Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1838-12-21
CONGEeE ssiONAL.
REPORT or THE SECRETARY OF WAR
(CoDriud,i !

in my a,i annual port for the establishment oi ma
tous foundry and powder nann'aclory and the erection
of msnuf,c,ory Of small aims west OF the AHe2hanS
mouDta the plan therein proposed The hrmofy
and Dunufactory pers Ferry, which Is conducted
with great ability by its present superintendent, Noohe
Lucns requires considerable alterations anc repairs
The temporary work chops erected there are
nd now tina, the usefulness Of this establish
eut is placed yond doubt, permanent buildings
10 be substituted agferaby 10 some wen ogesea pIah
both az their construction ana Positioh FrnhrS'oh
b., been granted by the department 10 Inc baltimore
.,d Ohio Railroad Company to run their road through
the lands belonging the ). at thus place, pass y
along the line Of the work shops, from whence the com
pauy have the option OF choosing elher OF Two routes,
IN, onr leading along the all Of the canal and the other
by The hill side The former would have been the most
advantageous To the u s as the companys work would
have gbened he wall which very detective, ana
requires such extensive repairs that viii pfooopy De
necessary to rebuild il altogether; but the difference oil
expense The company was represented by The esli-
mites the cost Of both routes 10 be 30 great upwards
OF $50 600 that the river route could not be insisted
upon without the u paying part or The whole OF H.
The department had authority TO make such an ar
rspgeent without the previous consent OF Congre'u'
and therefore granted the option TO The company IL Is
understood however by the parties To the contract that
upon Congress desring that the river line should be
adopted il may he done Government agreeing TO pay
the difference oI expense between the two routes
Reflection and experience confirm The view taken IN
the Inst annual from this department. on the pn.
cy of selling the mineral lands belonging TO the u S
Their the hands Of Government presents an
nsuprrable slacle the pnrntiun OF the mines aud
mprdrs the natural progress OF that portion OF the coun
try
The corps of topogrsp hca engineers Inns been in
cressd neeeaby TO The uct of the lust session. with
In, exception oil the officers whose nominations were not
Noted uoon by the Senate, and whose places could not,
therefore be supplied With few exceptions, the civil
works under The charge Of the military engineers have
been transferred this corps and system has been
adopted which, when fully carried into effect, canno.
fail To produce the most saluary results The several
Oft ne where these works being
rrd on, divided into districts ct limited extent and
officers are permanently assigned to them by this me
thod time is saved mud much useless expense avoided
~ well better Information acquired over these IL
mited comnon ds u systrm Of supervision and inspector
ship exercised by the older officers by OF ~hich
their superior knowledge and experience are brought IN
aid of all the plans, estimates, and constructions
The officers Of the corps who are employed IN The su
pcrnendrnce Of works carried by corporations and
States Of which there but four, are gradually being
Withdrawn according 10 the Of the law rsgu
ls,ng the establishment OF the army, and they VIII oil
be p.aced on national works as II can be done
without injury To- those thcy are now conducting.
The duties enJoned upon the department by 'esnu
tons Of Congress, ordering CERTAIN surveys have not
been NJ roriped for want Of 10 deiray the necen
sury expenses These paid invariably from special
applicable 10 each object, out Of the
usual annual appropriation Of 3OOOO dollars for military
surveys, which withheld this year. Owing 10 I'M.
cause the following surveys have been omitted That u
the re nnpssee river from mouth 10 The highest point
of steamboat navigation; Of Elizabeth river, from The
outlet of the Dismal Swamp canal TO Sewails Point Of
Annapolis habor; tina, from the harbor Of Norfolk Va
TO Charleston S in rccr' To nla nd steamboat
vigntion Partial appropriations were made for survey
of the Des MONIES and Iowa rivers and II IN intended
70 commence tue work early 10 the spring Tbsns ap
pIopra,inns however Qni'c inadequate, and would
respectfully suggeSt that they b. IN all Suc cases based
upon estimates furnished by this department. Grent
DELAY nd expense would be avoided by this procedure;
for il not unirequeny huppcnS, that The appropriation
IA exhausted Just as the and materials are collected
a. a work and the former be
discharged fer want OF funds TO continue them in The
service.
Il deemed very important that the annual uppropr
alton for military shopd be- made We stlll
ignorant Of the geography and Of
our country and II is essential TO It's defence well an
TO lis nproy oment that the boundaries the course of
the rvco the and form and obstacles 10 navigation
Of the lakes. and the direction and height OF the noun
tans should be accurately determined and delInenled.
Much has been done during the last two yenS towards
the attainment of this important branch of knowledge;
al least hundred points of latitude and eghiy Of lon
gude have becn accurately established, and the whole
country Of tho Missssppi, and north Of the Mis-
souri,, has been surveyed and dclnrated The military
Reconnaissance made in Florida have enabled the de
purmcnt 10 present toleraby accurate mp Of the ia
terror Of that Territory which has been engraved by
order OF Congress An accurate map was made Of the
country lately occupied by the CheIokees when il
supposed that il might become the theatre Of nIlitn
operations, and there exists the phcal Bureau
all the materials collected by its officers in the military
and other surveys ordered by Congress earnestly re
mmsnd, therefore, that the usual annua! aPpropria
tons for the military and other surveys be continued
in order that these useful operations muy be proceeded
with and especially that complete hydogr phca survey
made be made OF the hikes.
The sing and Important discre pancies which ha
been brought 10 my notice IN existing charts OF Della
ware bay would seem 10 call for immediate attention 10
that important estuary It's survey may be considered
as belonging to the survey of the coast, now being
made under MIR lasser But il would probably facil
tute his cruons, and the give To commerce '
advantages of chart of this bay, IL Il were I'M
,ncdntry attended 20 uuder special appropriation -
There being officer OF the corps ct en-
oincers already on duty in That quartet with proPe
understanding between the Typographical Bureau an
Mr. Hassler, the work might be done the earlier unde
the furmer and with oil requisite connection, WIN IN
great and highly interesting operations OF the latter
| would recommend, likewise, that survey be mad
Of the country between the Neenai or OK and Inc W"
consin rivers, with view Of establishing water con-
muncaton from Lake Michigan TO the Mississippi rve
which would be in the highest degree important to 'h
deparlnen in lime of wsr, and useful Tor The uansPo
tn,ion Of supplies in time of peace.
The report of The Surgeon General shows the exter
of usefulness and the great efficiency of the depsrtner
under his immediate suprrntepdcnce The severe ext
nnation which applicants for admission to the med
cal staff Of the army subjected has secured the SO
vices Of men OF high order Of talents and atalnmen
while the method introduced into the administration
oil its operations has produced great economy as well
activity and fidelity in the discharge Of the duties
,bis branch Of the service The great extent to whic
these duties have lately been enlarged by the ncreas
of the army and its operations in the field; the employ
mept of militia and the sugmentalio Of the numbt
of permanent posts render il necessary that an add
,ional clerk should be employed in the office Of ii
Surgeon General, in order to aid IN The settlement
ito accounts, anu respectfully ieco"me"d "at "
addition be made.
The Quartz mas,era Department. and the, Of It
Comnissary Of Subsistence, have been increased eyre