The Sun.
London, England, 1842-01-01 00:00:00

POST-OFFICE.

A Treasury Minute was last night published in the
Gazette, with reference to the Postage dues. The sub-
stance of it is contained in the subjoined schedule :
Between any port in Madeira and the Canary Islands,
or between any port in Madeira or the Canary Islands
and the Azores, or between Madeira or the Canary
Islands or the Azores and any port in the West In-
dies or North or South America, other than the West-
ern Coast (not passing through the United Kingdom),.
Is. for each Litter not exceeding half an ounce in weight.
Between any port in the United Kingdom and any
port in the Canary Islands or the Azores, Is. Bd.
Between any port in the United Kingdom and any port.
in Central America or Venezuela, or New Grenada
(ports in the British colonies or possessions, and the
Isthmus of Panama, and on the Western Coast of
South America, excepted),2s. Id.
Between any port in the West Indies or North or
South America, whether in her Majesty's colonies or
not (but not including ports on the Western Coast of
South America), and any other port in the West In-
dies or North or South America (except the Western
Coast), not in her Majesty's colonies or possessions
(without passing through the United Kingdom), ls.
Between any ports or places on the Western Coast
of South America (in addition to any other rates pay-
able under this warrant for the transmission by packet-
boat, to or from the Northern or Eastern Coast of the
Isthmus of Panama), Is.

The following sums have been given to the
Accident Relief Society :—His Grace the Duke of Buck-
ingham, 201.; the Earl of Burlington, 10/. ; the Right
Hon. the Lord Mayor, 101.; Mrs. Marryatt, 10/.; G. B.
Kent, Esq., 5/.; W. Dudley, Esq., 5/.

CHERRY RIPE.—A woman named Beckley
was delivered at the Luton Union workhouse on the 17th
instant of a fine female child, with a fine ripe cherry
hanging from the first finger of the left hand, and a
smaller one hanging from the first finger of the right
hand.----llertford Rifirriner.

WANTED, A SCHOOLMASTER.—The follow-
ing is the address of a letter posted not a hundred miles
from Chard yesterday :—" For Mrs. Kings Mead Street
N 37 pleas to convey the leter to she poast paid." We
can aver that the above orthography and address are
verbatim et literatim like the original. The letter was
sent, " Try Bristol."—Sherborne JournaL
DESTRUCTION OP THE QUEBEC 'POST..
OFFICE ny FIRE.—The Quebec post-office was burnt
down on the 2d ult., but owing to the timely discovery
of the conflagration at its commencement, all the books,
papers, and letters in Postmaster Sewell's department
were saved ; those, however, of the General Post-office
department were destroyed, with some valuable private
papers belonging to the Deputy Postmaster-General.
The village of Jumelles (in the Eure) has been
alarmed by the appearance within it of a bear. It is be-
lieved to be an animal escaped from a menagerie recently
exhibited at Vernon.

What is Pussey-ism, Ma ?" said a little in-
quisitive girl to Imr mother, " anything about a cat,
Ma ?" Aye, child, a cat or a cat's tail, for anything I
know."

SUICIDE IN THE REGENT'S CANAL.—Mr.
Baker held an inquest yesterday, at the Albion, Maiden-
lane, on the- body of a female, name unknown, about
24 years old. It appeared that on Tuesday evening last,
as a man named Thomas llawbin was passing along the
Regent's Canal, near Battle-bridge, he saw deceased
struggling in the water. She sank in a few seconds, and
her body was taken out with the drags in a quarter of
an hour. She must have jumped from the bridge, and
had left her bonnet and shawl on the parapet. She was
dressed in mourning. Verdict—" Found drowned."
FATAL ACCIDENT BY FlRE.—This morning,
about half-past seven o'clock, the following lamentable
accident happened to a girl named Ann Jameson, about
seven years old. It appeared that the deceased had been
left with two other children sitting by the side of the
fire at their residence in No. 73, Granby-street, Water-
loo-road, and during the temporary absence of the
mother a lighted coal flew from the grate and
set fire to the child's dress. The screams of
the sufferer soon brought some of the lodgers
to her assistance, when the fire was soon extin-
guished, but every portion of the child's dress was de=
stroyed, and the body so dreadfully burnt, that; not-
withstanding early medical assistance was Procured, the
child died at ten o'clock this morning. Not fewer than
seven other accidents, under similar circumstances, have
occurred to children in the neighbourhood withdn the
last two days, but fortunately only one has been fatal.
Lord Brougham, Mr. Justice Williams, the Right
on. Henry Goulburn, Chancellor of the Exchequer,
Ile, lion. C. Law, M.P., and several other distinguished
t'lrsonages, have been on a visit to Cambridge University.
Pe BERLIN, DEC. 22.—The King will leave Berg
fin on the 16th, and, passing through Mageeburg,
lioxt
aters Ostend
Hague,steed on th
&c., and
20th. His
the Kingdom
h
ofes Belgium, and
arrive most
strictly forbidden any ceremonies to receive him, of which
notice has already been given to the authoritif s of the se-
veral places in Prussia through which he will pass.

