The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-09-23

carry on and MAINTAIN clNl war OF the worst
complexion in their mdst9 The sturdy emigrant
and his family, who has left his home in the old
world, and come across the ocean in search OF
peace and happiness in our favored country,
will not make resting place in State where
such things tolerated. He will prefer to
settle in quiet and peace on the inviting and lux
urant lands OF Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan,
or Iowa, and avoid Illinois as he would the cho-
lera or some other contagious disease.
On the score ofinterest alone, therefore, the in
habitants of Illinois owe il to themselves to use
energetic means to stop this worse than civil war,
before any further loss of life occurs.
New YORK STATE ARsENALs Few of our citi-
zens are probably aware of the immense amount
of property stored in the arsenas of our State,
and the means taken for its preservation. There
are in all eleven arsenals in New York, located
at this city, Albany, Buffalo, Batavia, Onondaga
Hollow, Canandaigua, Watertown, Elizabeth
town, Malone, Russell, West Troy, and on Staten
Island, each under the care of military store
keeper, the whole being under the direction of
the Commissary General; and the value of pro-
perty stored in the different buildings must be
between three and four millions of dollars. In the
equipment, ready for immediate service, for
twenty-five thousand men, comprising artillery,
cavalry and infantry The possession of such ex-
tensive means of defence or offence, in our midst,
is fact which should be matter Of satisfaction
to every resident who would be willing to act for
the protection of his ireside, in OF attack
from enemy.
For sop,e cause great neglect has been, till late
ly, shown in measures necessary for the security
of such a vast amount of military material, and
great losses have, in consequence, accrued to the
State Treasury. The buildings in White street
are utterly inadequate for the purposes to which
they are appropriated, and their dapdated state
has ever been subject Of complaint by the pre-
sent Commissary and his predecessor Notwith-
standing the strenuous exertions Of Gen. Storms,
heavy SHOWS and heavy rains have destroy
ed and injured amount of property greater
than would have sufficed to provids suitable shell
ter for the weapons of warfare, which may yet be
OF unexpected utility to the districts which pos
sess them; and though the present condition of
the arsenal in this city is better than it has been
in twenty years, yet there is room for great i'm
provements, and those, too, of strictly neces-
sary nature. That some changes may be made
is much to be hoped for, and indeed may be ex-
pected from the law passed by the last Congress,
relative to the purchase Of the works on Staten
Island, now owned by New York, and which are
heavy tax on her treasury.
Mr.. Rhett, of South Carolina, who appeared to
have more at heart the protection of our Northern
harbors than those who lived within them, intro
duced bill into Congress, appropliatng one
hundred thousand dollars for the purchase from
this State of the works and Notifications on Staten
Island and that they be put in order by the Uni
ted States, being, by their position, one Of the
keys of the entrance to the commercial empori-
UNI of the western world. This bill was passed
on the 10Th of January last, and so soon as the ne
cessary stipulations are complied with, the money
passes into our State treasury. Indeed, we know
not but that it has already been paid over. Also,
by an act of this State, passed in 1874, the Com
mssary General is authorized to expend, under
the direction of certain commissioners, such
moneys as shall be paid into its treasury for or
on account of the sale to the United States govern.
ment of lands for military purposes on Staten
Island, in building an nal in this county to
take the place OF the one now unfit for service
able ends.
The effect of these two acts is much more be-
necial to the State, and especially to this city,
than might be apparent at first view. Not only
is enc of the most important military posts near us
provided for by the general government, but the
expenses TO which our city was year after year
subjected, sometimes amounting to $4,000 an
nually, is saved to the treasury, and means af-
forded with which our commissary can erect
building ornamental to our city and of immense
benefit to its inhabitants. Hardly one Of our
lunteer infantry companies, however rich or libe-
raj, would undertake the trouble of organization
and continued drill, did they not have the power
OF draining from the copious stores laid up,
supply of armament requisite for their use; and
when.we see how many artillery regiments are
weekly arriving at perfection by constant pract-
cal drill, whose means are entirely furnished by
the State arsenals, we can arrive at some better
estimate Of the utility of these storehouses, and
the necessity of keeping them in a proper situa-
ton.
At the commencement Of the present year the
property of the State of New York in ordnance,
arms, ammunition, and munitions ofwar, consist
ed in part of the following articles POI pieces
iron cannon and howtzers, from to "a poun-
ders; 295 pieces brass do. 81 % "a, 81 900 mus
kets, 27O4 rifles, 1913 carbnes, 1860 pairs of pis-
tolls, $500 swords, $4,000 sets infantry equipments,
IS 5000 rds muskctball cartridge, 1000 pistol do,
1000 rds IL, g. 6 and 3pr. shot, and 1000 rds. IL,
Is and "a pr. shot, besides very large amount of
different material issued to various companies,
and for various purposes during the year previous
No one will deny, that till the day shall come,
when all wars and rumors OF war are ended,
that it is well to be provided for cases of emer.
gency and to effect this, the stronger we are
in defensive weapons at least, the better.
Hitherto this department has been grossly ne
elected by those in authority, and had it not been
for the exertons of few men like Gen. Storms,
the property, like that above mentioned, and ac-
cumuating every year, would have been left to
the care of no hand but that of time. Now, we
are glad to learn that new and commodous
building is soon to be erected, OF which the plans
are already designed, and some part OF the pro-
perry at present in use. to be exchanged for some