Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-11-28
Report Il ~ sserslaD 4 Var,

the secretary OF war has been given t.
| the public. Secretary Lamont lays
considerable stress on the fact that ne
was able to turn back to the treasury
from the appropriations a little over
million and a half of dollars. which is
somewhat in excess of the amounts
turned back in previous years. 1t ap-
pears from his reports, however, that
very little campaigning was required
during the year ending last June. which
will account for much of this lessened
expense and the secretary's desire ia
keep back all the money possible in
order both to make the best showing
that could be made in that respect, and
to relieve so far as he was able the en-
barrassed financiering of the admins
tration has been so apparent from time
to time as to excite comment. There
must, also. have been opportunity for
saving in the transfers Of troops made
during the year from some Of the
frontier posts to places where the cost
Of maintenance will at least he some
what less. The military posts of Fort
North Dakota, Fort Hancock in Texas.
and Fort Omaha in Nebraska, have
been discontinued since October last,
and the garrisons withdrawn. The
new posts of Fort Harrison. Montana.
Fort Crook, Nebraska and Little Rock,
Arkansas, have been occupied.
The report shows that the equivalent
of five regiments are now stationed in
the Pacific states, IL are east of the
Missouri river and the meridian of
Kansas City. and 20 regiments are still
located in the plains and mountain
country, extending westward from the
Missouri river to the eastern boundary
of the Pacific states OF the cavalry
arm, one regiment is on the Pacific.
one and one-half regiments are east of
the meridian of Kansas City, and the
serving in the prairie and mountain
region. where are the homes of nearly
all the Indians who are still capable of
making trouble. One regiment of ar
tillery is serving on the Pacific coast.
one on the Gulf. and three on the At
lantic OF 10 batteries of field artillery
two are in California. one in Texas
three in Kansas, one in Illinois. one in
Rhode Island. one in New York, and
one in the District of Columbia.
There are Il military posts in all
Six have garrsons of one company
each. II have two companies. nine
have three companies; there are nine
of four companies, four of five COM
panes. seven of six companies two of
seven companies. and 90 at which eight
or more companies are serving.
The number of enlisted men in the
service on October 81 was 25,426, or 2s4
less than the number authorized by
law. Deducting the sick. those absent
on furlough, recruits not Joined, the
men employed in the staff departments
and on detached service. the effective
field strength of the army on that day
was 22,3S2 of all arms. The number of
officers of the line is 1919. OF these
1900 are serving with their regiments
and 319 are on detached duty. The
number of officers on detached service
in 1895 was 324, and on the 30th of June
1893, it was 40.
The total number of men enlisted
during the year was S49S and the de-
sertions were 1865 The secretary is of
the opinion that the abolishment of a
military prison has not increased the
number of desertions and gives statis-
ties showing the desertions to be less in
number than when such a prison was
maintained. The report contains no
estimate of strength that should be
added to the army and no reference is
made to the recommendation of Cen
eral Miles for a law fixing the limits of
the strength of the army between 35.-
900 and $4,000 at the discretion of the
President. But Secretary Lamont does
point out the need of artillerymen for
the seacOast defences, though evidently
has not the means of determining how
many men will be required for this