Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1897-11-22
SEC. ALGER'S REPORT.
He Makes Many Recommends
tions For Better Service.
A MILITARY FORCE FOR ALASKA.
& Boat Is Asked For the Patrol of the
Yukon Rivera Large Increase In APP
preparations Wanted For the Next
Fiscal Year.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 22.-In his first
annual report, Secretary Alger makes
many recommendations for the better
ment of the administration of the war
department, based upon the conclusions
of his subordinate officers. He asks IA
vorable consideration for the PROPOSE.
ton to add two regiments to the artil-
lery branch, pointing to the valuable
Notifications now being erectey which
he says should not be manned by cor.
porals guard. He says of Alaska that
as many as 100, 900 people will be gath
cred there next year, and a military
force should be sent to the territory
and large emergency powers should be
granted to the president to repress law
lessness. Probably the creation of adj
ditional military reservations like that
of st. Mlchaels may be the best means
to meet the problem. A boat for the
patrol of the Yukon is also asked for,
as well as increased pay for the enlisted
men ser, ing in Alaska.
Secretary Alger recommends the re-
vival of the grade Of lieutenant general,
saying that all the great nations give
their officers much higher rank than
the recommendation of the superintend-
emit OF the military academy of the
number of students at West Point be
increased by allowing each senator TO
nominate cadet. AS an alternative
he suggests that the president be au-
thorized 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 details of
army officers only to such colleges as
have at least 100 pupils actually pres
ent.
Attention is called to the need of a
proper system of criminal jurisdiction
over military reservations, and of
hall of records for the forage of official
papers. The estimate for army trans
portation is increased by 100000 to
provide means for moving heavy ordn-
ance To provide for the new posts
needed ON the seacoast an estimate of
100000 is submitted.
In the opinion of the secretary an in
crease in the engineer corps in officers
and enlisted men is Indispensable He
points to the immense.value and extent
of the work now in the hands of this
corps, and contends that it could be bet
ter supe vised andlmproved in quantity
and quality by the assignment of more
officers, which is now impossible.
Secretary Alger transmits without
reduction the estimate of the chief of
engineers for the next fiscal year,
amounting to 1928, 100, more than
double the appropriations for the cur
rent year. He says these are largely in
excess OF what they should be at time
when the demands upon the treasury
are as great as now, therefore he recon-
mends large reduction. In justice to
the chief of engineers, Secretary Alger
says that these estimates were made by
his own direction.
The secretary endorses the project
for the construction of the ship canal
connecting Lakes Union and Washing
ton with Puget sound but states that
active operations 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 Gro
sier. 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 Washington
of statue TO General Grant.
The estimates for the next fiscal year
aggregate 500, 258, 445, as against S62,-
So2.4l7, the amount of the appropria-
tions fer the current year. The prin-
cipal items of increase are in rivers and |
harbors, where the estimates Is S48,-
1928, 100, as against the appropriations
of $23,27S,0 OPS; for Notifications and |
sea coast defenses, $13,378, 571, as
against So, 517, 141, and military posts, |
parks and cemeteries, So, 558, 500, |
against $SS9,867.