Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1840-01-04

,ot s,.,, consequences There would Likewise be very
great economy in having national ihahuiactofy !, :.
nuupowtcr, and az all events an Appropriation ough1
to he made al The present session u enable tc Depart
mont - H.. IN stoc; Of materials Of the manufacture
oc His necessary article In answer TO It's inquiries on
ns subject The Department learned, with great an%
ety. tint there not sufficient supply OF sapetfe
or sulphur in the country 1T Inc close Oh ie last session
of Congress- for three months supply Of our armies ii
case of war This deficiency has been partially rene
died; but The War Department ought TO be authorized
TO keep on hand at least twelve months supply OF
these necessary articles, which may be stored tor any
lcnrth of time without risk OF destruction or deteriora
| ton. . :
While sncnkinr of the wants of the ordnance, it ai.
oIs nc rcat pleasure to BE- able to stat" that there has
been lately an improvement in the organization OF Thai
branch Of the service, combining economy with greater
efficiency and that The board Of ordnance officers winch
yas Authorized 10 employ last year. has been ass;dn
onsv cnracd and has made great progress IN reducing
10 systcn the mode Of abr!ca;ing all ns Q! ordaace
stores and in fixing their patterns, FORMS and dnrn
sious The construction OF war-rncHcts has been com
mrnccd and experiments are IN progress 10 'cst le;'
effects while those which have been tired IN firing mol
low shot from howitzers Of the largest cabrc have been
entirely satisfactory The new buildings authorized ~
Congress for arscnas, magazines, ana dcpots OF arms
arc in progress Of construction ana ing works gene,
rally have been pressed tar as the funds would
permit.
At the risk OF being npor;unatc, must again urge
he cxyeLcncv Of selling the mineral lands Expert
ence has confirmed the views Formerly presented on
this subject and proves ccnc!UsiVciy that no benefit
whatever results 10 the United States from me present
system OF leasing Them Will" the advancement Of that
norton OF the countr? is scnsby retarded and the
product Of the mining operations much diminished
by it.
The duties of The Qua-trrmasers department have
been performed with ability, integrity and prompts
tudc which reflect the highest credit on all its officers,
and their accounts have been rendered with commcnda-
bo drsnolc and accuracy lis present organization is
sufficient 10 enable to discharge all the duties which
NAV cvolvc upon il in peace or war; and while u mas
contributed essentially TO the efficiency OF the service
ii has introduced great economy III thc aai!'h'slauFt
branches Of t;lo army
Ibe ,ycrks under the direction of ihc Quartermaacr
General have been carried on as rapidly as circui'
stances would permit. The Southern section OF Inc
Great Western road extending from the ied river Ia
The Arkansas zone hundred and forty mcsD mas been
completed The middle section, extending from Fort
Lcavcnworth 10 llarias &c Cyznc, scvcn:g-two miles,
has also been finished, and measures have been taken
ia continue the work to Spring river, cghty-six miles
further One hundred and twenty eight miles will then
remain Of Tie 10 Arkansas, which viii he worked
upou the next season The survey Of the route from
Fort Ieavcnwcr,h Fort Smelling has been conr!et
cd but as The country presents an open prairie. anal
max be tr:rcrscd in all directions without difficulty,
shall moi Do lorc than mark out the most direct route
4 Unless otherwise instructed by Congress.
The difficulty e obtaining laborcTs at Fort Smith
lns retarded lie progress Of at ~ork The Gcc"ccs
projected The Illinois river west OF tnc boundary I"
/ Arkansas have been commenced bv Gctachm"n, q
drarouns under Lieutenant: Colonel .'iason, and -" BE-
prosecuted vigorously the next season.
bee once iorc 10 call your attention % the subject
OF PayInastcrs and 10 repeat my recommendation that
two of the present paymasters should be appointed as
sslant paymasters general, with the pay anG cnion
mcnts Of lieutenant coloncls Uho addition TO then
present duties should have the superintendent Of such
officers of this branch of the service with a..
