Virginia advocate. [volume] (Charlottesville, Va.) 1827-1860, 1830-12-17

I The bank, or tho loan DO effected elsewhere,
! rs may be expedient.
Tho Governor remarks that, whatever
may have been tho policy which engaged the
State at once in scheme SO extensive, her
faith is now pledged to finish il, and to com
plet the line OF communication between the
| East and West, as to render what has
been already done, available to any profitable
purpose.
The connectcing links necessary TO this
object are, the Railroad from Colombia to
Philadelphia, 81 miles, of which forty have
been nearly completed; the remainder
forty .one are not yet under contract: About
ninelmiles of canal between Middletown and
Marietta, including an aqued.sts over the
swa,a,a: About forty miles of canal and
slack-water navigation from Huntington to
Holidaysburg, in Huntingdon county: And
| macadamized road or Railroad over the
Ailegany Mountain, thirty weight miles i'm
length: The aggregate cost of all which,
supposing the railway to be adopted for tho
passage Of the Allegany, will be two aud a
half, or at most three millions of dollars
The canals have stopped short ut points in
conveniently distant from the mines of coal !;
and as one oftheir principal objects was 10
bring this valuable mineral to market, such
extensions of them are recommended as
may effect this object Meanwhile, no
other works should be contracted for or uu.
thorized.
The finances of the State have never
boen more prosperous, being not only ample
to deiray the current expenses, but yielding
n surplus for the payment OF interest on the
sums borrowed for the public works. The
balance in the Treasury on the Both Of No.
vember was $243, $50, of which $95, 425
were transferred the same day into the inter
nal Improvement fund, leaving an actual bal.
ance in the Treasury of $l49,430.
The Report ofthe Secretary of War,
Zone OF the papers accompanying the
PRESIDENTS message) states that the
Army has been successfully engaged
during the past year in preserving quie,
along the western and southern from.
tier. Fears were entertained at one
time OF serious rupture with the north
western tribes of Indians; but the dis.
cre;ion of the persons to whom the bust.
ness was entrusted, and the presence O
a military force, have prevented it
Precautions have been taken TO prevent
some threatened acts of hostility IRON
those also on our southwestern boun
dairy.
Desertions continue to be frequen,
having amounted during the last yea,
to more than thousand The aboli
ton OF the penalty of death seems &c
have had no salutarv influence. 1t i,
suggested, by way Of encouragement
to good behaviour, to retain part o
the soldiers pay, in order to make 8
fund to be paid him on his faithful,
completing the term Of enlistment, ane
to be forfeited otherwise. The Score
tary states that no good effects have a.
yet resulted from taking awav the ration
of whiskey.
lie recommends that the West Poin
Academy be retained on its presen
liberal footing. The education Of two
hundred and fifty young gentlemen
from different parts of the Union, mus
have the most beneficial effects; among
others the production ofsome uniform
discipline in the militia, in which
theybeccme officers. Some alteration i.
suggested in the existing plan of appoin.
ting the graduates of this acadcn,
lieutenants, as there is already an excess
OF suPernumerary brevet second lieute.
nants, which will in year or two
amount TO LOG, at an annual expense
Of $4,000.
Important operations have been il
progress in the Engineer Department
lie Improvements in the navigation O
the Ohio and Mississippi have beer
sensIbly felt, and at an inconsiderabl,
annual expense the Oh!omay be cleare,
OF It's bars aad shoals, so as TO afford
convenient and safe navigation at al
seasons.-The imports to the West ar,
mainly along these rivers, and erea
good may be cheap;y done,in lessenins
the present hazard, and cost of insu
rance. The Breakwater at the moutl
OF the Delaware has risen above water
and gave evidence Of its value in tn.
violent gale Of September last, wher
several vessels lying under it wer.
preserved, while fifteen others, not pos
sesng this advantage, were driven a.
shore.
The Ordnance Department is pro.
crossing as rapidly as the means affor.
ded Will permit, in arming the militia
and preparing the guns and carriages
Tor the different fortresses. The appro.
prlatlon Tor this service ought, the Sec.
rotary thinks, to be increased so as 10
provide a suitable armament by the
time the foriifcations are completed
For the forts which are finished. a
million of dollars will be necessary; but
others will shortly be completed. With
the anDua! appropriation Of 100000,
1T viii require ten years to furnish
those which are atpresent in readiness.
Shonld war take place, the effects
would be very prejudicial. All the
disbursIng branches of the War Depart
meni exhibit punctuaity and fidelity.
Under the aufhnrifu nf IL