The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-11-30

accommodation of my last report. that
the president be authorized to name ten
cadets at large each year.
The secretary mentions the fact that
several state militias will use out-of-da.e
patterns Of arms because of non-appro-
| priations for new ones.
| Repeated recommendations for an IN
crease of this appropriation have not met
| with a favorable response from congress,
| he says. though the reasons for such an
increase seem obvious. 1t is now sug-
| gested that authority be granted to the
department to sell to the states, at cost
price, such arms and equipment as they
may require and that the proceeds OF
such sales be credited to the appropria-
tions for supplying and replacing such
arms and equipments.
Coming down to the question of sea
coast defenses, Secretary Lamont 8
makes mention of the appropriations
made therefor by congress, and con.
tiDues:
The original plan contemplated an
expenditure OF S97. 7s2, 800 by the end OF
the present year. The actual cxxpendi-
lures and appropriations for these two
objects have been less than $1,000, COO.
a about one-seventh the rate pToosed.
III future appropriations tor the man.
ufacture of guns, mortars and carriages
be no larger than the average authorized
for the public service since lSSS il will re-
quire twenty-five years more to supply the
armameu ut of the eighteen important
point fur which projects are approved.
IF the appropriations for the engineer
work are to continue at the rate of the
annual appropriations since 1890 II will
require seventy years to omplete tho
emplacem ents and platforms for tho
Armament for the ports referred to.
at rests with congress- TO determine
by its appropriations the period which
shall elapse before our coasts shall be
put in a satisfactory condition OF de-
Tense. The amount required for the eight
esn ports is about $1S, 600, 900 and the entire
WORK can be completed within ten years.
''rJe distribution OF duty and response
blity under xisting laws whereby author
ity TO formulate and execute operations 10
lodged With Sc arate ami distinct bureaus.
as we'll as III board established by
statute all without any harmonizng or
central supervision is, in my judgment,
a mistake an d should be speedily corrected.
To that end | recommend the ap-
pointment sf board of officers of the
army to lie selected by the president
without re restrictions as TO rank or corps
and with extra pay or emolument, sub.
ject to confirmation by the senate. If that
be deemed wise, who shold be relieved OF
all other service and be occupied wholly
with the task of directing ana supsrvis-
ing the work in its entirety"
Secretary Lamont tells in detail of
the work being done to the different
arsenals and refers to mny general SUBJ
jects, many tables of statistics being given.
1t is earnestly recon nended that con-
gress authorize the marking of remain
fng impoI Mt battleiields in the manner
adopted at Antietsm, which can be COM
pleted in few years at moderate cost,
while the projects of more national mill
tary parks, of thousands OF acres bought
by the government involves the expendi-
tnre of millions of dollars and an in.
finite lapse of timo before completion. g