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by proper legislation, or a partial relief be given by regulation? Legislation seems to have imposed every proper restriction that can be desired and reduced the amount of the appropriations considerably. Within the limits now clearly defined it is doubtless well to show the same consideration to those who are compelled to travel under authorized orders upon public duty as is shown to trusted citizens by the firms which employ them, especially if this consideration costs nothing; and it is submitted that sleeping cars and transfers are but simple justice under easily expressed limitations, and there seems no need of perpetuating any injustice and make obeying proper orders an unnecessary hardship which has driven more than one deserving officer into debt. The question is understood to be under consideration whether the refundment of such an advance is liable to the income tax.

INSPECTION OF UNSERVICEABLE PROPERTY.

Under the recent regulations prescribed by the Secretary of War and having your approval, all inspections of unserviceable property, with a view to its sale or destruction, are to be made by inspectors-general, acting inspectors-general, or by officers specially designated in each case, who shall not be in any way connected with the staff department, corps, or particular organization to which the property pertains. These regulations secure expert as well as disinterested judgment, and are entirely in accordance with the law; and any careful comparison with former years will indicate how much more regularly this extensive business is now being conducted, and what a considerable economy this carefulness is affecting now than formerly prevailed.

During the year ending June 30, 1894, there were received 2,392 inventory and inspection reports, covering all kinds and classes of public property for which army officers are responsible. Of this number 2,012, or 84 per cent of the entire number, were acted on by the officers of this department, and 16 per cent by officers specially detailed for that duty. This averages eight or ten each working day. As a corollary to this duty, and aiding its perfect performance, it is the habit at some department headquarters to have the reports of the boards of survey referred to the local inspector-general's office. It would be well if this practice was followed at all. But it can hardly be expected to become universal at once, and it may find some opposition, as it can only improve inspections which may seem a subsidiary matter.

The difficulty referred to in my last report of obtaining the cost, invoice, or current price of articles presented for inspection has been overcome to some extent and the request of some inspectors for information concerning the proceeds resulting from the sales they recommend has been under consideration; but the lists are not yet completed. Last year on 83 per cent of the reports the cost prices were reported as against 70 per cent for the year before. With a little more assistance from the responsible officers and supply departments this information can be so presented that any extravagance can be located sufficiently approximately for practical purposes or remedial action. If there is any opposition to giving the responsible inspector the information he deems useful as a guide to his judgment and in the public interests, may not such opposition be overcome?

A summary of the inventory and inspection reports for the fiscal year shows that 2,150,779 articles, including units of measure and weight, were inspected, and of this number the cost of 1,680,775 was given and amounts to $590,320.29, or about 35.1 cents per article.

Applying this rule to the 470,004 articles of which the cost was not stated, the cost of these articles would be $164,971.40, and the total cost of all the articles presented for inspection would be $755,291.69, which seems sufficient to deserve all the careful supervision being extended to it; and evidently this, like all habitual inspections, must be applied fairly alike to all to obtain the best results.

Of the whole number of articles inspected 1,968,023 were condemned, representing, on the basis of the cost price of 1,514,249 articles at 333 cents, $662,474.75, and 182,756 articles, or about one-twelfth of the entire number, were retained in service. The articles retained (extending the calculation to all, on the basis of the 166,526 articles of which the cost prices were given) cost, at 0.4721 cents each, an aggregate of $88,278.30, or about 12 per cent retained for further service. This summary does not include any public property pertaining to the river and harbor improvements, for which officers of the Engineer Corps are responsible; but only such as have the certificates of two officers upon their personal examination prior to the final disposition of such permanent property as has been entered upon the returns. The whole number of public animals presented for the action of the inspector was 997 as against 1,339 presented the previous year. Of this number 588 belonged to the cavalry, 82 to the artillery, and 327 to the transportation service of the Quartermaster's Department, and about 10 per cent of the whole number was retained in service. The estimated value of the 898 condemned was $125,445.89, an average of $139.69 per animal, and the value of the 99 retained about $13,535.58. It may be noted that the figures in this simplest branch of inspection duty exceed the pay of the entire Corps; and though a careful scrutiny of details like this may be tedious, it has been found both economical and beneficial in every branch of inspections, and gives the only precise insight yet obtained concerning this subject.

