The Sun.
London, England, 1866-11-13 00:00:00

RAILROADS IN WAR.

General M'Callum, who during the war of the
Rebellion, had charge of the railroad service of the
armies, has furnished a report which contains many
curious things. He commenced his labours in
ruary, 1862, at which time the only railroad held by
the United States, for military purposes, was that
which extended from Washington to Alexandria,
and was seven miles long. From this small be-
ginning the railroad service of the army increased
until it became a prodigious affair. When the war
was ended General Al‘Callum's department had
seized and built over two thousand miles of railroad,
and operated them with the necessary engines, cars,
engineers, and assistants. They had built so many
bridges that, if they had been placed in connection,

they would have extended 26 miles. Some of these
bridges were wonderful constructions and built with
Thegreat bridge on the Chat-
surprising swiftness.

tahooche was seven hundred and eighty feet long
and ninety-two feet high, and it was built in four
days and a half. The bridge over the Potomac, at
Aquia Creek, Virginia, was 414 feet long
and 82 feet high, and it was built and passed over
by trains within 40 hours. Very frequently
these roads were attacked by the rebels, the trackS
torn up, and the bridges burned, but the Con-
struction Corps was promptly on hand to repair
and restore them. In Hood's campaign to Ten-
nessee his troops destroyed thirty-live miles of

track, and burned bridges extending over four
hundred and fifty feet. This damage was perfectly
repaired, and the line was again in working order
in thirteen days. There was great destruction of
trains and engines by guerillas. In six months of

865 sixteen wrecked locomotives and nearly three

hundred ear loads of wheels were brought into
Nashville. Frequently these military railroads were

put to the most laborious work in the transportation
of troops. In 186 the entire Fourth Army Corps was
transported from East Tennessee to Nashville,
three hundrel and sixty miles, without accident or
delay, in fifteen hundred cars. at one time the
construction and railroad corps of General iNl‘Cal-
lum was composed of twenty-five thousand men,
and in their operations they spent forty-two mil-
lions of dollars. The labours of this important
part of the army was severe, and gave to those who
efficiently conducted them no chance for fame.
But upon them most undoubtedly depended the
success of our armies, because they not only carried
troops where they were wanted, and brought back
the sick and wounded, but they also kept the sol-
diers fully supplied with food comforts and ammu-
nition.—Philadelphia inquirer.

IMPORTANT TO EMBRYO CONSULS,

The State Department seems to be much troubled
by applicants for Consulships abroad. Many who
offer their services for those posts have very small
qualifications for the positions they covet, and they
seem to suppose that no particular knowledge is
necessary on the part of incumbents of such offices.
And yet it is notorious that our Consuls abroad
may get us into difficulties with foreign nations, and
frequently they assume to do things in the name of
the United States Government which are entirely
beyond their authority. The evil has become so
grievous that the State Department has been com-
pelled to issue a circular, which shows that the
erection of a School for Consuls in some of
our large cities might be a valuable insti-
tution for the edification of candidates for
office in other countries. It is established by
the official circular that one who covets consular
office must be a native-born citizen, over 21 years of
age. Ile must have taken the oath of allegiance, and
must be acquainted with geography, English gram-
mar, arithmetic, and bookkeeping. Ile must be
able to read and write, and must be well ac-
quainted with the history of his native country.
Beside these qualifications, it is necessary that
he should have sufficient acquaintance with
international law to be able to discharge his duties
intelligently. He.will have, therefore, to study the
" Consular Manual," " Kent's Commentaries,"
" Story on the Constitution," and " Wheaton's
Elements of International Law." Before he can
obtain a commission he must undergo an exami-
nation to test his knowledge of the im-
portant principles which are discussed in those
treatises. In addition to all this, he ought
to be able to read and write the French or some
other modern language, and if he understands the
dialect of the country to which he desires to be ac-
credited he will stand a much better chance of pro-
motion. It will surprise many who are ambitious
to serve their country that they should be required
to know so much, but it will be a satisfaction to the
country to know that hereafter the character of our
consuls abroad will be raised, and that our interests
will be safer in the hands of that class of officers
than they have been.—Philadelphia Inquirer.

THE PARIS EXPOSITION.—Since our last the
President of the United States has completed
the appointment of the Commissioners from the
United States. We add herewith the names :
Charles Seymour, New York ; William A.
Rudd, New York; E. R. Mudge, Massachusetts;
H. F. Winchester, Connecticut; Charles R. Good-
win, Paris. Additional State Commissioners—Dr.
M. Du Puyster, California ; Frank Fuller, Utah ;
11. D'Aleigny, Michigan ; J. W. Hoyt, Wisconsin ;
T. T. Mann, Minesota. The commission for the
American Restaurant has been taken by Messrs.
Dows and Co., of Boston, who will add to the food
department an American bar. Properly managed
this will prove a creditable as well as a profitable
undertaking.