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C.-Statement of receipts and expenditures pertaining to the special contingent fund, United States Military Academy, from July 1, 1894, to June 30, 1895.

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FIFTH REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ORDNANCE

AND FORTIFICATION.

REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ORDNANCE AND

FORTIFICATION.

The SECRETARY OF WAR.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., October 31, 1895.

SIR: In compliance with the provisions of the act approved February 24, 1891, the Board of Ordnance and Fortification has the honor to submit for transmission to Congress its annual report for the year ending October 31, 1895, as follows:

PERSONNEL.

A number of changes in the personnel of the Board have occurred during the year.

By his retirement from active duty Lieut. Gen. J. M. Schofield, the president of the Board since its organization in 1888, ceased to be a member of the Board September 29, 1895, and Maj. Gen. Nelson A. Miles succeeded him as presiding officer.

The following action was taken by the Board at the last meeting at which General Schofield presided:

WASHINGTON, September 24, 1895.

As this is the last meeting of the Board at which Lieut. Gen. J. M. Schofield will preside, on account of his retirement from active service, his colleagues desire to formally record the regret they feel at this official parting.

General Schofield has been the president of the Board since its organization, and has guided its decisions with skill and uniform courtesy. He has assisted in the development of a formidable system of national defense, and the Board rejoices that his labors in this and other fields have received proper recognition from the Congress and President of the United States. The Board congratulates General Schofield upon his retirement with a rank but three times before achieved in the history of our Army, and desires to express the hope that he may long enjoy his well-earned release from the cares of public office.

From the same cause the representative of the Engineer Corps, Bvt. Brig. Gen. Henry L. Abbot, who was also one of the original members of the Board, gave place to Col. P. C. Hains, Corps of Engineers, August 13, 1895. At the meeting of August 7, 1895, the following action was taken:

This being the last meeting of the Board at which General Abbot will be a member, owing to his approaching retirement, the other members wish to place on record the fact that they regard his departure from its counsels as an almost irreparable loss to the Board and to the service. General Abbot has been a member of the Board since its organization and has contributed probably as much as any officer in the Army to the development of a system of defense for the United States. General Abbot carries with him into his honorable retirement the grateful esteem and best wishes of his colleagues.

Col. Henry W. Closson, representing the artillery branch of the serv ice, was, at his own request, relieved from duty with the Board April 8, 1895, and was succeeded by Col. Royal T. Frank, First Artillery, on the same date.

WAR 95-VOL I– -54

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