It may be easily understood that some opposition to inspections may exist occasionally here and there, even to simple and explicitly authorized inspections of property for condemnation under the act of March 3, 1825, and any antagonism to the free exercise of their legitimate functions by our regularly commissioned inspectors, or the fullest information reaching them habitually and promptly concerning the matters it is their function to inspect, of course, militates against the proper performance and efficacy of a duty that deserves to be recognized as important, if not absolutely essential; and damage is more apt to be done when this opposition is not open and direct, but occult. Whether inspectors shall inspect, and how and what and when they shall inspect, would seem to be the simplest questions, definitely decided long ago, and only needing to be fairly and fearlessly conducted and sustained everywhere in the manner so well established and well known to everybody; and the organization of the Inspector-General's Department is simply to insure this fair, complete, and thorough general inspection of the entire military establishment-frequently for money matters and in no haphazard way or perfunctory spirit about any regular or special matter. And it is sincerely hoped that the entire military establishment has this year been almost as completely inspected as ever before, and will continue to be inspected as desired by superior authority, whom it is our earnest effort and desire to satisfy. Respectfully submitted.

J. C. BRECKINRIDGE,
Inspector-General.

The MAJOR-GENERAL COMMANDING THE ARMY.

REPORT OF MAJ. GEN. 0. 0. HOWARD.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE EAST, Governors Island, New York, August 31, 1894. SIR: I have the honor to submit my annual report. By the last return, of date July 31, 1894, there are 26 garrisoned posts and 38 posts not garrisoned.

In this command we have 4 troops of cavalry, 41 foot batteries of artillery, 3 light batteries of artillery, and 38 companies of infantry (including 7 skeleton companies), in all present and absent, including the medical corps and all detachments, an aggregate of 413 commissioned officers and 4,935 enlisted men. Of these 257 officers and 4,280 enlisted men are present for duty with their commands. There are 9 officers from my command detailed as instructors at schools and colleges within the geographical limits of the department.

Ungarrisoned posts are, as a general rule, in charge of an ordnance sergeant. The commanding officer, Fort Hamilton, is responsible for Fort Lafayette, and the commanding officer, St. Francis Barracks, for Fort Marion, these forts being without troops.

Further particulars in regard to the posts and troops will be found in the roster appended hereto.

This year the ordinary course of instruction has been somewhat interrupted, directly and indirectly, by the troubles centering in Chicago. The insurrection extended to some degree into Indiana, but the governor of that State was so prompt in his action that it obviated the necessity of my sending any force in that direction. One regiment from this department, the Ninth Infantry, under instructions from Washington, went to the vicinity of Chicago and assisted the troops gathered there for thirteen days, when it was relieved from that duty and returned to its stations at Madison Barracks and Fort Ontario, N. Y. The officers and men of this regiment receive commendation for the promptitude of their movement and their uniform good conduct en route and during their tour of irksome duty in Chicago. Other troops were held in readiness to move to Illinois or elsewhere on short notice had the insurrection so enlarged as to require it. At one time, judging by the daily reports, I feared that there would be obstructions to commerce, to transportation of supplies, and hindrances of the mails at several points, for example, at Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati, Ohio; Buffalo, Albany, and the vicinity of New York City, and at some more southern stations, like Birmingham, Ala., and New Orleans, La. My apprehensions were, however, not realized; but should such difficulties arise again, and simultaneously in cities far apart, the necessity for regular troops and more of them than this department now affords is apparent. Just now the National Guard in several States in the department is well organized and responds promptly to every call of duty; still, if more than one State is involved in any event growing out of anarchy, the Executive will always require his own troops. They will be essential to his execution of the laws and maintenance of order. Of course governors of States could cooperate, but they might disagree, or be reluctant in meeting sudden emergency. I strongly recommend an increase of the Army to at least double the size of our present force.

It will, in my judgment, be like an adequate police, the best possible. method of preserving the peace until many vexatious questions which are now troubling our country are put at rest by a solution satisfactory to the people of the nation.

The engineer and ordnance work along the Atlantic coast is not directly under my charge, and what progress has been made will doubtless be reported through the Chiefs of Engineers and Ordnance. I feel, however, that already our coast defenses are in fairly good condition, and that in conjunction with our ever increasing naval armament there would be little fear from outside aggression.

TROOPS.

ARTILLERY.

