The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-12-04

the Objects specified Ina his Instructions undrf sp1
authority, lie has accepted the services OF ivo'
Texan companies Of mounted men for three months
These troops have not been paid, nor Is there any
provision for their payment When full returns are
estimate will also be presented OF me
amount required for that purpose
respectfully invite your attention to the views
and Recommendations Of the commissary- general,
and encouragement, IN reia-
ton to the branches Of the public service win
which they are respectively charged As the results
Of practical experience and observation, they are
worthy Of particular consideration.
A reference to the report Of the officer in charge
of the ordnance bureau, will show that this I'm.
porant branch Of the public service has received
the yisilant attention Of those 10 whom II has been
committed The appropriations placed at its control
have been rgdly applied to the objects designated
and the munitions Of war under its charge carefully
preserved, and considerably increased.
The estimates for the ensuing year do not
greatly vary from those Of former years. The item
for arming forufcations is increased one hundred
thousand dollars. Many Of the forts on the sea-
board and the Gulf Of Mexico are so far completed
to be in readiness to receive their armament. The
amount now asked for will be needed TO prepare the
for arming these forts, together with those IN
the Of construction and such other works as
the proper defence of the country may require Tie
amount Of public property. committed TO the safe
keeping Of this department ia estimated at nearly
seventeen millions Of dollars II is mostly deposited
in the national armories at Springfield Mass. and
Harper's Ferry Virginia, and in twenty-three ar
senals situated in various parts Of the United States
The proper protection Of this large amount OF
property requires numerous edifces, which must be
kept in repair The estimates for these repairs, and
for needfu additions are based on the opinions of the
officers in charge of the property, whose situation
enables them 10 form an accurate Judgment on the
subject. In the estimates accompanying the report
from this bureau will be found the reasons upon
which these opii,ps are based
la the course Of the past summer, have deemed
II my duty to visit the Two national armores, and am
convinced, from personal inspection that oonsdel a
BILE expenditure is required at EACH for the safety OF
the public property there Notwithstanding not
only of large amount of materials, and manufac-
tured arms, but Of expensive machinery and vaua-
BILE buildings.
My predecessors have often recommended the es-
adjustment Of national foundry for cannon. Such
foundry is deemed essential, If not indispensably
necessary to improve the quality and construction OF
heavy ordnance. Ii is not in contemplation to have
il 40 extensive as to superscde the of private
foundries; but such foundry, devoted mainly to
adopting and testing improvements, and furnishing
models for the work to be done at other establish.
ments, would be highly usefa and | concur in the
views heretofore presented in favor Of such estab-
lishment.
Considerable quantities of gunpowder are, under
existing circumstances, necessarily stored near valu-
able public and private buildings and in the vicinity
Of populeus places. The dangers justly to be APP
pretended from keeping this kind Of property in ex-
posed conditions have been heretofore represented TO
Congress, accompanied with suggestions in favor Of
establishing depot for its safekeepng at some CEN
lral point, safe in its construction, and removed TO
secure distance from public edices and private dwell
lngs. again allude to this subject, in The hope that
provision may be made TO carry out these sugges-
tons.
The management of the mineral lands has been
committed the ordnance department The devel-
opments Of this kind Of wealth during the last year,
particularly in the region about Lake Superior,
have given increased importance 70 this subject and
attracted towards il unusual degree Of public at
tention. The present mode or opening these lands
TO individual enterprise appears to me to be obiec-
tionable, and necessarily leads serious difficulties
in regard 10 conflicting claims for locations. Fur
Their legislation on this subject is required Measures
have been taken to obtain accurate information as
well IN regard to the operations Of the present sys-
tenn as to enable the department to propose some
notifications, an entire change OF IT, The man
agement Of concern of this nature already nvolv.
ing public and private interests Of considerable
magnitude, and rapidly increasing in importance,
should not, in my opinion, be devolved upon mill.
tary bureau organized with reference to appropri-
duties and those duties ola various and respo-
sible character, requiring the vgilant and constant
attention of the officers charged with the perform
ancc of them. is proposed, as soon as the returns
from the agents for the fiscal year received and
other materials collected submit to your consider
alton full report on this subject, with suggestions
Of essential changes in regard to the disposition and
management Of this portion Of the public property
Among the responsible duties committed 10 this
department Of the government, is that of attending
to our exterior defences. With inland frontiers,
and seacoasts Of many thousand miles in extent,
assailable at almost any point, il is very obvious
that system Of permanent Notifications is neces-
sary to our security. This subject received the
early attention Of the government, and has been
prosecuted by every succeeding ADMINISTRATION. As
oil which required to be done, could not, in the be-
ginning, be at once undertaken, the more exposed
and important positions were first attended to; but
points which might have been overlooked or proper.
ly dsregarded in past years, claim special con.
alteration, IN consequence of the progress Of i'm
provement and the increase Of wealth and popula-
hon IN their vicinity.
The permanent defences now under construction
or repair are situated along the northern frontier,
and on the seacoast. The accompanying report of
the chief engineer presents accurate and full
count Of the condition Of the several works which
have been under construction during the past year.
The engineer officers have been employed during
that time npon forty-eght forts. About forty Of
these are now ready, or on short notice could be
made ready TO receive their full armament; vet
upon several of them, considerable expenditures are
required to secure them from decay, and to provide
ncedfih accommodation for troops. The first and
main object has been to make them available as de-
fensve works; but il is important that accommoda.
tons should also be furnished for small feacegar-
risons. Very strong objections are urged against
the use of classmates as hospitals and barracks
Both policy and humanity require that suitable pro-
vision should be made, not only for the comfort Of
the sick, b, for the preservation of the health Of the
sound. Estimates for the construction Of hospitals
and barracks at some Of the principal posts and for
tfcatons and for the repairs ofthose already erect
ed, are submitted for the consideration of Congress
New Notifications have been commenced, at points
clearly indicated by proper regard to the public
security, ana the requisite appropriations are asked
for continuing the construction Of them. A refer
ence TO the reports Of the chief engineers for several
successive years, az well as to that herewith sub.
mitted, shows That few other new works are Deem
ed essential to our system of external defence. The
wise considerations which commend them to the ia
vorable notice Of Congress are clearly and cogently
presented in these reports
The first in p tint Of Importance is the defence Of
the narrows at Staten Island, in the harboY Of New
York Fortifcaiions at this place would be more
effective, beyond all dispute, in covering that city,
thaua nv 9TH 49,.