The record-union., 1897-11-22
Also for the Revival Of the Grade OF LIEU
tenant t-General.
He Asks Favorable Consideration
for the Proposition to Add Two
Artillery Regiments to the
Army, and Points Out the Fact
That the New Fortifications
Must be Manned-Thinks a
Force Should be Sent to Alaska.


first annual report Secretary AIger
makes many recommendations for the
betterment of the administration of
the War Department, based on the
conclusions of his subordinate officers
He asks favorable consideration for
the proposition to add two regiments
to the artillery branch, pointing to the
valuable Notifications now being erect
ed which, he says, should not De
manned by a corporal guard. He says
of Alaska that as many as IVV'ooo
people will be gathered there next year,
and military force should be sent 10
the Territory and large emergency pow
ers should be granted to the President
to repress lawlessness. Probably the
creation of additional military reser-
vations like that of st. Michael may
be the best means to meet the problem
A boat for the patrol of the Yukon IS
also asked for, as we'll as Increased
pay for the enlisted men serving IN
Alaska.
Secretary Alger recommends the re-
vival of the grade of Lieutenant-Gen-
er-al. saying that all the great nations
give their officers much higher rank
than does the United States
He indorses the recommendation OF
the Superintendent of the Military
Academy that the number of students
at West Point be increased by allow
ing each Senator to nominate cadet.
AS an alternative, he suggests that
the President be authorized to appoint
ten cadets at large each year.
Favorable comment is made upon the
work Of the military colleges of the
country, but it is suggested that the
law be amended so as to authorize de-
tails of army officers only to such col
leges as have at least $50 pupils actu-
ally present.
Attention is called to the need of a
proper system of criminal jurisdiction
over military reservations and of q
hau Of records for the storage of 4a943Hs
cial papers. The estimate for army
transportation is increased by S10O,OoO
to provide means for moving heavy
ordnance To provide for the new
posts needed on the sea coast an esti-
mate of $2,0OO0OO is submitted.
Until recently the hospital at Hot
Springs was open only to soldiers of
the regular army, but Secretary Alger
has just amended the regulations so
as to authorize the admission of suit
able cases among the veterans of the
late war.
In the opinion of the Secretary, an
increase in the engineer corps in OFF,
GERS and in enlisted men is indispensa-
BILE. He points to the immediate value
and extent of the work now in the
hands of this corps. and contends that
1t could be better supervised and i'm
proved in quantity and quality by the
assignment of more officers, which is
now impossible.
Secretary Alger transmits without re-
duction the estimate of the Chief of
Engineers for the next fiscal year,
amounting to S4S, 12S. 160 more than
double the appropriations for the cur
rent year. He says these are largely
in excess of what they should be at
q time when the demands on the treas-
ury are as great as now. Therefore
he recommends a large reduction. In
justice to the Chief of Engineers, Sec
retary Alger says that these estimates
were made by his own direction; that
the facts might be placed before Con-
gress. showing what the expenditures
would be were all the requirements of
the river and harbor laws complied
with, and he cites the fact that the
outstanding continuous contracts for
river and harbor work will require an
expenditure of over S11, 600 900 for the
next fiscal year The Secretary in
dorses the project for the construction
of the ship canal connecting Lakes
Union and Washington with Puget
Sound, but states that active opera
tions cannot be commenced for some
time, as the right of way has not yet
been acquired.
Secretary Alger especially commends
for patriotism. generosity and zeal
Colonel Burlington and Captain Crosier,
the inventors of the disappearing gun
carriage. who generously donated the
invention to the Government.
The report closes with the renewal
of the recommendation that provision
be made for the erection in Washing
ton of General Grants monument.
The estimates for the next fiscal year
aggregate S96. 2.tS. .445, as against S62.
S32,4ll, the amount of the appropria-
ton for the current year. The prin-
cipal items of increase are in rivers
and harbors. where the estimate is
SiS,i2S. 100, as against the appropria-
ton of S23,21s OBS: fortifications and
sea coast defenses, S13.31S.511, as
against S9.o1t, l41, and military posts.
parks and cemeteries 81 55S, ,639,
against SsS9, ,S61.