The inspector of artillery shows in his report some progress in obtaining new guns. Already we have an 8-inch breech-loading rifle and 12inch breech-loading mortar added to the armament of Fort Monroe. This is the first step in the direction of supplying our forts with the new armament, and it is hoped that the good work thus begun may be continued." In addition to these breech-loading guns the following have been added to the armament of the posts: Two 15-inch guns, Fort Barrancas; three S-inch rifles and one 15-inch gun, Key West Barracks, Fla., and one 10-inch S. C. mortar, Fort Warren, Mass. The inspector of artillery renews his recommendation of last year, "that each artillery post be supplied with two 3.2-inch B. L. field guns, or 5-inch siege guns, for instruction purposes, and practice where it is practicable to have it." In this I strongly concur. Nothing is more essential than that artillerymen should be thoroughly instructed in the use of their new

arms.

Great diligence has been shown in artillery practice with such guns as the artillerymen have had, and reports from the different artillery regiments have been full and satisfactory. It will add greatly to the efficiency of the artillery of the Army when the breech-loading guns now under construction, or soon to be constructed, shall have been sent to the different forts and garrisons where they can be used. There seems to be a growing interest in artillery exercises. Target practice is certainly essential to any reasonable skill in the handling and firing of heavy guns.

The inspector general of the department has some very pointed sug gestions which he makes for increasing the skill and efficiency of the artillerymen. Some of these I desire to emphasize; he says: "There certainly should be much more attention devoted to the training of batteries in those exercises most nearly simulating the incidents natural to that service when in actual contact with a worthy antagonist. They (the gunners) are not habitually taught to measure distance and time. Our (field) batteries go on practice marches and the horses are thus taught draft, and the men are taught the routine of camp life, but they are not instructed efficiently in appreciating the values to be given to gait, time, and distance;" and he urges more instruction along these particular lines. He also recommends that practice in firing at moving targets be held with field guns. This might be done with great advantage, and I concur in the recommendation. Applications have been made for authority to hold practice at moving targets at certain posts, and the requests have been approved. Such practice should be in excess of that at known distances, and should not interfere with the system of classification at present in use, which gives good results.

INFANTRY.

The drill and instruction of the infantry serving in the department is satisfactory with the exception of extended order. In this respect it is reported as not proficient. The inspector does not think it can be made proficient "until either the means is given us to pay for possible damages to private property, that would authorize garrisons to drill across country not owned by the Government, or until the troops can be assembled for such drill at some place where the reservation is large enough to enable the drill in extended order to be had." Our reservations are too small for this drill, and do not afford opportunities for the exercises as they should be conducted. There is need of the reorgani zation of the infantry, which should, as recommended so many times, be given the three battalions, and thus conform to the artillery and cavalry. This is necessary, particularly in an army like ours, which may need to be expanded at any time. There are bills now before Congress which, if passed, would measurably perfect this organization. The skeletonized companies should, in my judgment, be again filled. There is need for more troops, and any increase in our force should include the reorganization of these companies.

CAVALRY.

The four troops of cavalry serving in the department have been thoroughly drilled, and are in a very high state of efficiency.

INDIANS.

There have been in the department for part of the year two companies of Indians--I of the Ninth Infantry, and I of the Twelfth Infantry; the former has been disbanded by discharge and the members sent back to Arizona, where they were enlisted. Company I, Twelfth Infantry, still remains. It was recruited in great part from the Apache prisoners of war. It is presumed that this company will be disbanded when the War Department acts under the law making an appropriation for moving the prisoners of war now at Mount Vernon Barracks. There are at Mount Vernon Barracks 305 Indian prisoners of war. Most of these prisoners are women and children. Progress has been made during the year in teaching cleanliness and proper modes of living. The children have attended the schools maintained for them and have made satisfactory progress. I strongly recommend, in view of the Indian soldiers going out of the service, that these prisoners be turned over to the Interior Department to be taken care of and civilized.

DISCIPLINE AND COURTS-MARTIAL.

The discipline of the command is fair. The number of trials by general court-martial have increased 49 over the last year; the number of trials before garrison and summary courts have decreased 5; the number of cases tried has therefore exceeded last year's record by 44. A large proportion of the cases tried by general courts have been for violations of Articles of War which cover minor offenses. When the charges are accompanied by records of previous trials and convictions, these trials almost invariably result in the discharge from the service of the offender, and, as the inspector of the department says: "The number of men discharged by general court-martial indicates that incorrigible subjects are no longer tolerated in the ranks." In view of the fact that, as reported by the inspector, the number so discharged about

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