The Dickinson press., 1896-12-12


steamboat inspection service. the light.
house service, the bureau of navigation and
other branches Of public work attached TO
the treasury department.. together with va
rious recommendations concerning their sup.
pert and Improvement, arc fully stated In
the report of the secretary OF the treasury,
TO which the attention of the congress Is
especially invited.
WAR DEPARTMENT.
Il lac Exhibit Made by the Secretary
In Regarded as SutisfnctOry
Ile report OF the secretary Of war ex.
hibttS satisfactory conditions In the several
branches Of the public service intrusted 10
his charge. The limit OF our military force
as fixed by law Is constantly anu readily
maintained. The present discipline ana NOR.
ais OF our army are excellent and marked
progress ana efficiency are apparent through.
out its entire organization.
With the exception of delicate duties in
the suppression of slight Indian disturbance
along our Southwestern boundary, in whirl,
the Mexican troops cO-operated and the
compulsory but peaceful return, with the
consent Of Great Britain. OF band OF Cree
Indians from Montana to the british pos
sessions, no active operations have been
required by the army during tho year past.
Changes in methods of a.lmintst ra tiu.,, tho
abandonment of unnecessary posts and con-
seluent concentration OF troops, and the OK
crcise OF care and vigilance by the various
officers charged with the responsibility, in
the expenditure OF the appropriations. have
resulted in reducing to a minimum the costs
OF maintenance Of our military establish
mcnt. During the past year the work Of
constructing permanent Infantry and cav
airy posts has been continued ut the places
heretofore designated. The secretary Of
war repeats his recommendation that al,-
preparations for barracks and quarters
should more strictly conform TO the needs Of
the service as Judged by the department,
rather than respond to the wishes aud inl-
pOrtunittes Of localities. 1t Is imperative
that much OF the money provided for such
constructed should now be allotted To the
many men will be needed TO properly care
for and operate modern guns. II is es-
sential too, that early provision bc made
to supply the necessary force OF artll i. TO
meet the demands Of this service. The rn-
tire army has now been equipped with the
new magazine arms, and wise policy de-
minds that all available public and private
resources should be- so employed as to pro-
vile within Il reasonable time II sufficient
number to supply the state militia with
these modern weapons, and provide an
ample reserve for any emergency.
The organized militia numbers 1l2.S19
men. The appropriations for its support by
the several states approximate S:.S'Al,thW
annually. and S4'NOOD is cont tributed by the
general government. Investigation shows
these trooys to be usually drilled and In
spired With much military interest. but in
many instances they are SO deficient in
proper arms and equipment that a sudden
call to active duty would find them lna,!-
eQuately prepared for field service. I there.
fore recommend that prompt measures he
taken to remedy this condition and that
every encouragement be given to this ,"
serving body Of unpaid and voluntary cit
izrn soldiers, upon whose assistance we
must largely rely in time Of trouble.
During the past year rapid progress has
been made toward the completion OF the
scheme adopted for the erection and ada.
mrnt of fOrtiticaticns along our SCI coast
while equal progress has Eccn made III ;.rr
vidin. the material for submarine defense
In connection with these works. 1t is pr.
culiar,y gratifying ut this time to note the
great advance that has been made In this
important undertaking since the date at the
opening Of Its second session. In Dcccmber
1893 At that time informed the congress
of the approaching completion OF nine
twelve-inch. twenty ten-inch, and thirty
four eisht-inch high power steel guns, and
seventy y-tive twelvc-lnch rifle mortars This
pared with
The Great Work
remaining to be done. Yet II waS, never
theless. source Of satisfaction TO every
citizen when he reflected that 1t represent
ed the first instalmrnt Of the new ordnance
OF American design and American MANN
factur". and demonstrated our ability TO
supply from our own resources guns OF uli-
excclletl power and accuracy. At that date.
however. there were practically no car
riages upon which to mount these guns. and
only thlrty-One emplarencnts for guns, and
sIxty-four for mortnrs. Nor were all these
cmplacemcns in condition TO receive their
armament. Only one higli-pOwer gun was
ut that time in position for the defense OF
the entire coast.
Since that tim" the number Of guns actu-
ally completed has been increased To TWEEN
ty-one twelve-inch: hfty-siX ten-inch. sixty
one eight-inch power, breech-loading steel.
ten rapld-fring guns and eighty twelve-inch
rif1e,l nortars. In addition, there are in
process of construction one sixteen-.ncll
type gun. fifty twelve-inch, ffty-SiX ten
inch. swenty-seven eight-inch higll-powcr
guns. anh sixty-six twelve-inch rified NOR
tarS; III all. 42S guns and mOrtars.
During the same year, Immediately pre-
cetiing the message referred to, the first
modern gun carriage had been completed,
ana eleven more were in process or con-
appearing type. These, however. were not
such as to secure necessary cover for the
artillery guLnerS against the intense fire OF
modern machine rapid-fire and high power
guns.
The inventive genius Of ordnance and civ
ilian experts has been taxed In designing
carriages that should ohviate this fault, re-
sulting. 1t is believed. in the solution OF this
difficult problem Since 1S!s: the number Of
gun carriages constructed or building has
been raised TO q total or 12:. OF which so
are on the disappearing principle and the
number Of mortar carriages to 1872; while
the ~ emplaccments which were provided
for prior TO that time have been increased
to $50. built and building.
This improved situation is largely due to
the recent generous response OF congress to
the recommendations OF the war depart
ment Thus shall soon have complete
about One-tifth OF the comprehensive sys.
ten. the first step OF which was noted in
my message TO congress OF Dec. 1. 1888
When 1t is understood that masonry EN-
placement not only furnishes a platform
for the heavy modern hlgh-p0wer gun, but
Also In every particular service, the plr
pose aud takes the place OF the fort of
former days. the Importance OF the work
accomplished is better comprchendcd.
In the hope that the work will be prose.
cutcd with no less vigor In the future, the
'
by which. IL allowed. there will soon be
provided and either built or building by
the end OF the next fiscal year, such
additional guns, mortars, gun carriages and
cmplacements as will represent not far
from onc-third Of the total work to be donr
under the plan adopted for our coast de.
fcnses-thus affOrding prospect that the
entire work will be substantially completed
within six years. In less time than that,
however. we shall have attained u marked
degree Of security.
The experience and results Of the past
year demonstrate that, with a continuation
Of present careful methods. the cost OF the
remaining work will be much less than the
original estimate.
We should always keep in mind that mil
itary preparation is alone essentially pacl-
tic In its nature. While 1t gives the sense
Of security due to Il consciousness OF
strength, 1t Is neither the purpose nor the
effect OF such nernanent forti6cation to ILL.,