Show OUR DEFENSES washington oct got 23 io I 1 u his bla an nual report brig general otis commanding the department of the columbia has much to say about coast defenses and the rearrangement of posts on the latter subject lie he says that neither fort sherman or fort spokane are properly located to meet the conditions of a regimental post find and after canvassing the merits and drawbacks of different localities he says that no point in that section offers the advantages of the city of spokane Bp okane a railroad center gen otis calls attention to the fact that since 1866 the government has done very little looking to the protection of 0 puget sound bound against foreign attack notwithstanding the great development of the country and the increase of population he re recommends commands that the eleven points of defense selected by the beard last la summer timmer ae e acquired ata nf placed under military control and that the forty three reservations withdrawn withdraw ti in past years be turned over to the in degior te bior department for disposition port fort townsend is 18 no longer of advantage and in its stead an infantry garrison should be established at Manolia bladt near seattle which would serve admirably for the protection of the country beyond the cascales where people dwell part of them restless demonstrative and oftentimes turbulent on fancied provocation should this project tail fail of approval gen otte oils recommends the abandonment of port fort townsend and transfer of its garrison to vancouver barracks the three tree pot point at military reservation of acres could with propriety be turned over to the interior department for disposition posit ioD gen otis oils describes in some detail the movements and operation of his forces caused by the commonweal movement and the railroad strike and pays a high compliment to the zeal efficiency and rood good judgment displayed by the officers and men engaged to la this disagreeable and severe duty after telling what casdone was done howarda the rescue of the canby party from the clearwater country in idaho qan gen otis otia says the experience showed almost nothing was waa known of the tops toper gramby of the country and he has bus sent two parties under lieutenants leyden and elliott to explore and map tats rough tn well of the discipline and character oter of the troops aud and suggests that Con Congre gremse aa might offer a great incentive to good conduct abd and honest effort by promising employment in the civil service to go soldiers who have served faithfully for say fifteen to twenty years the necessity of drill halls halla lind and gymnasium in view of the climatic of the department is set out and in conclusion gov geo otis says that for the flaat time in the hJ history story of the department of the columbia ariere is nothing to report on the subject of indians they have created no disturbances are peaceably taking up lau landa ds in severalty severally and the government 1 la is disappearing disappear ug |