
% war recommends that military in
structions by army officers be extended
e. the high schools u the larger cities
The latest returns repuft an organized
militia q li2.s.JI IN TIE states. Of whom.
in round numbers, GOO are in the artil
lery arm. maintained by thirty four
states. ard 500 IN the cavalry. main
tanned ny twenty four states
The improvement 10 the harbors and
internatiorsl waterways q the country
has made excellent progress under the
support of the literal appropriations
voted Tor that pnrpose. The work q
the record and pension oftice in tn.
compilation and arrangement of the re-
cor,is ~ the service has 40 Far advanced
that the secretary reports that redac
tian ~ aSi5Cc0 can be made IN he cost
q ia nasnfenance dnring the coming
year IL - recommended that congress.
take spprcprists action Tor the reiief -
the sufferers IN the scridert a. the Old
ford'- thester building Expenditures
or nscal year. ending June .sl. iS,fi.
wese s5lsst07tsa Appropriations ior
ascal year ending June 81. lz,4 are
sts0rl f15 14 Estimates fpr hscai year.
erdlng June ~ l%1. are s51s4 llsa j..