-

ill

AMERICAN NEWS.

REPO* OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR,

War Department, Dec. 1, 1841.
Sir,—The reports of the Major-General commanding
the Army, and of the Heads of the different Bureaus, at •
tached to this Department, upon the several subjects com-
mitted io its charge, are herewith submitted. -
The accuracy of the information, and the fullness of
the views thus exhibited, will render superfluous any.ex-
tended observations from one but recently called to the
consideration of the various matters so well presented
by officers of great experience and acknowledged ability.
Such remarks, however, as seem required, will be made
in the course of the following statement of the general
results derived from these reportS.
From the general return of the Army, contained in the
report of the Major-General Commanding-in-Chief, it
appears that the a hole number of troops, now in service,
is 10,694; consisting of 728 commissioned officers, and
9,966 non-commissioned officers, musicians, and pri-
vates. The aggregate exceeds the number specified in
the report of 1840 by 124. Of the whole number 9,882
are reported as present, and the residue, 812, are absent
or sick ; of whom 447 are absent on detached service.
To complete the organisation of the army, 1,838 recruits
are required.
During the past year the whole number recruited was
4,922.
It is gratifying to find that the number of deserters
within the year, as compared with the number enlisted,
has largely diminislied.—[ls this ironically intended ?
ED. Sea.]
Within ale year a newaspect has been given to the mi-
litary eper.itions in Florida. The minuteness and ac-
curacy with which they are detailed in the report of the
Commanding General, render any other account of them
unnecessary. It would be unjust, however, to withhold
the expression of that cordial approbation, which is
felt by this department, and, it is believed, by the
whole country, of the gallant enterprise and patient en-
durance of the troops and their able Commander,
Colonel 'Worth. Overcoming the feelings which a con-

test with such enemies must Produce in the soldiers of a
civilized country, and consulting only the highest dic-
tates of duty, they have persevered in a contest which,
in the only means of conducting it, more resembles
the pursuit of animals than a warfare with human beings,
and in which the triumphs of success are mingled with
pity, not far removed from contempt, for an inglorioue foe.
The very moderate increase of two regiments to our
army, recommended in the same report, will unquestion-
ably be received with all the confidence due to any sug-
gestions from such a source. The necessity for such an
increase, to man the forts, posts, and fortifications, on
our inland and maritime frontiers, will be apparent on a
consideration of the plans for the national defence which
has been proposed, and wholly or partially adopted.
The defences of the northern frontier must be de-
signed for a protection against a powerful enemy, pos-
sessing all the means of warfare along a distance of more
than two thousand Miles. Naval forces on the lakes un-
doubtedly afford our chief reliance for defence and
offence. To furnish them shelter from tempests, the har-
bours must be enlarged and rendered accessible ; and to
protect theiii awl their supplies, as well as the property
and lives of our citizens from an enemy, those harbours,
and most important of the straits and rivers connecting
the lakes, should be fortified.
The omission to make the necessary appropriations
has prevented anything more than a partial execution of
the defence of the northern frontier. Fort Niagara has
been reported ready for armament, and a company has
been ordered to garrison it. So much has already been
done at Fort Oswego as to justify the belief that at the
end of the season it will be in a condition for effective
service. Under the appropriations made in September
last for the defensive works at Detroit, Buffalo, and the
outlet of Lake Champlain, means have been taken to
select sites for their construction, which will be commenced
as soon as the titles to those sites shall be secured.
The division of our national defences relating to our
maritime frontier, presents a subject of the deepest in-
terest.
_ _ _

