The question of providing an armament suited to our present necessities
has been the subject of consideration by a board, whose report was
transmitted to Congress at the last session. Pending the consideration
of that report, the War Department has taken no steps for the
manufacture or conversion of any heavy cannon, but the Secretary
expresses the hope that authority and means to begin that important
work will be soon provided. I invite the attention of Congress to the
propriety of making more adequate provision for arming and equipping
the militia than is afforded by the act of 1808, which is still upon
the statute book. The matter has already been the subject of discussion
in the Senate, and a bill which seeks to supply the deficiencies of
existing laws is now upon its calendar.
The Secretary of War calls attention to an embarrassment growing out of
the recent act of Congress making the retirement of officers of the Army
compulsory at the age of 64. The act of 1878 is still in force, which
limits to 400 the number of those who can be retired for disability or
upon their own application. The two acts, when construed together, seem
to forbid the relieving, even for absolute incapacity, of officers who
do not fall within the purview of the later statute, save at such times
as there chance to be less than 400 names on the retired list.
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