Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1898-11-17
ANNUAL REPORT.
Chief of the Bureau of 0rlEGnc, Tells
of His n5rar m,nt.
x comments THAT the General Govern
ment Arm the Volunteers Instead of
the SGatcs-The Coast Defrnsrs
Work of the Arsenal.

WAsHINGToS, Nov. li.-t;cn. ID. w.
Flaglcr. chief of the bureau of ord
nance. has made his annual r'rort to
the secretary of war. 1t shows that
there were expended during the fiscal
year ending June 80, ls9S. S7.3iS. I95,
and that there still remains of
the appropriations made for the
ordnance bureau, So i93,3j9. This
large sum is derived from the
appropriations for the fiscal year
which were made for war purposes
amounting To S2I.5Oi, 599. Regarding
the equipment of volunteers. the gen
eral thinks it would he as well as Ia
have the government equip them in
stead of their bringing their state
arms into service, saying that it could
he done as quickly owing to the condi-
ton of the arms of state troops.
lie speaks in terms of praise in the
manner in which work has been per
formed at arsenalS and ordnance fac
tories in the rush that was made in
putting the country on footing foi
war with Spain. As to the equipment
of an army. he says:
SO long as the principal dependence in this
country in time Of war is in a large volunteer
force. newly levied it is impracticasle to kecT
on hand large supplies Of cavalry. artillery
and horse equipments. a. these in the courst
Of a few years will not only detcrioratc. hui
will have to he materially modified to keel
pace with improvements. The major part OF
such material can. by taking advantage Of tn,
resources Of Rock Island and the Other
arscnals and the numerous private establish
ments capable o; producing it, be supplied u
| rapidly a. troops can he raised. mustered int
the service and prepared for campaign. There
should however, he on hand field and seg,
| artillery, with carriages. and portion Of th'
harness required for aOl.0O men. such gum
| and carriages can not he turned out in larg,
numbers until about six months after initiating
| the work"
For equipping an army with supply
of small arms he thinks there SHOULD
he supply of 100, 900 on hand of any
new arm and the arsenals kept in /;
condition So as to produce $500 PEE
day.
| An interesting feature of the repor
is that which treats of coast defense
The general says:
| Attention is especially invited to the expe
| rieucc Of the last few months in attempting L
provide quickly coast defense. II is believes
to be impracticable. and we will always b
forced. in any emergency, to rely upon wha
has been provided in time Of pe-cs
| | think it fair to state. thoug
not in the way Of complaint. tina
this has been urged upon congre each yea
| fer the past ten years. The situation is yer
simple. \ plan has been adopted for provid
ing a complete coast defense. With the pre-
| sent fscilities of the department this work ca
~. carried on economically and in the most et
y lent manner ia such a way As to complet
Il the present plan in about seven years
%siimateS ought to be submitted eacl
81 20 much of the work a. the facilite
-duciion will permit 1t rests wit
determine how much Of the wor
s-lci Tor each year consistent
ic~ourceS Of the country. Bu
not progress faster than the M
... provide for.
Fable that there must he added
aud estimates for the coast defcnS
,i>ion for the defense OF added POI