The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-11-30
of his term to resume duty in his COM
missioned grade, unless reappointed.
AS u Stimulus.

AS u Stimulus.
The act approved October /, 1890,
to provide for the examination of GER
tain officers of the army and to regu-
late promotions, has proved a great
stimulous to the younger officers to
pursue a comprehensive course of
reading and study calculated to fit
them for the higher and more impor-
tant grades. To stimulate the acquire
ment of such knowledge, it is recon-
mended that the provisions of the act
above cited be extended so as to pro-
vide for the examination of ALI officers
of the line and staff of the army be-
low the grade of colonel prior. to pro-
motion.
The superintendent of the military
academy at West Point reports that the
number of cadets on September l, 1895,
including one foreigner admitted by
special authority of congress, was 324,
being forty-eight less than the full
number authorized by law Notwith-
standing the desire of large numbers
of the youth of the country to enter
this institution, there are every year
many untitled vacancies, mainly be-
cause of failure on the part of repre-
sentatives in congress to make nomin-
ations and the restrictive laws con-
corning appointments.
Various methods to Increase the num-
Der have been suggested. | renew the
recommendation 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 still use out-of-
date patterns of arms, because of the
non-appropriations 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 increase seem obvious 1t IS
now suggested that authority be grant
ed to the department to sell to the
states at cost price, such arms and
equipments as they may require, and
that the proceeds of such sales be cred
tied to the appropriations for supplying
and replacing such arms and equip
| ments-
Sea Coast Defenses.
Coming down to the question of sea-
coast defenses, Secretary Lamont
makes mention of the appropriations
made therefor by congress, and con-
| tinueS:
1.-THE original plan contemplated an
expenditure of $97, 7S2, 800 by the end OF
| the presnt year. The actual eXpendl-
lures and approprHa tions for armament
and emplacements have, however, been
!
preparations for these two objects mas
been less than $780, 900. the work has
therefore been conducted at about one
seventh the rate proposed
IF future appropriations for the
manufacture of guns, mortars and car
riages be no larger than the average
! authorized for the purpose since 1858,
it will require twenty-five years more
to supply the armament of the elgh-
teen important ports for winch coin-
plete projects are approved
eff the appropriations for the engl-
neer work are to continue at the rate
of the annual appropriations since $780,
! if will require seventy years to com
plete the emplacements and platforms
for this armament for the ports re-
ferred to.
ct rests with congress to determine
by it's appropriations the period wnlch
shall elapse before our coasts shail De
/ nut in a satisfactory ccl.dltlcn OF de-
| Tense The amount required Tor the
eighteen ports is about $S2O0O,OOO, and
the entire work can be completed With
in ten years.
Dutv and Responsibilities.
.oThe distribution of duty and re-
soonsibility under existing la"s
whereby authority to formulate plans
ard execute operations is lodged win
s,pnarate and distinct bureaus as well
AS in a board established by statute
all without any harmon1zlng or cen
tral supervision, is. in my Judgment a
mistake that should be speedily cor,
rected.
"To that end I recommend ohe ap'
noirr.ment of a board of officers of the
army to be selected by the president
without restriction as to rank on
corps and without extra pay or emolu
ment. subject to confirmation by tbs
Senate. if that be deemed wise, VINO
should be relieved of all other service
and charged solely with the task o.
directing ami supervising the work IL
its entirety"
Secretary Lamont tells in detail the
work being done at the different ar
senals and refers to many general sub
iects. several tables of statistics beins
given
1t is earnestly recommended tina
Congress authorize the marking OF re
manning important battlefields I'M tn
manner adopted at Antietam, which
can be completed in a few years at
moderate cost, while the project o
more national military parks, of thou
sands of acres bought by the govern
ment involves the expenditure of mil
lions of dollars and an indefinite laps
of time before completion.