REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR. To the PRESIDENT: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., November 24, 1896. I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this Department for the past year. The expenditures for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1896, the appropriations for the present year, and the estimates of amounts required for the year beginning July 1, 1897, are shown in the following statement: $1,436, 795. 00 1 310, 204. 46 142, 436.56 1,356, 884.55 458, 084. 19 2,867, 464.75 399, 845. 43 17,844, 560.43 808, 067.99 3, 133, 181. 42 138,637.72 388, 736.54 847, 765.94 51,803, 298. 62 for fiscal year ending June 30, 1897. $1,485, 956.00 25,000.00 130,000.00 2,400,000.00 1,050,000.00 155, 500.00 1,089,000.00 449, 525. 61 7, 273, 388.00 239, 645.50 15,963,458.96 1, 018, 938. 00 3,208, 478.75 577, 000. 00 153, 350. 65 339, 490.00 54, 044, 244. 20 Estimates for fiscal year ending June 30, 1898. $1,464, 236. 00 13, 522, 880. 15 1,659, 837.50 2,200,000.00 600, 000. 00 832,000.00 25,000.00 130,000.00 2,500,000.00 1, 100, 000. 00 155, 200.00 1, 131, 000. 00 521, 812.83 15, 822, 043.75 139, 796. 00 5, 349, 000.00 1,558, 380.00 3, 443, 214. 23 191,000.00 139, 992. 75 397,990.00 52, 883, 383. 21 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR. To the PRESIDENT: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, D. C., November 24, 1896. I have the honor to submit the following report of the operations of this Department for the past year. The expenditures for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1896, the appropriations for the present year, and the estimates of amounts required for the year beginning July 1, 1897, are shown in the following statement: Title. Salaries and contingent expenses. Pay, etc., of the Army.. Subsistence of the Army... Regular supplies, Quartermaster s Department... Army transportation.. Clothing, etc..... Medical Department. Ordnance Department.. Military Academy Fortifications and seacoast defenses.. Arsenals, etc........ Rivers and harbors... Parks, cemeteries, military posts, etc. National Soldiers' Homes.. Artificial limbs, etc..... Buildings and grounds in and around Washington.... Miscellaneous items...... Total..... $1,436, 795. 00 10, 978.87 109 773.45 2,321, 727.54 1 310, 204 46 142,436.56 1,356, 884.55 458, 084. 19 2,867, 464.75 399, 845. 43 17,844, 560. 43 808, 067.99 3, 133, 181. 42 138,637.72 388, 736, 54 847, 765.94 51,803, 298. 62 for fiscal year ending June 30, 1897. $1,485, 956. 00 2. 400, 000.00 239,645.50 54, 044, 244. 20 Estimates for fiscal year ending June 30, 1898. $1, 464, 236. 00 13, 522, 880. 15 1,659, 837.50 2,200,000.00 600, 000. 00 832,000.00 25,000.00 130,000.00 2,500,000.00 1,100, 000. 00 155, 200.00 1, 131, 000, 00 521, 812.83 15, 822, 043. 75 139, 796. 00 5,349,000.00 1,558, 380.00 3, 443, 214. 23 191, 000. 00 139, 992. 75 397,990.00 52, 883, 383. 21 The aggregate of appropriations for this Department unexpended and turned into the general fund of the Treasury at the end of the last fiscal year was $1,975,033.07. For the year 1895 it was $1,764,467.98, and for 1894 it was $1,387,922.21. ARMY SERVICE AND STATIONS. During the past year the only active operations devolved upon the Army consisted of scouting in the mountains of Arizona and in the Mexican territory adjacent to the Arizona line, with the object of the capture of renegade Apaches, who, in December, 1895 and March, 1896, raided into Arizona from their resorts south of the boundary line and committed three murders within our own territory. Detachments of troops were immediately sent in pursuit; two of the Indians were killed and one captured. The remainder of the band of renegades were pursued 150 miles south of the Mexican line where the trail could be no longer followed. The pursuit was continued into Mexican territory under an international agreement between the United States and Mexico, which provided for the reciprocal crossing of the frontiers by the armed detachments of either country when in actual pursuit of hostile Indians. The service performed was very arduous, and involved over 42,000 miles march of various organized detachments. Under the call of the United States marshal made in August last, troops were called out in the Department of Arizona to protect the American portion of the town of Nogales against a raid of filibusters and Mexican Indians. There were no casualties among the troops, but six Mexicans and eight Indians were killed in the Mexican portion of the town before the arrival of the troops. The object of the raid was the capture and plunder of the custom-house. The timely appearance of the troops probably prevented a serious disturbance and the loss of life and property of American citizens. In the Department of Dakota troops were sent to the scene of alleged depredations by Indians near the Tongue River Agency in Montana and to protect the citizens. The band of refugee Cree Indians, a Canadian tribe who have lived in Montana for several years, were, in pursuance of the act of Congress approved May 13, 1896, collected, deported, and delivered by our troops to the officials of the Canadian Government-a delicate duty, which was performed with expedition and discretion. In response to the request of the Secretary of the Interior, a detachment of troops was ordered to the capital of the Choctaw Nation in the Indian Territory, to prevent expected trouble at a tribal election and the inauguration of a governor. The trouble was averted and the troops were withdrawn. The military posts of Fort Stanton in New Mexico, Fort Buford in North Dakota, Fort Hancock in Texas, and Fort Omaha in Nebraska have been discontinued since October last, and the garrisons withdrawn. The new posts of Fort Harrison, Montana, Fort Crook, Nebraska, and Little Rock, Arkansas, have been occupied. To promote the efficiency of the troops several transfers of regi ments and exchanges of stations have been made during the year. The Twenty-fourth Infantry, which has had over thirty years' continuous service in Texas and the Southwestern Territories, was transferred to Fort Douglas near Salt Lake City. The Fifteenth Infantry, after five years' service near Chicago, has taken the place of the Twentyfourth, and the Fourth Infantry, which has been in Idaho and Wash. ington for ten years, has succeeded the Fifteenth. The Fifth Artillery was brought to posts in New York Harbor after six years' service on the Pacific Coast. Nine regiments in all were changed. The equivalent of 5 regiments are now stationed in the Pacific States, 15 are east of the Missouri River and the meridian of Kansas City, and 20 regiments are still located in the plains and mountain country, extending westward from the Missouri River to the eastern boundary of the Pacific States. Of the cavalry arm, 1 regiment is on the Pacific, 13 regiments are east of the meridian of Kansas City, and the rest, 7 regiments, are serving in the prairie and mountain region, where are the homes of nearly all the Indians who are still capable of making trouble. One regiment of artillery is serving on the Pacific Coast, 1 on the Gulf, and 3 on the Atlantic. Of 10 batteries of field artillery, 2 are in California, 1 in Texas, 3 in Kansas, 1 in Illinois, 1 in Rhode Island, 1 in New York, and 1 in the District of Columbia. There are seventy-seven military posts in all. Six have garrisons of one company each, seventeen have two companies, nine have three companies; there are nine of four companies, four of five companies, seven of six companies, two of seven companies, and twenty at which eight or more companies are serving. STRENGTH OF THE ARMY. The number of enlisted men in the service on October 31 was 25,426, or 284 less than the number authorized by law. Deducting the sick, tose absent on furlough, recruits not joined, the men employed in the |