A Board of Engineers was organized in 1816, and has
continued in existence ever since, to which was specially
assigned the duty of' preparing a general system of de-
fence for the seaboard. It made personal examinations
of every harbour on the whole coast (excepting only a
few in East Florida) accessible to seagoing vessels. tie-
ports of the progress were . made in 1817. 1819, 1820.
1421, 1822, 1823',•1824, and 1825 ; and at two different
times, namely, in 1826 awl 1836, a summary Report was
presented to the Executive, and sent to Congress, de-
scribing the system briefly in its application to the seve-
ral parts of the coast.
In pursuance of a resolution of the -House of Repre-
sentatives, of April 9, 1840,. a Report from this Depart
meat was made on the 12th day of May, in the same
year, transmitting one from a board of officers assembled
for the purpose of considering the subject, which con-
tains a very full view of the system, in a brief compass
and geographically arranged. It exhibits the various
works demed necessary along the Atlantic coast, and
along that of the Gulf of Mexico, and the order of their
relative importance in reference to the time of their con-
struction, with estimates of the expense of each, and of
the aggregate cost.
The elements of that syStem are, first, naval forces ;
second, fortifications; and third, interior communications.
As to the first, independent of all other considera-
tions, it is supposed that floating-batteries of any
description that are to remain stationary at the
exposed points .cannot be expected, because the
aggregate expense of providing and maintaining the
large force that would be required for the numerous
points on our coast, would be beyond our means.
A navy which would carry the war into every sea where
the enemy's commerce was to be found, would effectually
keep him from our coast, by rendering his presence ne-
cessary elsewhere. For the defence of inlets and har-
bours, whose entrances are shallow, a class of steam ves-
sels, of light draught, would doubtless form a necessary
part of our defence, and where the inlets are numerous,
such vessels would be indispensable.
The second element of defence consists, therefore,
in permanent fortifications. While they are mere effec-
tual for defence, in certain positions, than floating forces,
they are leis expensive in construction, more durable,
and requiring an outlay in repairs utterly insignificant,
when compared with the expense of maintaining ships,
and renewing them.
They are deemed indispensable for the purposes of
covering the military and naval depots, and all other
public or private establishments which would invite the
enterprise or the cupidity of a foe, and of excluding him
from strong positions, where his naval superiority might
enable him to maintain himself, and from which he might
make incursions into the interior, or assail an extensive
line of coast.
The positions deemed necessary to be occupied by
fortifications along the whole Atlantic coast, from
Passtimaquoddy Bay to , Cape Florida, and along
the Gulf, front that Cape to the month of the Sa-
bine, were indicated in the report before men-
tioned, with the reasons for their selection, the
extent and nature of the required works, and their
expense.. 'As the execution of all these works
couid not be simultaneous, the order of succession
was regulated by reference to the value of the object to
be covered, to the nation, or to an enemy: its exposure
by isolation ; its accessibility, depending on distance,
time, Or climate ; the means, source, and time of obtain-
ing succour, and, finally, the condition of existing de •
fene,a. The order thus established has he en ito
to with a few exceptions, occasioned by tiifferent
views on the part of Congress. Great progress in
the execution of :11,, system has already been made, of
which the details are given in the, reports of the Ord-
nance and Engineer Bureaus. Most or the works of
primary importance, including the largest and most ex-
pensive, are nearly completed. About $14,000,000
have been expended, anti yomoo,oo more will finish all
but those .seemed 4.)f minor importance, and which may
be postponed without risking serious consequences.
A third element of great importance in the considera-
tion of the defences of the sea-ci-east, and of the northern
and north-western feontier, consists in the facility and
rapidityy of interior eimmineicatiens. They are strictly
means of defence, and inca rade of being perverted to any
purpose Of conquest ; a feature which commends them-
to every' friend of our institutions. The facility afforded
by the ocean to movements for the purposes of attack,
is :net by a facility of movement on land, furnished by
the triumphs of genius and art in the app:ication of steam
power to land carriage, and in the construction of length-
s cued Or canals, The speed with which troops can be
moved, obviates the nccessm;y of embodying large masses
of them at any point ; and the amount of force required'
fire the defence of any given post would consequently be
diminished in proportion to the reduction in the time ne-
cessary to concentrate it. The whole force along the
whole line may he rendered available for the defence of
any point in that line; while, without such means of com-
munication, a separate army would be required at each
city, harbour or military post that wan to be defended.
This may be illustrated by facts within the knowledge of
all. Troops may now be brought from New York to the
City of V asbington in is hours, in a condition requiring
little or no repose to tit them for immediate action. And
the whole physical force of the populous country beL
tween these two points may be concentrated at any inter-
mediate place in a few hours. Were Philadelphia as-
sailed or threatened, a movement of military force from
Pittsburgh, which but a short time since would have
occupied from twenty to twenty-five days will now
be accomp.ished in five. Similar illustrations are
furnished by various railroads and canals in different
parts 1-f the country. And as the great secret of suc-
cess in war is supposed to be the ability to oppose
the many' to the few, it is evident that, in any defensive
operations, we shall be able to compete with and to
conquer any probable force that an invading enemy
could bring against that portion of our territory
which is intersected by these interior communica-
tions. Another consequence of no little moment flows
from the same cause ; the power to defend ourselves with
armies of very diminished numerical force, compared
with those which have heretofore been necessary in our
national conflicts, or those which are usually employed
on the EureFean continent.
The facilities afforded by canals and railroads to col-
lect, with any desirable expedition, the supplies of an
army from a country abounding with them, and to trans-
port them to the proper points, will render large depots
unnecessary. An object of attack to an enemy is thus
removed, arid the consequences of the capture of large
collections of munitions of war, or of subsistence, by a
hostile force, thus enabled to maintain itself, are obviated

The expense of military operations will be reduced be-
yond any present means of exact calculations, by the
same facilities. During the last war with Great Britain,
the cost of transportation from New York to Plattsburg,
Sackett's Harbour, and Buffalo, was from five to twelve
dollars per hundred. The present cost to Plattsburg is
30 cents., and to the other points named, GO
cents per
hundred. A twelve-pounder, which, at the cheapest rate,
could not have been carried to Buffalo for less than
two hundred dollars, may now he transported to the
same point, in one-fifth or one-eighth of the time, for
twenty-four dollars. In every point of view in which
these works can be considered, their cost is so much