Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-19

Clothing ............ .................. 1100,0)1
Medical supplies NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 140, 200
Ordnance department ................ 1,131 ,OO)
Military academy NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 521 SIP
Arsenals ................. ............. 1S9, 1876
and national parks ................ 155S, $50
National soldiers homes ........... 34i3,2i4
late war Observation-Disclosures. 191, 900
Public buildings and grounds in
washington .......... .............. 1882
Miscellaneous items .................. 5000
fRivers and harbors ................. 53i9,OJ0
Payments ON existing contracts, the de-
partment at this time being unable to say
what sum viii be required by future con-
tracts for which authority exists.
The estimate for fortihcations and sea-
coast defenses has been increased to Sl5. S24,-
92S. an amount. Secretary Lamont says
which will be required to continue this work
at its present rate of progress, which has
been apprecably advanced under the large
appropriation which became available on
the LIST of July last. In connection with his
estimate the secretary has made public a
statement OF the condition of his work, the
advance that has been made by the increased
appropriation which he asks. On the list
of July 1898, but one modern gun had been
placed in position. On the list of July, 1897,
the department shall have completed de-
defenses with armament as follows: Thir-
teen twclve-inch, thirty-seven ten-lnch, eight
eight-inch and four rapid-fre guns and
eighty twelve-inch mortars. The remainder
estimates Is OF historical nature. reviewing
tho nropress made in seacoast de-
Tense. He says that for the ff-
teen years preceding 1890 no appropriations
had been made for engineering work on our
permanent coast defense except the
small and steadily decreasing sum annually
allowed for the protection. preservation and
repair OF existing works. but small amounts
had been granted for the construction oil
mining classmates and for the purchase o.
l..fa 10 In
1888 and 1889 a total of about $4,000 600 had
been appropriated for modern guns, mortars
and carriages. In 1890 was made the first
appropriation, S,22l 900 for modern gun and
mortar batteries, followed by one of S5O.OOC
in 1891, and by another of 900 in 1892
This money was allotted by the department
for construction work, at various ports, in
GLIDING total OF four twelve-inch, twenty
ten-inch, five eight-inch. and two rapid-fire
guns, displacements and siXty-four twelve
inch mortar emplacements. None of them
however. could be made to receive its
armament until after the first small appro-
priations made In 1898, and the two sue
oeeding years. Practically. therefore, the
secretary says. II devolved upon the Wal
department since 1893 to make pro.
visions for the completion of noarl!
all OF these emplacements. at APP
pears" the secretary says, that
seventeen out of twenty-one twelve-inch en-
placements, flfty-ive out of sixty-six ten
inch emplacements. twenty out of twenty
1--WE eight-inch emplacements, fourteen out
of sixteen rapid-flre emplacements and
ninety-two out of $50 twelve-nch mortar
emplacements have been entirely provided
Tor during the last four years, and that dur
ing the same time a large part of those pre-
viously provided for have been prepared to
receive their armament This favorable
showing Is due to the liberality OF congress
at its recent session. The number of en-
placements provided by the act of June 6,
1896, is just fifty in excess of the total pro-
vided by all preceding appropriations. The
progress in armament has been equally sat
isfactory. Figures are given to show that
prior to the act OF June 6, 1896. there had
six ten-lnch and twenty-one twelve-inch
guns, and eighty twelye-inch mortars COM
pleted, while there were twenty-seven eight
inch thirty-fve ten-inch and twenty-nine
twelve-inch guns in process of construction.
The appropriation OF June G, 1896, while
leaving the completed totals, reached the
the totals in process of construction to
twenty-seven eight-inch, fifty-six ten-inch,
fifty twelve-inch, ten siX-pounder rapid fire
guns and siNty-siX twelve-inch all steel.
The secretary says:
BY the time n new appropriation can be-
come available all details OF every type of
With sufficient money, therefore, the limit
to future rapidity of progress in coast de-
Tense is the combined annual capacity of
public and private plants to supply ma
terial Upon this fact are based the de-
partment's estimates for the ensuing year
These estimates Will provide the following:
Guns-One siXteen-inch gun, finishing and
assembling Qorgings already provided;
twenty-one sets twelve-inch gun forgings,
twenty-one sets tcn-inch gun forgings; IA
all steel twelve-inch mortars complete ffty-
five six FOUNDER rapid-nre guns with
mounts and 200 rounds per gun, and twenty
four five-inch rapid-fire guns with mounts
and 100 rounds per gun
Carriages-Twenty-o twelve-inch disap-
pearing carriages, twenty ten-inch disap-
pearng carriages eight eight-inch disap-
pearlng carriages, l3S twelve-inch mortar
carriages.
For Engineering Work-Twenty twelve
inch empacements, disappearing; nineteen
ten-inch emplacements, Disappearing
ing; 1l3 rapid-fre emplaccments, and IN
twelve-nch mortar empacements.
Thus, II the present estimates of the War
department for permanent defenses should
receive the favorable consideration of con-
gress, we shall have by June 30, 1898, the
following completed items In the system of
defense:
Emplacements-Thirt twelve-inch
eighty-hve ten-inch, thirty-seven eight-inch
l29 rapid-llre, and 2S twelve-inch mortars
Guns-One sixteen-inch, sixty twelve-inch
ninety-fve ten-inch, seVenty-fiVe eight-inch
Cor more II the Bethlehem company exceeds
minimum delivery; 129 rapd-fire guns. with
mount ana ammunition wagons and 800
twelve-inch mortars.
Carriages Forty-eight twelve-inch
ninety-four ten-inch, forty-two eight-inch
ana go twelve-inch mortars.
sales OF American Wool in England.
WASHINGTON, Oct 49, Consul Meeker
IWs. F-v.I