The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1895-12-04
THE e. s. ARMY.
Annual Report Of Secretary of
War Lamont
Condition of the Regular Army and the
National Guard Reviewed-SeA Coast
Defenses - The Drainage Canal
Records and Pensions

6ecoroS ana pensions
Washington. Nov. a.-In the annual re-
secretary OF war, the total expenditures
Of his department for the year ending
June 81. 1885, stated as $50 A, the ap-
preparations for the fiscal year ending June
30. 1896. are s4s. ACT. 57L75. and estimates for
the fiscal year enaing June 30. 1881. are
placed at S., 945, 643- AZ Following are the
more interesting portions of The report:
The fun strength of the army author
tied by 'sw is now given as 2. l26 total off-
GERS and Is. 706 total enlisted men Changes
established IN the method Of recruiting
during the past two years have consider
ably reduced the cost of that service,
while perceptibly Increasing the effective
strength Of the army.
The Post Exchanges
The receipts from the IS post exchanges
In operation were s.. sis. 45a. the expenses
Sl,lSs,2 SSS. leaving balance Of SS--s,222Z OF
which So. 6S7 were returned as DIVIDENDS.
Many Of the exchanges new have Libraries,
gymnasluuls, and appliances for ou1-ol-
doors sports The receipts Of the canteens
have been reduced from 75 r,er cent six
years ago to 40 per cent during the present
year
BY far the most essential need of our
army to-day is the adoption Of the three
battalion formation The reasons for this
change and way to provide il were stated
In the report Of the depas tment for 1884
The total cost of the publication of the
Official -acords of the rebellion from 1874,
when the work was begun, to the close OF
the last fiscal year, was S2-l5e,V7s-2D, OF
which s.. es5, 952. 80 was for printing, and the
balance fer the expense of compilation
The actual product by this expenditure is
u,5N sets Of the IS books in print and the
accompanying maps and plates, also q
large mass of uncomplete5 work in connec-
ton with the books yet to be printed
State Troops
The efforts of recent years to bring the
army into closer relations with the nation
al guard OF the states may now be regarded
as having Established a perm anen1 union
between The two forces, a,dvs ntageous to
both During the year 30 officers. SIX more
than In the previous year, were permanent
ly detailed at state hea5qual tiers, and 43
states secured for temporary duty the
services Of army officers State encamp-
ments of troops were held by % states. TO
which Is additional officers were assigned
as instruct ors and inspectors
The number of pupils al schools and coll
leges receiving military instruction from
ohcers Of the army has more than doubled
within the last four years, and the stead
ny increasing interest Of the outh Of the
land in military affairs is apparent. Last
year 80 officers, larger number than in any
former year, were detached for this duty
The stuornts attending schools and col
leges at which military instruction was
regularly impaired during tbs year num-
bered 3s-ees, of whom ., 723 we're capable
military duty.
Sea-Coast Defense~.
In your annual message transmitted to
congress in December. 1856. attention was
directed 10 the urgent necessity for seacoast
defense IN these words The defenSeleSs
condition Ct our Seacoast and lake frontier
is perfectly palpable; the examinations
made must convince rs ali that certain Of
our cities should be fortified and that work
on the Most important of these forn6ea-
tons should be commenced AZ once The
absolute necessity, judged by all standards
Of prudence and foresight. of our prepare
ton for IN effectual resistance against
the armored ships and steel gins and NOR
tars Of utcdern construction which may
threaten the cities on OH coasts is SO ap-
parent that hope effective steps VIII be
taken in that direction i'm meciately."
Since that time the condition of these
defenses has been under grave considera-
ton by the people and by this department
Its inadequacy and impotency have been
SO evident that the intelligence of the coun-
Try long since ceased To discuss that
humiiating phase Of the subject, but has
derLaking OF urging more rapid progress
In the execution Of the plan of defense de-
vised by the Endicott board in 1856. with
subsequent slight notifications.
AT only three Of the Is ports under con-
sideration have completed features of de-
Tense been esta blished- New York has two
Finch guns and Is l-inch mortars, San
Francisco has one 12-inch gun and Is l2-
inch mortars, and Boston has Is Pinch
mortars in position
The report Of the chief of engineers. for
warded herewith, exhibits in detail the
condition Of the various river and harbor
Improvements ordered by congress The
total expenditures for these purposes dur
ting the year ended June 30 last, exclusive
Of those made by Mississippi and Missouri
river commissions, were S5,44 994 81 and
the unexpended balance of available appro-
priaIons on the first Gay OF September
last was 81, 686, $50. 80.
The Chicago Drainage Canal
The completion Of the drainage canal of
the sanitary district of Chicago. which is
expected in the near future and its
probable effect upon the depth of water in
the lake harbors having caused much appre-
hension. the Importance of the matter led
to its reference to a board Of engineer
officers for investigation as to the prob
able effect Of the operation Of the Chicago
drainage canal upon the lake and harbor
levels, and upon the navigation of the
great lakes and their connecting waters"
In the Judgment o T the board the only
way to ascertain the approximate dis
charge of the lakes Ii 10 measure them for
periods long enough to eliminate accidental
fluctuations and to cover all stages, and for
THAI purpose ii recommends series of
gaugings as important. TO be carried out
as soon as practicable
Record and Pension ONCE.
The records OF the personnel OF the revolu
tionary army, on which work was begun IN
September, 1884, have been tndexed and
arranged for use. The progress made in
indexing and arranging similar records
OF the war Of 1872 insures the completion of
this work by the end Of the year. Inquiries
requiring reference TO these records are
Increasing. as patriotic associations have