The Portland daily press., 1893-11-30
FROM FRONTIER TO COAST.
The Army Must Man Forts Instead
Of Chasing the BED Men.
SECRETARY LAEIONT'S REPORT OF
THE COUNTRY'S DEFENCEs.

The Work of Fertilization at Portland and
Elsewhere Instruction for Future
Generals Now in City High Schools
Fortune and Fame for the Man Who
Invents Smokeless Powder-The New
Magazine Rifles.
Washington, November Q. The annual
report of the Secretary of War gives the
usual review of the condition and oper-
ations 0f the army, and is devoted es-
pecially to the progress of works on the
seacoast defences. Secretary Lamont
reports that it may be assumed that
Indian warfare is practically at amend in
the United States, and that the demands
for the employment of the army to pre-
serve order within the states must be-
come infrequent, the statesauthority, on
which that obligation properly rests,
demonstrates its complete ability to dis
charge it, In consequence, the gradual
concentrating of the army on the seacoast
and frontiers is prescribed by the con-
ditions of the time. Any considerable
increase in the numbers of the army
would not meet with popular favor, and
is not suggested by any contingency,
Immediate or remote. The work of
fortification at thirteen large seaports,
already begun or projected for the near
future, renders the conversion of a
portion of the infantry to the artillery
arm manifest necessity of the period
directly ahead or us.
sThe total strength of the army, ,Septem-
Der 80, 1888, was 2, IA officers and rs, 57S
enlisted men. The new quarters, bar
racks and buildings at the. army posts
compare favorably with military struc-
lures abroad. The discipline, health and
general condition is reported good The
Secretary recommends strongly the re-
peal of the law fixing ten years as the
maximum period of enlistment and favors
the reduction of the period of first enlist
ment to three years instead of five The
prosecution of the experiment of enlisting
Indian companies will be continued ON
the present small scale until it's success
or failuresis proved. The adoption of the
new magazine rife is the most import
ant step taken for the infantry since the
civil war. A limited number will be
completed within sixty days at the
Springfield armory. The entire infantry
before the close of the coming year. The
issue of new 32 steel field guns to the
militia and in limited numbers to col
leges and schools which manifest special
interest in military instruction is sug-
gested.
The engineer corps corps is prepaTing at Port Port
| ington, Hampton Roards and San
| Francisco, emplacements for a total of
| four twelve inch guns, twenty ten inch
guns, five eight inch guns, sixty-four
| twelve inch mortars and twenty-four
| casemates for submarine torpedo opera
| tions. Work ongcoast defences at Nara
har1p
| Savannah river and Pensacola will be
begun during, the year. The work will
be progressing next year at thirteen of
| the twenty EIGHT ports proposed for for
| tifications by the Endicott board. 10
keep pace with the manufacture of guns
appropriations for emplacements and
batteries and for the purchase of sites
| for Notifications, all in accordance with
| the scheme adopted in 1888. The expendi-
lures for seacoast defences for the year
| ending June 80, 1883, were 50, 163, 094.
| The invention and manufacture OF
American brown and smokeless powder
! for heavy ordnance and magazine rifles
have made slow progress The Secretary
| urges manufacturers to solve the prob
| lem for their own profit and national
pride.
| The report pays much attention to the
| education of the officers and men of the
army and the instruction of the militia
| and military schools, holding that the
| short duration of recent wars demon
strates the important part of the exact
sciences in modern warfare and that
progress in the war department must be
along the lines of a national university.
| An Increase in the number of cadets at
| the West Point military academy to meet
| the demands of higher and more general
military instruc tion is suggested for an
early day in the future. The Secretary
recommends that military instruction by
army officers be extended to the high
| schools Of, the larger cities.