The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-19

Washington City. Oct ls-Sscretary La
mont. viii transmit 10 the Secretary OF the
treasury tomoFro. his estimates CT the
appTcprla lions required - the war de-
par;ment for the next fiscal year. The ag-
grsgafe IS s52,s7s ssS. The estimate for the
running expenses OF The war ofisce in
Washington City is 81. ~. .z3s. showing. the
secretary says. reduction in the annual
expenses for salaries and contingencies
In that office Of ST. .si2 from the estimates
OF four years ago. The other estimates in
detail are as follows:
Pay Of the army, as fixed by law, sl3,-
81. 80. subsistence Of army. s.. .eSs3 So quar-
termasters' supplies. $4,000; incidental
expenses of the army. 1s.Ue). barracks
and quarters. including hospital construc-
ton. Sk35.0oo. shooting ransss. S25.loo. cav
airy and artillery horses xl3e.es: army
transportation. s2.so.eeo: clothing. sl.les,-
90. medical supplies. siio. eco: ordnance de-
partment. 81 81 .s0. military academy,
s5I. .sI2: arseaais. slS9.S .SS. military posts.
national cemeteries and national parks.
81 50. .3Sa. national soldiers homes. S.. 49,
I'll. artificial limbs fol 80 4.ars of the iaGe
war. sisl .go; p15'lc buildings ana groDn1s
in Washington city, sl2a.s92; mIseslane-
Gus Items. sie.0g0. rivers ana haroors.
:5.2oi.e CO. TO meet payments on existing
contracts. the department a. this time
being unable 10 say what sum wia be re-
quircd by future contracts Tor which al
thor!ty exists.
TIE estimate for forslficai tons and sea-
coast defensss have been increased TO
SoS..2sl an amount. Secretary Lamont
says, which VII be required to continue
this work at its present rate OF progress,
which has been appreciably advanced un-
der the large appropriation that became
available on July / last. In connection
with his estimate. the secretary makes
public statement Of the cond tion OF this
work, the advance that has been made and
the results that can be effected by this
Increased appropriation which he asks.
On the 1st Of July. 1897. the department
will have completed defenses with arma-
ment as fllows: Thirteen Pinch. thirty
seven io-inch eight s-inch and four rapid
hring guns and eighty Finch mortars.
The remainder OF Secretary Lamont's
letter transmitting the estimates is OF a
historical nature. reviewing the progress
made In sea coast defenses. He says that
for the fifteen years preceding 1890 no ap-
propr.ations had been made for engineer
Ing work on our permanent coast defense.
except the small aud steadily decreasing
sum annually allowed for the 'protec-
ton, preservation and repair" OF existing
works. But small amounts had been
granted for the construction of mining
classmates and for The purchase Of mate
rial for Submarine defe.ses. while in 1855
and 1889 a total OF q bout s. n9 tr0 hal been
appropriated for modern guns. moriars
and carriages In 1870 was made tS,e frs,
appropriation. sl.2li CO., for modern gun
and mortar batteries. followed by one OF
ss50. oG0 in 1871 and BY another OF $3.50 pGo in
lssg. This money was allotted hy the de-
partnent for construction work az varl
oas ports. including a total % four l2-lnch,
twenty lo-inch FIVE S-inch ana tao Fapa-
fire guns empiacelnen;s. and Sixty-fouF L.
inch mortar empiaccments. None OF them.
however. could be made rea4y ;o-receive
It's ar,naTen. unt.l after the first small
appropriations made IN ISeS and the TWO
succeeding years.
Practically, therefore. II has, the sec
re3ary. says. dcvo,Yed upon the var de-
aartment since 1893 10 make provision FOR
the completion of nearly al OF these en-
placements.
1t appears" the secretary says. THAT
seventeen out OF twenty-one twelve-inen
enpiaeements, ffty-ive out OF s!xty-six
ten-lnch emplacemsntS. twenty oIt o.
twenty-five eight-!nch einpi8cements. four
teen out Of sixteen rapld-fre empiacc-
ments ana uineiy-two out of 80 twelve
inch mortar empiacements have been en-
tirely provided for during the las: four
years. and that during ne same tjris
lager part OF those previously provided
Tor have been prepared TO receive their
armament. For this favorable showing
much Is due 10 the ltberality OF congress
n is recent session. The number OF en-
placements provided 0y the act of June
6. 1886. is just figty IN excess OF the total
provided by all pre- e,esiing appropriations.
The progress II arme men; has beer
equally satisfactory. Figures are given
70 sho" that prior 70 :he act OF June T.