Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-12-01
THE WAR DEPARTMENT..
Secretary Daniel S. Lamont Pre-
SentS His Annual Report
HALF 4 MILLION DOLLARS SAVED
In Salaries and Contingent Ex-
penses in the Administration Of
the Observation-Disclosures I'm
portent Recommendations
Made-Only About Twenty
Thousand Effective Soldiers.

WASHINGTON. d. c., Novembsr 30-
The annual report Of Secretary Lamont
shows saving Of $500, 600 IN salaries
and contingent expenses in the admin
istration Of the War Department at
Washington, besides economies 10 the
recruiting service, rents, etc. Expen-
ditures for the last fiscal year were
$50, 639, COG; appropriations for the cur
rent year are S59, 429, 1l2, and the esti-
mates for the next year are S52,Sls,62s.
Beyond occasional calls for police
duty near Indian reservations the army
eech year will be relieved to greater
degree of surveillance over the tribes Of
the West.
1t was found necessary at times dur
ing the period from March TO July In
various places to employ considerable
part OF the army to execute the orders
OF United States courts, otherwise sue
csssfully de1ed and resisted, 10 protect
the dispatch OF the United States mails
and to guard the property OF the Gov
ernment. The movement OF troops
thus necessltatsd was the largest which
has taken place since the close Of the
Civil War. The extraordinary tasks
imposed upon officers and men were
discharged promptly, firmly and judi
ciously, attesting TO the thorough efi'
cheney OF
EVERY BRANCH OF THE SERVICE.
On October /, the army numbered:
Officers, 2,136; enlisted men 25,772, OF
the latter Tor various causes only 20, l44
were effective.
Secretary Lamont earnestly recon-
mends legislation TO establish the ba-
tallion formation, now adopted by the
armies of every other civilized nation.
To effect that change he recommends =
return TO the Law OF 1870, fixing az
80. 600 the limit OF the army. BY tie
changes proposed the army will be In
creased 20 per cent In efficiency, l61< la
number, aud only per cent In cost OF
maintenance. The scteal conbatGtive
strength OF the army will thus become
about $1,000, the number now contem-
plated by law, but which Is reduced by
detachments aud otherwise 10 about
| 10000.
All the foot artillery is now serving
near sea coast Notifications; half the
field artillery, two-thrds OF the Infantry
and nine.tenths OF the cavalry arc west
OF the Mississippi, only one cavalry reg
lment being assigned 10 the Pacific aud
one TO the Atlantic coast. The three
recruiting depots have been abolished,
adding 1900 men TO the effective
strength and reducing expenditures
about S250,000. Post and regimental
recruiting, which
INVOLVES LITTLE EXPENSE
and brings recruits Immediately into
the command with which they are to
serve, will be extended.
OF 3.701 men discharged by expiration
OF service, 2, 079 re-enlisted. Desertlons
show large decrease. The repeal Of
the law requiring percentage Of the
pay OF enlisted men TO be retained until
honorably discharged is recommended.
Seven regiments have been armed
with the new magazine rifle, and by
May l the infantry will be completely
equipped with the new arm.
The total cost OF finishing the arma-
ment OF our twenty-eIght chief seaports
is estimated TO be $50, ,639, 9s7 for guns;
| SO, sol, ,120 for mortsrs; S12. 500. 900 for
gun carriages; s5,232, 900 for mortar
carriages. A total, including the con-
tract work, OF $50. 277, 34s.
Annual appropriations OF s4,920,000
gill be required for armament during
the next twelve years, which will build
aud mount 6s3 high power guns and
s24 high power mortsrs. BY the end
OF December we shall have n high
power guns and 81 high power car
rIages. One twelve-lnch gun 10 mount
ed at Sandy Hook and another soon
will be, and three OF this caliDre are 10
be mounted during the year At San
Francisco. One battery OF 10 mortars,
commanding the southern entrance TO
New York harbor, is ne srly completed,
and by July 2 second battery COM
handing the eastern en- trance and
LIKE BATTERIES AT BOSTON
and San Francisco will be mounted.
Suitable brown powders OF dom estic
make for high power guns have Dot
been invented and the department In
yites American manufacturers 10 submit
samples for test.
Such progress has been made In sea
coast defence that board OF artillery
officers has been appointed to develop
system TO direct the fire OF the
fortifications at the NarTows, Ne"
York, against hostile heet.
More liberal provisions Of law for arm
Ing and eQuipping the national guard
are RECOMMENDED. the militia numbers
1888 aficers an men, an increase Of
about s, 600 since last year The srtil-
lery army, maintained by thirtJ-three
States, numbers 5.922. the cavalry army,
maintained by twenty-six States 5,O62.
After eight years confinement AZ
cost OF nearly $500, 600, the remnants OF
the band Of Apache Indians nun osring
346. held as prisoners for atrocities COM
mitted In the southwest In 1856, have
been established on military lands near
Fort Sill. under military surveillance,
and have
BEGUN TO SUSTAIN THEMSELVES
bv Agriculture. In view Of the recent
massage of q river and harbor bill, ap-
propriations for new projects are NOS
recommended, bot estimates, amount
ing to s12. .s72.I15. for continuing work
under existing contracts are submitted.
Secretary Lamonh observes that no
statue CT General q Dkas hHen erect
ed al Washington k07 DIS that
such a statue |en the
| Czuitoi AMI rhe library.
l--.h - Gpao Wash