The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-15

s,,a nsed be entertained of the ability Of our
building materials to resist hollow shot 90 no'
think however that the permanent works shouu ~, ~
the only defence relied upon, but fegsru hs
steam batteries essential auxares' these ough.
not in my opinion 10 be large vessels, out oi he''
draught Of water, capable OF carrying TWO guns 70,
throwing shells Of eight or ten inches uihue.s', ~
90 constructed 10 present small surface 70 no ~
of an enemy These steam-batteres should DC ma, ~
ned by artierymen and be under the command OF the
officer charged with the defence of the harbor forhca
tons so AZ To harmony OF action IN oIoer 70
test the praccability Of making bomb-cannon OF inc
caIibre Of ten inches the Chief OF the Ordnance So'
Bomiord was sent 10 Boston, where he has eonduc'eu
series Of experiments with the most satisfactory IT,
suits | recommend that these guns be adopted in'o
the service and form part of the armament OF our o'
tlcations, and Of our floating batteries.
successful experiments have likewise, been mace WIN
war rock and machine constructed Tor preparing
| them appears TO answer the purpose perfectly.
| The great amount Of property vested by the 20,
/ vernment in arms, amounting TO several iinons -
dollars no less than the risk 10 the national sae.y ny
adopting any inventions without being convheeu
of their superiority, by longTied experiments I'D 'he
field has induced me, generally, to discoun.enapce
their introduction into the service fear tha' every
attempt 10 increase the rapidy of firing, such as Ia
cating the loading by opening the breech or by nul
tiplyng the chambers OF the gum will iai as they
have hitherto done after involving the Goyenmentih
great expense There is, however, one Improvement,
which has been fairly tested in the FIELD by the armies
| of Europe and which presents many decided and
ascertained advantages, that constrained TO re-
commend its adoption into our service mean the
substitution of percussion for flint locks. The alte-
ration may be made the muskets now in the arse
mails and measures ought to be adopted to construct
all arms whether rifles or muskets with percus-
| sion locks.
Having repeatedly recommended without effect the
establishment of national foundry and having rea-
to fear the serious consequences to the ser
vice from the want of proper regulations TO govern the
contracts with private establishments with your con-
sent i Europe tho hoard of officers who had
been for time employed in fixing the patterns
forms and dimensions Of the artillery, in order that
they might acquire such information would enable
the department permanently to regulate this important
branch Of the service. ! am happy to state that
wherever they have been the national establishments
have been thrown open TO them, and with praisewor
thy beraty every facility afforded to their researches
They have returned home, after having attained all
the advantages which expected from their inves
tgations; and the knowledge they have acquired will
be applied to the practical improvement of our ord
nance. A concise report of their proceedings while
in Europe is herewith TRANSLATED in connection with
that of the officer in charge of the Ordnance De-
| partment.
In the expectation that Congress would sanction the
creation Of corps of sappers and miners Gan add-
ton to the army at necessary and economlcal)
sent officer of the engineer corps TO the school for
sappers and miners in France to obtain that practical
1 information Of the art which is not possessed and
cannot be acquired here. The French Government,
with its accustomed liberality and kindness, permitted
in every instance officers to attend its schools of
practice, and afforded them equal means with its own
10 pursue their studies there allowing them privileges
not generally granted foreigners thereby evincing,
| as the Minister Of War is pleased to remark, the
friendly disposition of his Majesty's Government to-
wards the United States. This feeling you have au
thorized TO say fully reciprocated, and the bc-
rality of the French Government duly appreciated
The officers sent to the school of cavalry at Saumur
have returned, after twevemonth's instruction. and
are now employed in a manner which trust will en-
able the Department very much to improve the cavalry
service.
The advantage Of separating the staff officers from
the line Of the army and the very serious inconyeni
to the service from the present SYSTEM have been
before brought to your view but cannot be too strong
ly too frequently urged. The present organization
Of the army does not allow single supernumeraIy of
iccr in regiment and the companies rendered in
efficient from the absence Of those officers who on
staff duty The discipline OF the troops IA most IN
jurously affected by this arrangement; and if they
opposed in the field regular forces, such def
cheney would prove fatal.
| beg leave to bring to your notice once more the
expediency of extending the law of March ., 1887,
which provides for the enlistment of boys for the naval
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 secure to the SONS of the former comfort
able subsistence, proper moral restraint and good
practical education while il would provide for the
my well instructed commissioned officers, so diff
cult to be procured by enlistment, and without which
an army cannot be efficient.
am happy TO state that experience has proved the
correctness of the opinion formerly advanced that the
increase and proper organization OF the stat department
would produce a more economical administration OF
its different branches In the expenditures OF the
Quartermastcr's Department especially, very cons
derabe reduction has been made during the last year
in some measure produced by the fall of prices but
arising in much greater degree from the increased
| efficiency and better administration of the Department.
in consequence of the number Of officers under the
present organization bearing more due relation to
the laborous duties and high responsibilities of this
| important branch of the military service.
In consequence of the suspension of the application
of funds appropriated for the prosecution of the works
under the supervision of the Quartemasters Generals
Office during the for active operation, little pro-
grcss 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 healthy sites are determined upon.
am not perfectly satisfied with the reports in relation
to the proper position for Fort Gibson and il is
tempatcd to erect permanent works in the vicinity OF
the old fort il is importan: that the site should be
lectcd with great That on which the works of
| Fort Wayne were commenced, proved to be very
unhealthiu that it became necessary TO abandon IT,,
and TO remove the troops to more favorable position.
Pursuing that line small forts should be constructed
at Spring river and Maras de Cygne; and west Of it,
at the head of the navigation of the Kansas river and
northwest of Fort .eavenworth, at Table Creek, on
the Missouri, below the mouth of Platte river To
connect this last post with Fort Smelling, fort ought
to be constructed at the folks of the Des
Moincs. From the information have received, be-
eye the erection of any works at the western extre
nifty of Lake Superior to be unnecessary; and for
the present. advise that Fort Smelling remain the most
northern post.
During your administration, nearly forty-one thou
sand Indians have been added 10 those already residing
near the western boundary while the additional
rites to the border States have been
to the additional dangers which such increase OF
warke and dscontentcd neighhors exposes them. In
the act of placing the Indians there by which the in