The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-10-19
In THE EVENT OF WAR
SECRETARY LAMONT SHOWS CONDI-
TIoN OF THE DEPARTMENT..
and SeacOast Defenses Amount
to S15,S24,23S.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1S.-Secretary La
mont tomorrow will transmit to the Sec
rotary of the Treasury his estimates of APP
preparations required by the War Depart
ment for the next fiscal year. The aggre-
| gate is S32, SO, 63S. The estimate for the rum
ming expenses of the War Office in Wash
ington is 81, 464, 236, showing, the Secretary
says, a reduction in the annual expenses
for salaries and contingencies in that office
of 1921 ,942 from the estimates of four years
ago. The other estimates in detail are as
follows: Pay of the army, as fixed by the
law, $13, 522, $50; subsistence OF the army,
81, 500, S37; quartermasters' supplies, S2.2O0,OOO;
incidental expenses of the army, $60o,O0
barracks and quarters. including hospital
construction, $3.50, GOO; shooting ranges, $25,-
600; cavalry and artillery horses, S130,O00;
army transportation, $780, 00; clothing,
81, 100, 600; medical supplies, $4,000; ordi-
nance department, i ,131, Geo; military
academy, $521,S12; a~rsenals, $3.50, 1876; military
posts, national cemeteries and national
parks, 81 Dos, $50; national soldiers homes,
SO. 443. PHI; artificial limbs for soldiers of the
late war, $191, 600; public buildings and
ground in Washington, $139,992; miscellan-
eous items, S402, 900; rivers and harbors,
$5,349, 600. To meet payments on existing
| contracts, the department at this time is
unable to say what sum will be required
by future contracts for which authority
| exists.
The estimate for Qualifications and sea-
coast defense has been increased to S15, S24,-
! 298. an amount. Secretary Lamont says,
which will be required to continue this
work at its present rate of progress which
has been appreciably advanced under the
large appropriation which became available
on the 1st of July last. In connection with
his estimate the Secretary has made public
a. statement of the condition of this work,
the advance that has been made and re-
suits that can be effected by the increased
appropriation which he asks. On the 1st
of July, 1888, but one modern gun had peer
placed in position. On the LIST of july, 1897,
the department will have completed de-
lenses with armament as follows: Th1r-
teen twelve-inch, thirty-seVen ten-Inch,
light eight-inch, and four rapid fire guns,
and eighty twelVe-inch mortars.
ter transmitting the timat Is of an his
torical nature, reviewing the pr4gr gre fo MAGE the
fifteen years preceding 1890 no approprla-
lions had been made for engineering work
on our permanent coast defense except the
small and steadily decreasing sum annually
allowed for the protection, preservation
| mounts had been granted for the construc-
ton of mining and for the pur-
chase of material for submarine defenses,
while in 1888 and 1889 a total of about $2,00U,-
900 had been appropriated for modern guns,
mortars and carriages. In 1890 was made
the first appropriation, 81, 221. 900. for modern
guns and mortar batteries, followed by one
of $3.50, 900 in 1891 and by another of $500, 900
in 1892. This money was allotted by the
department for construction work at VdrI-
Gus ports, including a total of four twelve
inch, twenty ten-inch, five eight-inch and
two rapid fire gun e~rnplacementS, and six
ty-four twelve-inch mortar empiacements.
None of them, however, could be made
the first small appropriations made in 1873
and the two succeeding years. Practically,
therefore. it has, the Secretary says, de-
volved upon the War Department since
1893, to make provision for the completion
of nearly all of these emplacements.
| seventeen out of twenty-one twelve-inch
emplacementS, fifty-five out of slxty-slx
ten-inch em~placements, twenty out Of
teen out of sixteen rapid-fire-gur emplace-
placements and ninety-two out OF 1J6
beea entirely provided for during the last
four years. and that during the same time
for have been prepared to receive their
armament. For this fayorabie showing
much is due to the liberality of Congress
at its recent session. The number of en-
placements provided by the act of June q,
1896. is just fifty in excess of the total pro
vided by all preceding appropriations: me
progress in armament has been equally
satisfactory Figures are given 70 show
had been completed sixty-one eight-inch,
ftfty-six ten-inch and twenty-one twelve
inch guns and eighty twelve-inch mortars
completed, while there were twenty-seven
eight-inch. thirty-five ten-inch and TWEEN
ty-nine twelve-inch guns in process OF con-
struction. The appropriation of June 6,
1886, while leaving the above completed to-
| tails unchanged. raised the totals in pro-
| cess of construction to twenty-seven eight
inch, fifty-six ten-inch, fifty twelve-inch,
ten s~ix-pounder rapid-fire guns and eighty
six twelVe-inch all steel mortars.
by the time a new appropriation can
become available" says the letter, "all
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 ord
Upon this fact are based the depart part
These estimates will provide the follow
ing ggars-one s,xteen-,ncb gun tanisbipr
and assembling. forgings already ,provid-
ed. twenty-one sets tweive-inch gun
forgings, 144 all steel twelve-inch mortars
complete. fifty-five s~ix-pounder rapid-firing
guns, with mounts and 200 rounds per gun,
and twenty-four five-inch rapid-fre guns,
with mounts and 100 rounds per gun.
Carria gesLTwenty-one twelye-inch dis
annearirs carrioees, twenty ten-inch dis
appearing carriages, eight eight-inch dis
appearing carriages, and 13S twelve-inch
For Engineering Work-Twenty twelve
inch emplacements, disappearing; nineteen
twelve eight-inch emplacenents. disappear
ing; 113 rapid-fre emplacements and l4
tEeiVe-lDcn mortar eHlptdcehieilsS.
Thus, If 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 systems
of defense:
Observation-Disclosures twelve-inch,
eighty-five ten-inch, thirty-seven eight
inch, 139 rapid-fire and 2S4 twelve-inch NOR
tarS.
Guns-One sixteen-inch. sixty twelve
inch, ninety-fiVe ten-inch, Seventy-fVe
eight-inch Cor more if the Bethlehem COM
Dany exceeds minimum QGilVerN), iG9 rapid
fire guns. with mounts and ammunition,
and $50 ~twelve-inch mortars.
Carriages-Forty-eight twelve-inch. nine
ty-four ten-inch, forty-two eight-inch and
$50 twelve-inch mortars.
The Bryan Photograph.
To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
The photography is still at it, and some