mics the field; and, further, to renew my application
in favor of allowing paymascrs, employed IN paying
volunteers and militia i'll active service SINAI! pei
cen!arc to cover unavoidable losses and disaloGanccs
! in the settlement Of their accounts
II will h: seen By the report OF the Surgeon General
that th. medical staff Of the army has been ac'vcly
and steadily employed during the past scasnn The
officers Of that important branch Of the service &C.
serve great credit for the manner iii which they a":
discharged their iaboricEs and responsible du,:. III,
disposition thcy manifest 10 avail themselves Of every
opportunity 10 collect facts which may afford usciu
contributions to science, IS justly appreciated b tc
Department and will be encouraged. The extensive
disbursements CT the medical officers render "ccs
sary that Inc bureau here should be able 10 cXac. III,
s.riccst accountability from .hrm, and to cxaIn" aac
revise the accounts 50 as to close them monthly, !
possible Owin. 10 the want Of proper assistance
they had been suffered to fall into arrears and have
onlc been brought up by keeping IN the bureau Off
Ger Of the corps from important duties IN the field
recommend, therefore, thu; The Office here be aowc,
~ additional cci%.
Tie extensive system of river and !iarjar improve
,nc:!ts involving, rs Il does, : ycrY large expenditure
Of public money. requires revision. both regard 20 tn
pr.nciulc upon which such improvements ought 10 b.
authorized, and Tie manner III which they ogii; 10 b
conducted It apparent that 100 many OF these work
have been authorized without that dctii!ed exanat,o
which is necessary to determine either their extent o
general usefulness, and commenced without inqurin
whether the advantages TO result from their completion
are commensurate TO the cost OF their construction
Many of the artificial har5or, therefore, are aogrtc
too small for the trade they intended to shelter
Some Of them arc misnlacad while others, again. hay
been commenced with little Judgment, that It wonl
prOvc chcapcr process 10 the toxin to cOnycn!c
position than the obstacles which obSruct th
channel the river that leads up 1t and yet large
of money have lsen expended IL Tic latter attempt
The already important and daily increasing trade OF III
great lakes and catarirs which encompass and nlcs
The United States demands The fostering OF tn
Government; hui III order that is Interference may b
eec:uay and Constituticna!!y c@crrd, IT ought 10 b
confined 10 such works Of general utility, an
not extended into every creek inlet where ivorc
{ village nav require easier access for market boat
{ This abuse, which is calculated TO bring the whole sys
tenn into deserved dIsrepuc, can only be remedcd b
directing previous examination TO be made BY I'M
Department into Inc nature ci the proposed work. an
full report the prcpc. method Of obtaining the Of
ect contemplated, setting forth The public, moi parta
advantages likely result from il, well the pTobt
bic cost Of its completion
I brg leave through you, to offer my objections {
The restrictions sometimes imposed BY Congress on ii
! manner ofcontucting works Of internal improvement
The appropriation is frequently accompanied BY dret
lions to cypcnd The money according TO given paI
Now, il not untrcquen: happens that when the plan
which the Department IS confined, comes to be well e.
amincd, it IS found 10 be inapp!cahc, and, heretofore
large have been thrown away attempts "a
: them out because the engineers did no! think tIeu
selves authorized 10 alter amend them IN any parct
lar On the ccast and navgabc waters, gales Of win
or floods may affect, materially, the structure of I'll
placed to be worked upon, rs 10 require total chang
Of plan improvements may be discovered su--cs
cd which occurred to the original protector,
which may require an entire alteration IN The mode
conducting the work, IL order 70 secure efficiency al
Z economy in IL execution. The lighthouse pToicctc
j the krandywinc sioal, is an example Of the rcrn
c!ous c'Ct' -, -.s restriction. To ryccptc this wor
according 10 me pie" "r','' IL Congress, VIII rrq'
i 30 much mere tAaa tic SUN appropriated, that il h
Il hsrn deemed prudent not to BEGIN the work nj al unit
thc whole estimated cost is placed nj the disposition
: the Departments III" situation Of the site rendering