The Wheeling repository — Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.], 1808-01-14 00:00:00, page 3

tifications, with “one million.” tfrs
reason for naming this sum was, that
there remained in the treasury unex
pended.of former appropriations about
123.000 dollars ; 750,000 were sufficient
to complete the fortification of those
places which were susceptible of de
fence by means of fortifications ; and it
was believed, and he was authorised to
say that the sum of 200,000 dollars
would be sufficient to erect the works in
the harbour of New-York, in case of
the assent of the legislature.
The sum of 1,500,000 dollars was
then named.
Mr. Masters said that fortifications
were one part of our defence, and gun
boats were another. The select com
mittee had reported both these modes
in one bill, as intimately connected to
gether. The sum lor each object should
be proportionate, according to the extent
their utility. The 188 gun-boats
which the bill provided for, would cost
940.000 dollars, and to keep them,
with those already built, in actual ser
t ice for one y ar, would cost the nation
the adtli i mal sum of three millions of
dollars. 1 he sum of fifteen hundred
thousand dollars, which he had moved
for fortifications, bore no proportion to
me other appropriation, according to
the importance of the object ; it was to
be r. me mbt red that this sum was to be
applied to more than thiity different
places. He wished therefore that the
hill for building the gun-boats might not
he hurried out ol their hands, until lie
could h \v time to prepare an amend
ment to v duce the number of gun-boats
and provide tor 1 uddiug some ships of
war, unless the houw. would agree to
laise the sum intended for fortifications,
to enable the Pr« sident to ert ct a formi
dable fort on Flag Staff Hill, and a
battery on the shoal opposite, at the
Natiows, to prevent enemy’s ships
from sailing into the harbor of New
^,?.rk.* ^ atl been informed bv capr.
VV d'lams, who was a Very skilful engi
w cr, that a f« it could he tn cted at the
Nairow’s, whicli would discharge 180
hc.i\ \ cannon in a minute, d'he fortifi
cations on Governor’s-Island, and the
conte in plated works at the battery and
on Bcdlow’s Island, were only intended
to pr* vent shij53 of war from lying a
ga.nst and firing upon the town. No
man in his senses would contend that
these works, with fifty gun-boats to be
assigned for N. ^ork, were a sufficient
defence lor that important city. Those
gentlemen whose favourite system of de
fence was gun-boats, he trusted would
not object to a liberal appropriation for
his system. He understood the hon.
gentleman from Pennsylvania to sav,
that he objected to any defence being
made by frigates, because where one
frigate was, another could come, and
because gun-boats could run out of the
way. This argument amounts to this,
, that frigates would have to fight, and
gun-boats to run out of the way to avoid
fighting : and for that very reason he
should prefer frigates, which would
make a great addition to our national
strength.
It had been said, if they had fortifica
tions, they could not prevent an enemy
from landing. The consideration for
the house was, what places were most
vulnerable to attack, and upon such
t places to erect fortifications. If an ene
my could land near a city or town, it
proved that forts and batteries were ab
solutely necessary for the defence of
such cities and towns. He discarded
half-way measures. If a narrow, self
ish policy prevailed, the nation would
experience the fatal effects of it. If the
nation desponded, it would not be for
the want of men or small arms : it would
lie from their measures, and he feared
I their gun-boat plans would paralisc the
: who.e system of national defence.
On the 9th ult. the chairman of the
committee on naval and military affairs,
submitted an estimate, from the secre
tary of war, of the annual expense of an
army of 32,000 men, and of the hospital,
quarter-master and ordnance depart
ments for the first year.
Estimates of the expenses of a regiment
of infantry.
Pay per
month, annum.
1 Colonel,
8 75 900
1 Lieutenant-Colonel,
GO 720
1 Major,
50 GOO
1 Surgeon,
45 540
1 Surgeon’s mate,
30 360
1 Adjutant,
10 120
10 Captains,
40 4,800
10 First Lieutenants, 30 3,600
10 Second Lieutenants, 25 3,000
10 Ensigns,
20 2,400
1 Serjeant Major,
11 132
2 Teachers of Music,
9 216
40 Serjeants,
10 4,800
40 Corporal*^
8 3*840
40 Musicians, 8 3,84#
840 Privates, 7 70,560
Pay per annum,
8 100,427
Forage,
660
40,150 rations to officers,
at 25 cents,
10,937 50
351,495 rations to non
commissioned officers
and privates, at 16 cts.
56,239 20
Clothing at S 30 per suit,
28,890
S 196,253 70
[Of the 660 dollars for forage, the es
timate allows the colonel, S 144, lieut.
col. 132, major and surgeon, each, 120,
surgeonTs mate and adjutant, each, 72.
The colonel is allowed 6 rations per
day; the lieut. col. 5; major, 4; surgeon,
3; surgeon’s mate, 2 ; captains, 3; lieu
tenants and ensigns, each, 2.J
Regiment of artillery, 809
officers and privates, S 165,014 7#
Regiment of cavalry, 513
officers and privates, 110,343 20
Regiment of riflemen, 809
officers and privates, 161,526 70
Corps of sappers 8c miners,
301 officers and men, 58,715 20
Annual expense of pay, forage, subsist
ence and clothing.
Men. Dolls.
22 regim’ts infantry,
22,0^O 4,317,582
3 ditto artillery,
2,400 495,043
5 ditto cavalry,
2,500 550,706
3 ditto riflemen,
2,400 484,579
1 corps sappers and
miners,
300 58,715
Present peace esta
blishment,
3,200 712,108
Number of men, 32,800
Forage for the cavalry, 1j7,210
8 6,815,943
Hospital department, loo,ooo
Transportation, 25o,ooo
Contingencies, l5o,ooo
Seven thousand teftts, 12o,ooo
Eight thousand camp kettles, 12,ooo
One hundred covered waggons, 2o,oo»
Ordnance department, 15o,ooo
Powder and ball, 17o,oo#
Horses, saddles, bridles, &c.
for five regiments cavalry, 3oo,oo#
8 8,087,943
December 28.
On motion of Mr. Clopton, Resolved,
That a committee be appointed to in
quire what provision ought to be made