The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-08 00:00:00

America represented by Mr. SMALLEY, as there
is not real cause, and the irritation produced by
the insolent speech of Mr. ROEBUCK, followed by
the LAIRD meeting, the whole happily worked up
by Mr. S3IALLEY himself, may cool down and leave
Mr. REVERDY JOHNSON to be judged by his official
acts, and not by his ideas of good manners at table.
Since writing the above we have read Mr. JOHN-
SON'S speech at the Birmingham banquet on Wed-
nesday night, and his assertion that the Washing-
ton Government approve his course and are satis-
fied with the negociation is conclusive. Mr. JOHN-
SON eloquently reverts to what he has done—the
enormous interests involved in peace, the fearful
losses incurred by war, and the great benefit that
will accrue not only to America but to the world
from the close alliance of these nations, and then
he says, " there remains no cloud, small or great,
to make the continuance of peace between the two
countries at all doubtful ;" adding, " that the
amicable relations between our respective countries
will be placed on a firm and enduring basis, which
it is hardly possible will ever be weakened." Nor
does he alone thus answer the attack made on him
by a large portion of the American press, for he re
plies to the very point urged against him—giving
as good as he got. However forcibly he may ad-
vocate national peace, he himself shows more in-
clination to fight than to be cowed by the torrent
of abuse from America :—" I received civilities
from all I have taken by the hand—every hand
that was offered to me, without regarding the
opinions that any man might have held during our
late unhappy contest. To have done otherwise in
my judgment would have been equally foolish and
ungentlemanly, and I thank GOD that while I perhaps
may flatter myself in believing that I am not capable
of failing on the part of the first, nature has not so
cursed me as to cause me to fail in the latter.
If there are any, either in England or the United
States who are so cursed in that they should
think proper to render judgment against my conduct,
I appeal from that judgment, and shall, in the
language of the lawyers, assign their total disquali-
fication by nature to entertain and decide the ques-
tion." There is nothing like pegging away. It is
the means by which GRANT won, and it is the way in•
which Mr. JOHNSON will win. Indeed we are at a
loss to understand, always putting aside the recep-
tion of fir. LAIRD, why he should have been so
abused, and we scarcely think that it reflects any
credit on the Republican party press, that so able
and zealous a public servant of the opposite sida,
while honestly and successfully carrying out a
delicate negociation should have been so furiously
Assailed.

THE ANNUAL REPORTS.

The Cabinet Ministers at Washington and the
heads of the various bureaux are very busy with
their annual reports. The subordinate officers must
report first, as on their returns the head of the de-
partment grounds his to the President, who embo-
dies all in his address to Congress. These reports
give very full information on the progress of the
nation, and the above heading will have to stand
for a considerably period in our columns before we
can give even the briefest summary of them all.
First, then, as regards the Army, the following are
reports sent to the Secretary of War, the year ter-
minating the 30th June, 1868. The Adjutant-
General states the strength of the Army on S3pt.
30th to have been 43,741 mcn,besides4,34o men in the
Engineer, Ordnance, and other special branches of
the service. The regiments of infantry are rapidly
decreasing in numbers in consequence of the numer-
ous discharges and individual application in addi-
tion to the ordinary discharges and casualties.
Before January 1, 1869, about 4,500 men will have
left the service in consequence of the expiration of
their term of service. The losses to the army by
desertion are considerably less than they were last
year, the number of desertions having been 2,700
less, and the number of arrests having been 1,000
greater than during that period. The cavalry re-
giments have been kept up to their full force
in consequence of the demand for troops to re-
sist the Indians. Recruiting for all branches of
the service was carried on till November 26, 1867,
when orders were issued to reduce all the regi-
ments of infantry and of artillery, except the ten
light batteries, to the number of 50 privates:for each
company. On July 24th, 1868, instructions were
issued prohibiting all enlistments, except for the
cavalry, and in the latter arm of the service only
five stations forrecruiting have been continued. The
strength of the coloured regiments is nearly up to
the required standard. The Adjutant-General re-
commends that the term of service of enlisted men
be extended from three to five years, and that
boys over twelve years old, with the consent of
their parents, be enlisted as musicians.- He also
recommends the passage of a law empowering the
President to drop from the army rolls any officer
who deserts and cannot within three months be
arrested for court-martial. The 203 volunteer
officers in service at the date of the last annual re-
port have, with the exception of General Howard,
been mustered out, and the mustering and disburs-
ing offices at Philadelphia, Albany and Columbus,
Ohio, have been closed. The Adjutant-General
concludes with an extended report and recommen-
dations on the subject of military punishments.
The Report of Commissary-General of Subsist-
ence, A.B. Eaton, discusses the supply of the troops
on the plains, and between the Mississippi and
Rocky Mountains. There the cost of subsistence
has hitherto been very large, which the construc-
tion of the Pacific Railroad and the settlement of
country will hereafter materially reduce. The ave-
rage cost of fresh beef per pound this year, east of
the Rocky Mountains, was 11 3-10th cents, being
3 -10ths of a centper pound less than the cost last year.
The average cost this year at nine of the principal
points of supply was 23 cents and two mills per
complete ration. The average value of tobacco
furnished per month to the army was $19,366,
which amount is deducted from the pay proper of
the men who use the weed. The value of the sub-
sistence stores supplied the freedmen and refugees
for the fiscal year of 1867 was $882,684, and in
1868 it was $632,776, making a total of $1,515,461,
of which the Freedmen's Bureau has repaid
$1,048,669. The value of army stores is-
sued to the Indians during the fiscal year of
1867 was $644,439, and in 1868 it was $373,926.
Referring to the money commutation for rations to
soldiers who were prisoners during the war, 4,944
applications were received, on which $250,000
have been paid. In reference to the subsistence
stores taken and used by the army, there have been
received 5,386 claims, of which 3,534, aggregating
$2,088,373, have been disallowed ; 996, aggregat-
ing $663,034, have _not yet been examined ; and
845, aggregating $196,930, have been recommended
for settlement. All army officers' accounts re-
ceived during the year numbered 12,502, of which
12,215 have been examined and sent to the Treasury.
All volunteer Commissaries of Subsistence have been
mustered out, and Congress is again recommended
to authorize the appointment of Assistant Commis-
saries from line Lieutenants, and also the appoint-
ment of Post Commissary Sergeants.

The Report of the Quartermaster-General states
that his branch expended $36,500,000, leaving
with the balance of appropriations for 1868, and
those for 1869 of $14,000,000, nearly $15,000,000
available for the fiscal year 1869. Transportation
over other railroads than the Pacific lines has been
as follows :-90,000 tons freight, at a cost of
$289,221, and 40,000 persons, at a cost of $484,122.
The Union Pacific transported from June 30, 1867,
to Sept. 30, 1868, about 20,777 tons munitions
of war and 7,415 persons, at a cost of $1,070,655 ;
the Union Pacific Kansas Division, for the same
time, 15,157 tons and 6,395 persons, at a cost of
$531,275. The fleet of transports, one thousand
strong at the close of the war, has been sold or
otherwise disposed of. In reference to the debts
due from the Southern Railroads to the Depart-
ment, it is stated that 16 companies have paid un
in full. The total debt remaining for material
purchased and interest is $8,500,000. The total
number of animals now in the service is as follows :
—Horses, including officers' horses, 13,291 ; mules,
17,866 ; oxen, 211. The establishment of two
stock farms, one in Texas, the other on the Plains,