The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1895-11-05
National SolliGry

referring to the nccess:srpf coast defense,
the Secretary quotes from th*, message Q!
President C;eyclall in 1856 :at Points out
/! hpw. Il the recommendations oi Secretary
of Wa. Endicott had been &do2;c 1
the co"sts would be fIuy protected
nov. Ii future appropriations Tor the
! manufacture Of guns. n0rtars and carriages
be 40 larger than the average authorized >:ot
the ;,lrp3sa since 1888 il wilt require twenty
! two Years more 20 supply Tic ar:uameut
oF tic ciehtesu irlpoc:aEt pcrta for
which 2mplatc projects are approved;
70 complete the Armament fox tA@
ports will require S3G,3l2935. exclusive of
the balance due to the Bethlehem lr3a
Works Of about S3.310.00a. and S2SS.L0o
! which may ba required for rapid-lire guns Ill
certain for;iiicatiou$.
For ernIacaneTtS for gun; and M0rtarS:
flushed or building. So, ,52l 900 has been aD-
: propriatea and appropriations OF 81: :t55, ,J9S
! will ne required 10 complete this work. j.
; ItS;;s WIZ .CongcesS to determine by It's NJ
! preparations ti->-rr-1i iDa which shall eiapsi.
E,aforc our cGasts shall je!put il ii sstI:i':c'
to-y condition nf defense. The amoUnt rc-
Huire,l for cightcaa ports is ahput $50. $780,
co.. lul the entire work c1n h3 completed
within ten years.
r!-tii of i board of army officers u su-
rcrviSs and direc:fhs work. The Secretary
says the WatccyI;at (N. " gun factory Gun
,.reiluce in ten years all the armament r.
Guircd fog tite present p.oiect
The estimates FOR the department tUr 1871
amount to a5I .9l5, ,ft3. The total Of enlisted
.uca ct al grades pu October 81 was =. roo,
l,ut counting; all men On iur!oISl. sic% ami
detailed to tn" department. the effective
field strength OF all arms on thai date waS
2D,jS:. The quality O. the men c1listod ha-
!,ccr greatly improved. The health record OF
The army 70: the year shows death rate
only Il traction higher than the lowest rate
recorded. Alcoholism as a cause ot non
efficiency has notably declined in the past
few years. The trials by general courts.
martial during the year were 1928: conlparoi
ri; 2lS9 FOR tho previous year; h. inferior
courts.nlartial 10 997. compared with l2,0S3
last year.
Til: Secretary says that by fac the most
essential nco4 Of the army is the adoption oT
thn characterization formation. No lncceaso
in tlc cavalry is proposed. TO nh ks these
changes will require ar additional Hnnro-
rriatinr CT - .2G0.0
The policy Of concentrating the army aud
abandoning unnecessary posts, the Secre.
tarv says. has not only wou the approval ot
all those acquainted with the lines of prog
rcs; which conditions have marked ont for
Our Amy. but is approved by aN thoughtful
citizens.
The Secretary points out that toe number
,,f cadets at West Point was fortv-eiSht less
than authorized by law. mainly because OF
failure on the pat Of Representatives IN
Congress to make nominations and the re-
Ssrictire Iaw. concerning appointments.
Tue conditions arc favorable to the de-
v,p;.ment oI volunteer force ofupward Of
100. .6AD men. OF the highest efficiency aud
;.vapired for any service. The variety Of
weInons which now obtains is so great
as to preclude the employment Of consider
anl" bodies of the militia OF different state :
III corporation, and the ionga: the Federal
Government delays action the greater the
possibility that different States will select dit-
ferent models Of rifles, requiring different
forms Of ammunition. thlts rendering almost
impossible the employment III Joint action OF
the troops Of the different States. Tne Sec
retary points out that from SIG. ,491. 81
spent ou the Mississippi River improvements
lie navigation interests have received little
r::c ieai benefit.