The state herald., 1893-12-08

THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
Numerous Fact. OF Interest Concorni,
Our Standing Army.

Numerous Facts OF Intcrost Concerning
Our Standing Army.
Tho following is n synopsis Of the annual
report Of the secretary Of war. 1t givcs the
usual review Of tho conditions and operations
Of tho army, and, in addition, is devoted
specially to the progress Of the work of the
sea-coast defenses:
The total strength Of the army on Septem
Der 80 1893, was ., la officers and a5,17S en-
listed men. From various causes, discharge,
purchase, descrtion, etc., the army lost 9,4iG
enlisted men during the year and gained 0,O7i
recruits.
transportation was furnished for 367,5Ti
persons, 6,9iS animals and 99,G9, ton, Of
freight The new quarters, barracks and
buildings Mt army posts compare favorably
with military structures abroad. The dscl-
plInc, health aud general condition Of the
army is good.
Tho secretary recommends strongly the re-
peal Of the law fixing ten years rs the maxi
mum period Of enlistment, and favors a re-
duction Of the period OF frat enlistment to
three years, instead Of five. The prosecution
Of the experiment of cnilsting Indian COM
panics will be continued only on the present
small scale until lts success or failure has
been proven.
The adoption Of the new magazine rife is
the most important step taken for the Infant
ry since the civil war. A limited number viii.
he completed within sixty dnys at the SPRING
field nrmory, and tho entire infantry will be
equipped with new arms before the close OF
the coming year.
Tho gradual manufacture Of n reserve sup,
ply Of the arms sufficient for the organization
Of the militia is recommended. Tho Issue OF
In limited numbers, to colleges and schools
which manifest special interest In military
instruction, is suggested.
One-third Of the report is devoted to the
progress OF the last eight years In the manu-
facturc OF heavy ordnance and In the Pacific
coast defence under the project Of the End!
colt board OF 1885.
BY January l, 1894, there will be ready for
mounting nine 12-inch guns, twenty l0-inch
guns, thirty -four s-inch guns and scvcniy-fyc
l2-inch mortars.
To keep pace with the manufacture Of guns
the secretary recommends ample approprla
the purchase of sites for Notifications. In ac-
cordance with the scheme adopted In lsSS
The expenditures for sea coast defense for
the year ending June 30, 1893, were So, l63, 09i.
The invention and manufacture OF Amcri-
can Brown smokeless powders for heavy ord
nance and for the magazine rifles have made
slow progress, and the secretary of war urges
manufacturers to solve the problem for thelr
own profit and our national pride.
Growing interest In the military Instruction
1896 students were reported under lnsiruc-
ton by officers at these Institutions. In
lsg2-03 the number was 1880, gain OF ~
per cent Mr.. Lamont recommends military
instruc,io n by army officers be extended to
the high schools Of the large cities.
The latcst returns report an organized mill
tia OF IL, 59S In the states, OF whom, In round
numbers, 5000 arc In the artillery arm, main
tanned by thrty-fo states, and 5000 In the
cavalry, maintained by twenty -four states.
Expenditures for the year ending June 30.
1888, were $1,000 900, for the present year,
s4s, 0o0, 900 and the estimates for iss5 arc as
follows:
Salaries and contingent expenses. 4 l,6g7, OlS
Military establishments. .......... 25,709, 995
Public works, including river and
harbor Improvements. 81, 4G3, 30,
Miscellaneous objects 1910, pol