Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-12-17

b. found 10 accompany the application.
reference 20 the Iepoit vi Tie chief of the Ord
nae vii stioW the .icuiar details OF operation III
tina; branch ct the services 1t merits attention. 1t
has been frequently observed that the best way TO
avoid war Is TO be III preparation. In this point 81
vcw Is desirable that the appropriation TO be nadef
for clothing our forticai IONS should correspond with
the probable periods of their completion. 1t would
indeed be mortiiyng result, If after the abOur and
cost which has been encountered for their completion,
it should rest in the power of enemy, atthe onset
Of to seize destroy them, because The means
had been placed i'll readiness for their defence.
| From the report 1t will be perceived that, the
present annual rate OF appropriation to wit, 600,
s!Sft c. twenty years will lave passed before n
proper supply OF arms Tor those Qualifications in
progress cun be ob aimed for their defence. AS re-
CARDS this subject the most advisable TO be
pursued would be, that the armament preparation
should progress correspondently with the works
Ecnsei cs; not that they should he mounted, and BY
exposure TO the weather, become ccayed and useless
bui That the guns, beng Ut their positions, ard the
carriages in readiness. the ppchelsion OF war
suitable preparation for resistance might Ut all dccn-
sDle points, appear, meeting the objects for which
those tortiticaflons designed, and Welding pre-
lection to the assailablc Parts ui the Union IL in the
SLOW ana gradual preparation for neccs arv add adj
cuate armament, i'll present pursued, sixteen years
shall DC found requisite, and war within that period
take place, consequence would be, that scnlc of our
ioFis, built up at great expcnse would be destroyed
because incapable ofscf defence; else being retain
ed ana armed, be used by Tic euuInv rs annoyance
and INJURY 20 ourselves. \ measure involving such
important considerations, should not he prot r;ccd i'm
Its execution: 1t carries with il, III 1rebodinp anlic
patloi to" much ufprobable cvil consequence. This
subject derives additional interest ii. m the conside-
ration that guns and carriages require Tine IN prrno-
ration; they things that cannot be hast ly arrno-
Cd am which 70 defer might prove preudicial.
:A' the different arsenals ana magazines abun-
can't supply OF powder Is in store Considering its
lap,y 10 injury, rather than keep up The supply 1t
would be preferable TO procure the materials of winch
1t Is composed, ready to be manufactured when cir
cunlstances shall make it necessary. These articles
a. nnGtt, rt.p,t. IL,
from deterioration. Recollection retains the fact
that, during the last war, the average price Of salt
petre was about forty cents and birthstone eight In
vowed IN another contest the state of things
might be presented, while at present, those articles
Gun DE procured ut one eighth the prices which, of
necessity, had then to be given Being susceptible
oi ready preservation, 1t would prove matter of e.
economy to torbear any further purchase OF powder
contenting ourselves merely with obtaining anade.
quate supply ofng ed;ents, whenever 1t could be pro
cured fair prices The materials thus preserved and
readiness could, at short notice, be manufactured in
=. whenever occasion should make it necessary
The Ouartcrmaster Generals report to me will
be found to explain fully the business under his super
VISION. For reasons sufficiently explained, the dis
ouraeinents by him have exceeded the apuropriaton
made for the service of the year The caucues which
occasloned this condition OF things were that n nor
lion or the funds Intended for 1929 had. neccssariIv
70 DC appe, to arrcarages oexp endture incurred in
the proceeding year of 1925 for which no estimates
had been submitted and no provision made II he
came necessary therefore. TO provide means from
some other legal source: accordingly tran Ger of fiji
Thousand dollars from the Subsistence to the Quar-
teriaser Was made agreeably TO the provisions of t,
act OF May 1920. By the act of March 1899 il is
required that special Of noneys transferred
ana Oh Their application shall be laid before Congress-
In the first week of their session. To do this fro,,
'he recent date of the transactions VIII be npracti
cable. All that at present can be communicated is
nt portion OF the transferred fund has been placed
- te names OF the Assistant Quartermesters though
TO what particular objects its application NAV be
tIlade can only be known when a settlement NJ ex
pGhaituEes IN the present quarter shall take place
me deficiency thus incurred adnunishes that an en-
agca appropriation for this branch of the public ser
}, vice VAL be required for the wear 1890 Indaod
snch Is the character of this service depenJent on 90
man circumstances, and on such various coniinren
s lia' estimates IN anticipation the year cannot
oe rendered with precise accuracy.
The present condition of the Breakwoto, ST III.
f 'ioutl OF the Delaware, the Quartermasers Gener
u report Will explain. a desire was entertained
un d confidence reposed that, ere the close of the
SEASON, TINS important and valuable work so cssan
ai and SO necessary to the commerce of the conn
tiy' would have been in more rapid state of adj
sa.i'en'eht The contractors, however, have fallen
Goa:iuefaoiy snort even of their expectations
hicuteS at the onset. which they had not f,resoen
anu Wnlch IL was not in their power Us they ,oe 70
remedy, has retarded their progress SO coisidershl
t""t hot more than fifth of the quantity of stone
contracted tor has been delivered in the nresont
year. " e P'cscht
lie difficulty Of presenting accurate AMI corto;, os
t"'ateS, is alike applicable proper execution tho
duties oi Commissary General of Subsistence For
that service they be made in reference y
tracts previously entered into. These however. fail
occasionally t. be ed, ard then itdevolve upon
MN TO Pui chase whereby increased pricesand enarr
Gu expenditures are incurred In this service there
are peculiar hardships, frequently resulting to cjti
zens' which are without any adequate remedy, be-
cause no sufficient description to afford relief ia snv
where given The proposals made, and contracts
entered INTO, are always in reference to the nroha
bic prices OF provisions in the market and the better
TO understand this, they usually made early in
Autumn Nevertheless, provisions, and especially
or arc oLtch SUBJECT to sudden and considerable ap-
probation thereby inducing peculiarly losses and t
SO severely exact upon unfortunate contract made
with citizen, as to compel him to ruin when acct
GENITAL cause and not misconduct, has occasjoped the
which relief might be afforded in cases orsucl nec,;