The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1896-11-28
TALK ON WAR MATTERS
SECRETARY LAMOHTs REPORT on
NATIONAL DEBENsE.
GFstifying Increase In the NumbeE
Of Cams An Place for Atlantic
aad Paeine Ports.

port, Whtch was made puD2ic bo0Ay. rec
rotary Lamont renews his previous rec
ommendaGiOn that the infantry be reor-
ganized on the general idea Of three light
and mobile battaAions Of four companies
each to the regiment, instead OF the cum
bersome 10 company formation adopted
century ago and abandoned by other
nations since the development Of modern
magazine rifles. and he quotes General
Sherman. Sheridan and Lieutenant Gensr-
al SchOheid In support OF the necessity
OF this reorganization OF the infantry.
The completion already of some coast de-
lenses and the approaching completion
Of other modern batteries render neces-
sary q larger force of artilleryists. but
no increase Of the army IL asked Tor.
The plan Of sea coast defenses involves
a hundred distinct batteries in over 20
harbors-
nciency In the arms and equipments Of
the state militia Nov that the states
furnish the armor5es and defray expense
incidental 70 keeping their forces in
training. Secretary Lamont suggests hat
the United States should provide them
with the implements which they viii need
CAbhsN-1
prolonged field operations.
The secretary recommends that the
Springfield rife. caiibre IS. be issued 20
state troops; that the states be allowed 10
return TO the war department obsolete
arms and equipments to be sold and the
proceeds credited TO the states and that
the states be allowed to purchase from
| the department supplies al regular prices.
1 Gain I'm
The report shows that whereas. on = e
\ LIST Of July. 1883. IN our modern defense
but one high power gun was mounted.
| by the LIST OF July next We will have IN
position 20 high power. breeohloadlng S-ins
and 50 bneechloading mortars Of modern
design. and by the following july. On
completion Of the work already under
way. or provided for. LIS guns and Is
| mortars battery OF two or three guns
takes the place of a former pretenuous
fort and is vastly more effective. The
| defensive system now under considera zion
is distributed among the ports OF Port
land. Ne. Portsmouth. n. H.. Boston
Nsrrag ansett bay, eastern entrance tc
Long Island. eastern and southern en-
frances TO New York. Philadelphia, 8a1ti'
more, Washington. Hampton Roads, VIII
mington, Charleston. Savannah. Key
West. Pensacola, New Orleans, Galveston
San Diego. San Francisco. the mouth o
the Columbia river and Puget sound. Al
OF the empaacements have been locate
with q view 20 carrying out the projec
OF the Endicots board OF fortifc2 tons
} organized under act of congress. Marcl
.. 1895. as revised by the permanent boar
OF engineers.
The secretary says that the depart
ment in making these sllotments We
guided by a desire 10 protect as maa!
OF the seapOrts as practicable agAins
marauding attacks OF isolated cruisers
as well as 90 provide a more efficient de
tense for the important places and els
to utilize 90 the best advantage the gun
for which carriages could be most speed
lily furnished
The total number Of emplacements pro
vided for to date is rs for guns and u
for mortArs, Of which 20 were for gun
and 7s for mortArs appropriated for at ii
last session OF congress.
The armament of troops with the mel
magazine arms was completed In Ma
ana the armory Is turning out LIS rifles c
/. carhanes per day under the appropriate
, made last year.
Indians.
The $40 Apache prisoners OF GeronlrAo
band have. the secretary says. led aux
!. pastoral hfe and have reached a seif-saI
u porting condition He recommends M
in time the titie TO the 5000 acres ;he
occupy be acquired by the governme1
J. and that they then be placed under SoI
;rot Of the Indian bureau.
The report shows total expenditures Il
the war department for 1896 eggregatin
u $si. so. 2ss Among them is an item
n 81. Sas $50 for salaries and contingencies
the war once at Washington. This, Il
secretary says, shows saving OF $751;
" from the expenditure under the SAn
e head for the year 1854 The aggregate
u appropriations for the department une
d pended and turned back into the gener
e fund OF the treasury at the end OF Z
IT last fiscal year was a.s7S.0S3 For U
II year 1895 II was q. 7el.ts7. and for 1894
= was g. 81, 81. an aggregate for :hr
II years OF more than &S.0oo.ooo