The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-12-17
preparing them appears to answer the purpose

without being convinced of their superiority Dy
| long tried experiments IN the field, has induced
me, generally, to discountenance their mtroduc.
ton into the service. | fear that every attemPt
to increase the rapdity of firing, such as iacilta-
ting tho loading by opening the breech, or Dy
multiplying the chambers ofthe gun, VIII tali'
as they have hitherto done, after involving the
Government in great expense. There IS, howev-
err one Improvement, which has been ialrly tes-
ted in the field by the armies OF Europe, and
which presents in many decided and ascertalned
advantages, that am constrained to recommend
its adoption into our servlce-l mean the substl-
tuition of percussion for flint locks The altera-
| ton may be made on the muskets now in the ar
Senals, and measures ought to be adopted to
construct all new arms, whether rifles or mus
kets, with percussion locks.
Having repeatedly recommended, without eff
feet, the establishment of national foundry
and having reason to fear the most serious con-
sequences to the service from the want OF proper
regulations to govern the contracts with private
establishments-with your consent, sent to Eu-
rope the board Of officers whs bad been for some
time employed in fixing the patterns, forms, and
dimensions of the artillery, in order that they
might acquire such information as would enable
the Department permanently to regulate this an
portant branch of the service. am happy to
state that, wherever they have been, the ma
tional establishments have been thrown open to
them, and, with praiseworthy liberality, every
facility afforded to their researches They
have returned home, after having attained all
the advantages which were expected from their
! investigations; and the knowledge they have ac-
auired will be applied to the practical improve
| ment Of our ordnance. A concise report of
their proceedings while in Europe is herewith
transmitted, in connexion with that Of the Off
Ger in charge Of the Ordnance Department.
Al. 4la4
ton the creation of corps of sappers and miners
ian addition to the Army at once necessary and
| economically / seat an officer of the engineer
corps to the school for sappers and miners in
France to obtain that practical information of
the art which is not possessed, and cannot be ac-
auired, here The French Government, with
it's accustomed liberality and kindness, per-
mitted, in every instance, our officers to attend
its schools Of practice, and afforded them equal
means with its own top pursue their studies there,
allowing them privileges not generally granted
to foreigners; thereby evincing, as the Minister
sf War is pleased to remark, the friendly dispo-
sition of his Majesty's Government towards the
United States. This feeling, you have authoriZ-
ed me to say, is reciprocated, and the Hberality
of the French Government duly Appreciated
The officers sent to the school of cavalry at Sau-
muir have returned, after a twelvemonth's in
struction, and are now employed in a manner
VIII oh trust will enable the Department very
much to improve the cavalry service.
The advantages of separating the staff
officers from the line of the Army, and the
very serious inconvenience TO the service from
the present system, have been before brought
to your view, but cannot be too strongly or
too frequently urged The present organi-
cation of the army does not allow single super
numerary officer in regiment, and the com
panies are rendered inefficient from the absence
of those officers who are on staff duty. The
discipline of the troops is most injuriously af-
fected by this arrangement; and, if they are OPP
posed in the field to regular forces, such a
deficiency would prove fatal. | beg leave to
bring to your notice once more the eXpediency
of extending the law of March 2, 1887, which
provides for the enlistment of boys for the ma
val service, so as to embrace the Army and
ordnance corps. Its effect would be equally
beneficial to the class of people to whom the
boys belong and to the Army. 1t would Sc
cure to the sons of the former comfortable
substance, proper moral restraint, and good
practical education, while it would provide for
the Army wel-instucted on-commissioned
officers, so difficult to be procured by en-
listment, and without which an army can
not be efficient
| am happy to state that experience has
proved the correctness of the opinion formerly
advanced, that the increase and proper organi
cation of the staffdepartment would produce a
more economical administration of its different
branches. In the expenditures of the Quarter
masters Department, especially, very con-
siderable reduction has been made during the
last year; in some measure produced by the fall
of prices, but arising in a much greater degree
from the increased efficiency and better admin
islration of the department, in consequence of
the number of officers under the present
bearing more due relation to the |
laborious duties and high responsibilities ofthis
important branch of the military service.
In consequence of the suspension of the |
application of funds appropriated for the prose-
cution of the works under the supervision of
the Quartermaster Generals Office during the |
season for active operation, little progress has
been made in them since my last report. | |
now recommend that the following works
should be recommended and completed as soon |
as practicable: Fort Gibson, Fort Wayne, and |
Fort Smith; the two former as soon as healthy |
sites are determined upon. | am not perfectly |
the reports in relation to the
proper position for Fort Gibson; and, as it is |
to erect permanent works in the
vicinity of the old fort it is important that the
site should be selected with great care. That |
on which the works of Fort Wayne were CON-
nenced proved to be SO very unhealthy that
It became necessary to abandon it, and to
remove the troops to more favorable position.
Pursuing that line, small forts should be con-
structed at Spring river and Marais de Cygne;
and west of it, at the head of the navigation of
the Kansas river, and northwest Of Fort Leav |
enworth, at Table creek, on the Missouri, be-
low the mouth of Platte river. To connect this
last post with Fort Smelling, fort ought to be |
at or near the forks of the Des
Moines. From the informationI have received,
believe the erection ofany works at the wes-
tern extremityof Lake Superior to be unneces-
sary; and, for the present, advise that Fort
Smelling remain the most nothern post. |
During your administration nearly forty zone |
thousand Indians have been added to those
already residing near the western boundary, /
while the additional securities to the border |
States have not been commensurate to the adj |
ditional dangers to which such an increase of
warlike and discontinued neighbors exposes
them. In the act efplacing the Indians there,
,th;ch fha interior Stafae 49, iaruplv i