Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1841-06-15


works for the protection of the Atlantic ronter, III e
manner deemed best calculated 10 Prodrce e greatest
possible efficiency in the shortest time lns c"u'se
anpeared To be called for by the unsettled and threat
ening aspect Of our foreign relations Whe 's "hrt
or the resources al The disposal OF This Drpari"en, Tor
tbs service were thus ordered 10 be applied 10 such IN
finished works as could be made available IN Whole or
IN part in reasonable time, il IS proper to state IN
this xion, that directions were al The same the
given to supply without delay, the works already con-"
petcd with their appropriate armament.
The promptiiude and llberality with which me 20
vernon Of New York and the Commissioner oil p"hhc
lands in that State responded to the recent 'caoh
of the Department TO be put possession OF "oiAs
constructed on Staten Island, under the si,rf 'so'
and at the expense of that State, Tor the u"enes "
New York h1rbor, deserve the thanks OF Tue 'c"n',
and should be further acknowledged by the
concentration of the N demanded as compensation
for the ground rpta Which they are si'Ha1ea. ne
works are regarded II great importance -, 'ae W
iect for which they designed, ana 'hey are no"
in a course Of repair improvements ulu'' .Ne VI
rac,on of compcen. ifcer Of the corps OF engineers.
The correspondence he ween this Department ana Inc
Governor Of New Eor., and the report oil lhe Chei
Enoineer will show the terms upon which the title 10
this property will b. vested IN the =. ..
II viii be sec from the accompany ng reporlirom the
o,d,,,c. Department that some additional appropra-
,nu for ,b,t service IRE believed to be important to
Tho nubl;c interest The amount called for is $40,
mo The importance oi the operations OF this Depart
ment. and its immediate connexion with the national
defence, in providing guns gun.carrIages and other
munitions will at once be perceived
II is necessary that the attention OF Congress should
he called TO the policy recently adopted in the manage
ment Of the public armores The duty OF increasing,
nv every practicable means, the efficiency oil these M
nortant establishments not less than due regard to
economy, influenced the Department IN giving lis
sanction 10 the plan Of dispensing with the civil su-
perntendency authorised BY law. After full conside-
a ha'ip
advan,ageousy done. Accordingly the armorics are
uow in charge OF skinl and experienced officers oil
the Ordnance Department. One, Gefrct IN the poicy
of taking superintendent from clvii lite, as SHOWN o
past experience, is the want of lie proper qhahhca
tons in the persons usually selected Some degree oil
science as well ms practical knowledge in The con.
structon and use Of arms indispensable requsies
in the supernteudents The desired and proper qnai'-
ca.ious are rarely be found united in the same per-
son in civil life, whose services can be cnmaiGeu py
the Government Another and mere serious opecto''
10 the system of supervision heIetciorc praclised IS
found in the defective and inadequate control which
the Department has been able To exercise over the sn-
pernlenden,s II has been found Impossible ~ some
instances TO enforce the mos; santary Tegniatons-
The necessary degree OF deie'enc" to Inc orders ana
wishes of the superior authority II is manifest, has not
been felt. THIS probably is the inevitable resu!; Of
the nature of the interests and influences, ~ u" man
ner connected with the objects Of liese establishments
which TOO often contrc! the conduct Of the supern
trndcn,s. For these reasons II u deemed OF great
importance ha; the a-Inores should be separated, as
far rs possible from all cnnnexon with the party po
ties Of the day The force of the objections suggest
ed u :v superintendent cannot be better liinsira
ted :han by the statements contained in the accompa
nying memorandum of the Ordnance Department,
which appears to be taken chiefly from the cores
pordcnce between tia, Department and the superin-
iendent Of the armory at Harpers Ferry
But the expediency Of continuing the suPerIntend-
ency Of these officers must finally be decided by Con.
press Some hesitation was ielt IN dropping, tempo
rarly, the civil SUPPLEMENTARY; but as neither oil Inc
late superintendent, though Of much personal WORTH
was regarded possessing in due degree, those par
TIC ular qualifications which are mportaI: IN the MA
nagernent Of such establishments, their removal was
hou 5ht fit occasion 10 introduce new SYSTEM
Time has not yet been allowed 10 test sufficiently It's
advantages defects II il shall be the pleasure OF
Congress to allow the existing vacancies under the
law II stands, to continue for short PERIOD
the public interests Will be subserved, whatever may
be the result Of the experiment. II the policy recon-
mended by the Ordnance Department, and so far sane
toned by this Department. shall succeed, Il will be well
for the public service If il shall fall there wi no
longer be any preext for future changes and the De-
parlment viii look 10 the selection of the mos, compe-
tent superintendent from the walks Of civil life and
the of improving the efficiency Of these esta-
bshments by such regulations, under your drec-
tion as may be suggested by experience.
Additional appropriations, TO the amount OF $50
637 SO, are required by the Pay and Quartermaser 5
Departments for the service of the present year Inc
amount asked by the Quartermaster General appears
to be indispensable. II is about the sum which Con-
gress the last session failed 10 appropriate though
included in the estimates and understood to be in part
for arrearages for the year $780, and large portion OF
the present demand may not be improperly set down
to the account, portion OF the sum required
by the Pay Department is for arrearages Of the year
$780, viii appear from the report of the paymasler-
General.
hara tof,,r MI
ed in the construction Of the various improvements on
the lakes, the seacoas, end in the INTERIOR have been
discharged except such as have been retained al 4
small compensation to guard some Of the most import
ant works remaining in an unfinished state, and the
public property ted with them. In few IN
stances, il has been cund expedient 10 employ an
agent 10 take Of c property of the Government
collected for the ructon OF these works, until
Congress shall deter. ne upon the question OF con-
tinuing abandoning hem, where there was no fund
out of which they nid be paid Some OF these
agents have been prd The proceeds of the sale Of
portion of the cubic property others can be paid
only by further sales under appropriation by
Congress. 1t has al been ascertained that The es
pendtures upon several OF these works have eXcct dcd
The appropriations for their construction These
generally due to contractors and borers
in no way responsible for this error ; and provision
should therefore be made for the payment Of them
The amount necessary discharge them, well as 10
paw the expenses OF the agents employed as above
stated appears from the report 81 the Chief OF the
Corps of Typographical Engineers TO be S3o,9"1 y
The subject of the expedlcncy Of completing the
Cumberland road, and Of improving certain harhoFs
and the navigation of certain great rivers, which may
he regarded necessary and proper in making ade-
qna,c provision tor the public defence, propose to
postpone the further notice OF until the stated sessi
of Congress, tie consideration Of il will involve the
propriety al making appropriations for various works OF
Internal improvement not necessarily connected with
that object, and consequently, will require more tune
than Congress, al its approaching session. may find II
con yenent TO give.
At the late session Of Congress- The sum of $s30,G0u
appropriated TO be expended under the direction Of
this Department, in repairing the breach in the Poto.
mac bridge. Soon after the adjournment Office. of
the Corps Of Typographical Engineers, distinguished
alike for his and practical skill, selected
10 make the necessary examinations, and to report a
suitable plan for the execution Of The work. With
what skill and accuracy he has performed this preml
nary service will appear from his report 10 the Chief
of the Corps The highest confidence beng reposed
in the snundness of his Judgment it was determined
at once 10 exPcnd portion Of the money placed al
the disposal Of the Department, for the accomplishment
Of so important work upon plan which did not pro-