The Sun. — 1870-01-04 (London, England)

FIFTH MILITARY DISTRICT. itr This district, on the 28th July, 1868, was reduced OS elude only the State of Texas, and is commanded by 131.fe0 Major-General Reynolds, whose report is for the ending Sept. 30, 1809. The length of frontier line in pci! district to be protected against Indian incursions eltced from the Red river to the Rio Grande, about 490 mile.,? along the Rio Grande for about 816 miles—a total a %Ili miles. Indian raids during the year have been unusil bold, and, it is believed, commanded in most instancegol white men. Heavy damages to the citizens in live 5,0 and property have resulted, but the loss of life has " small, amounting to about twenty-six persons. is It will be impossible to prevent Indian raids as lourrir there aro wild Indians not assigned to any defined teii) tory, and protection to the frontier cannot be afforded eif the force in the district, owing to the numerous deord made upon it in the execution of the reconstruction Poi Voluntary county organisations of citizens have in t„oc0 cases been authorized, and proved effective in some witlt lities ; but in others the arrangement has not met, cordial response from the people. The ordinary chinery of the State has been in operation, aided, WPitio ever necessary and practicable, by the military force (4100 United States. Improvement is apparent in the dispotg` zd of juries to punish for murder and other high ori°o Military aid has been furnished civil authorities to libe press bands of desperadoes who infest the State. „ 10 number of murders in the State from January 1, 18°V Sept. 30, 1869, was three hundred and eighty-four; ,011, the number of crimes of this nature is steadily diutiw ng. APPROPRIATIONS, EXPENDITTJRES, AND EszimAOS• There was carried to the surplus fund June 30, 1869, the sum of 558,239,174 0 The actual expenditures for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1869, were (including 16 the Freedmen's Bureau) 56,761,7To which must be added, for old war debts ° 60 paid, the sum of llaking the total expenditures $ 2803,,684821:034A Of the above there was expended for recon 18 struction purposes 406,419 There was appropriated for the service of the War Department for the fiscal year , 2 09 ending June 30, 1870 The estimated deficiencies are ,940,000 The total estimate of military appropriations for the year ending June 30, 1871, at 6° is In the foregoing estimate the amounts originalll re, sented by the heads of bureaus have been materiall9,ol duced, and any appropriation smaller in amount than "010 asked for would fail to meet the necessary wants ei department. 3 The following estimates are submitted separatelf,ll3o3 are given for the consideration of Congress, as presa by the Chief of Engineers:— For fortifications-- $4,194,400 00 For rivers and harbours..." 7,961,900 00  12,158,300 00 uea As to the fortifications, I urge the appropriations co',ll tot T0ta1...... : for the forts near the larger cities named in the reP°.!iee, New Orleans, and San Francisco• 00 rfor the year, upon which the reclue,.ol? the General of the Army, to wit :—Portland, Boston, 1 for the next fiscal year is based, is 'jai ofY oTrticil,eoeexstpipninadtiet: Philadelphia, able evidence of the economical management of the partment•  W5l. W. BELKNAP, ~.i. ~ Secretary of Yv l'''