New-York tribune., 1841-06-09

The Atlantic frontier IL deemed bes, cacuate'
produce the possible efficiency IN the snortS
time This appeared be called 10. by the unset
.lsd and rea,eunc aspect foreign rati0us. Wink
the VII The resources he Gjspos2 o. th Department
ie7 this service thus ordered be applied such u'
finished wsls could be made available IN "noic or II
plct reasonable .ae !; proper stae, IN this con-
nexion that directions the time given 70 supply
without DELAY, the works are Il completed with taig appro
pirate armament.
The promp:lde and iberaty with which the Governor
Of New York and the Commissioner public lands in that
Safe responded the application oi the Department
to he pat IN possession of the works constructed Staten
Island under the supervision and the expense 1t that
State the defence Newforl harbor. deserves the
thanks the counr., and should b. further acknowledged
by the immediate appropriation ei the demanded
condensation o- the grogud mon which thcy situated
The works regarded OF great Importance 20 the OBJ
iect for winch they designed and hey now in
Of repair and improvement ader the direction OF =
competent officer OF the corps of Engineers The CORES
pouence between this Department and the Governor of
Nev-Yos and the report the Chc Engineer will show
the upon which The title this property viii be vested
in the United States.
L will b. seen from the sccompanl report from the Ord
nance Department. that additional appropriations for
thai believed be important the public inter
est The amount called for IS i220,000. The Importance
Of the operations Of this Department: and It's immediate con-
nexor with the national defence in -roydng guns gun
carriages and other munitions. will be perceived
Il necessary tha the OF Congress should be
called the pn.icv recently adopted in the management OF
the public armorc The uiy of increasing by every prac
,cable means the efficiency of these important establish
ents less than due regard economy influenced the
Department Ill giving It's sanction to the plan o: dispensing
with the c";l swpeuteudency authorised by law. After iU
considerations believed that this could be safely and
adyantagcOusly done Accordingly the armoric in
charge Of skH and experienced officers OF the Ordnance
Department One defect in the policy Of taking >upeglnend-
from ciy itc shown by past experience is the want
of proper qualifications IN the persons usually selected
Sooc degree Of science well practical knowledge IN
the construction and OF arms, Indispensable requi-
in the uperlntcndent Ike desired and proper quail
cations rarely be found united in the person IN
civil M whose services can be commanded by the Govern
Another and serious objection TO the system o
supervision heretofore Pacscd found IN the detective and
nadequat9 control which the Department has Decn aoc to
exercise the superinerdcnts Il has been found nl-
possible in instances enforce the saluary rcgu-
aons The necessary degree of Difference the orders and
wishes of the superior authority it manifest has not been
felt his probaby is the inevitable result OF the nature oil
the interests and Influences, connected with the
objects OF these establishments which too often control the
conduct of the supcrncndenis For these Reasons, 1t Is
deeEcd OF great importance that the arorics should be
separated far possible from all cOnneXoA with the
party politics Of the Jay The force of the objections
rested 70 a civil supcIincndence be better illustrated
than by the statements contained in the accompanying
randum of the Ordinance Department which appears to be
taken chiefly from the correspondence between that Depart
mcnt and the superintendent OF the armory al Harper
Ferry.
But the expediency OF continuing the supcrincndency of
these officers mus finally be decided by Congress Some
hesitation felt in dropping, temporarily the civil super
ntendency but neith.r of the late suPerinendents,
though of much personal worth regarded possessing,
in due degree, those particular qualifications which are i'm
poItant in the management of such establishments their re-
moya thought tit occasion to introduce new system
Time mas yc; been allowed sufficiently its advan
tages defects. Ii shall be the pleasure OF Congress 10
allow the cxsag vacancies under the law stands,
to continue for short rerod the pubic Interests will be
suserved whatever may be tho result of The government
If the policy recommended by the Ordnance Department,
and far sanctioned by this Department shall succeed
vii, be well for the public service II shall TAIL there VIII
no longer be any pretext for change and the Depart
ment will l.ok 70 the selection Of the competent super
ntendents from The walks Of civil life and the OF
improving the efficiency of thcs establishments by such re-
gulaton, under your direction as may be suggested Dy expo
ricrt
Additional appropriations. the Of ss25,637 SO,
are qucd by the Pay and Qnartcrma tcs Departments
for the service of the present year The arolt a.kd ~
the Qulrterma,er General appears 10 De Indispensable II
abou, the sum which Congress the lat session failed 10
appropriate though included in teesmates aad understood
to be in part for arcaages for the year lSi0 and large
portion Of the present demand may not be improperly set
down to the same portion OF the sum required
by the Pay Department for arrrargc' OF the year Iio a.
viii appear from the report of the Paymas'cr General
The agents and ~upcrnendcnrs heretofore employed in the
construction Of the various Improvements on the lakes the
seacoa. and the interior have been discharged except
such as have been retained small compensation 10 guard
some of the most important works remaining unfinished
STATE and the public property connected with them In few
instances has been found cxPcentio employ an agent to
take OF the property OF the Government collected tor
tho CONSTRUCTION Of these works until Congress shall deter
mine upon the question of continuing abandoning them
where there was fund ef which they could be paid
Some of these agents have ecn paid from the OF
the sale of portion of the public property; others can be
nal en bv further sales Hndor appropriation by Con
eres- It has been scerained that The expenditures
upon several OF these works have exceeded the appropriations
made for their construction These generally
due 10 contractors and aboers renonsbe for tbs
error and provision should therefore be made for the pay
men. Of them The necessary discharge them as
well a. 10 pay expenses of the e'nPIoyed above
stated appears the report of the Chi- OF the Corps OF
Topostapihical Eng .neers to BE- s309J7 p
The subiec, OF the xpediency of completing Ae Cun5er
,ad Road and of improving certain har6ors and the navlsa-
ton If certain great which BE- regarded a' ncce.-
srg and proper making adequate provision or the pubic
defence propose to pospo.a the rcaer notice of until the
stated session Of Congress the consideration Of it will m
vove propriey of making appropriations for various