And State Papers 631 



Provision should be made to enable the Secretary 

 of War to keep cavalry and artillery horses, worn- 

 out in long performance of duty. Such horses fetch 

 but a trifle when sold; and rather than turn them 

 out to the misery awaiting them when thus dis- 

 posed of, it would be better to employ them at light 

 work around the posts, and when necessary to put 

 them painlessly to death. 



For the first time in our history naval manoeuvres 

 on a large scale are being held under the immediate 

 command of the admiral of the navy. Constantly 

 increasing attention is being paid to the gunnery 

 of the navy, but it is yet far from what it should 

 be. I earnestly urge that the increase asked for by 

 the Secretary of the Navy in the appropriation for 

 improving the marksmanship be granted. In bat- 

 tle the only shots that count are the shots that hit. 

 It is necessary to provide ample funds for practice 

 with the great guns in time of peace. These funds 

 must provide not only for the purchase of projectiles, 

 but for allowances for prizes to encourage the gun 

 crews, and especially the gun pointers, and for 

 perfecting an intelligent system under which alone 

 it is possible to get good practice. 



There should be no halt in the work of build- 

 ing up the navy, providing every year additional 

 fighting craft. We are a very rich country, vast 

 in extent of territory and great in population; a 

 country, moreover, which has an army diminutive 

 indeed when compared with that of any other first- 



