Mobile register and journal., 1846-12-22


 pNid in advance, there la danger that the commula tiun money VI" not be applied 10 Ihe proper objecl, or not judieinusly applied; and if ~ithhrli 0itl earned, those entering Ihe ice will ao be able in many cases, to procure needful supply, and consequently will suger for the want thereof be obliged 10 pay enormous prices To rem edy these inconveaiences. l recommend that the present law should in this respect be altered, and that the appropriation for clothing should be enlarg ed, and the government required t1 provide supply for the volunteers, and furhsh il To them cost lieu oi the allowance money, ,nOw directed tD be paid, and that no money lieu of cluthIng should be paid, unless the commanding officer of the com pan, L which the soldier belongs shall certify that he is we'll supplied with proper clothing
 Our peaceful rel .lions with lhase foreign powers who could command the means ol assallng us, par licularly our seaboard, are now better settled than when submitted my last annual report. This consideration, together with the anticipation of large expenditures in prosecuting ihe exIslIng var, has led tO greatly reduced estimates for furticaluns and defensive works on and inland iron tier The appropriations mainly for these objects, at the last session of Congress, were sl ,300OU0- The estimates of the next year amonnt 10 only l S495 600 The several objects winch il is pro- posed to apply this sum specifically enumerated l in the repoltO Of the Chief Engineer, together with the considerations which have pre,a led in present. l jag these estimates
 | The act authorizing the enlistment of n company of soldiers, usually called sappers miners aud pom toners, passed on the 5th May; but they could not be organized in season take part in the a.e op- erations o the army; they are, however, now with | It. or their great utility there be reasona l. ble doubt. Each large body of troops, operating at
 distance from others, ought 10 he attended by such a corps, and the recommendation of the Chief En- gineer enlarge il by three additional com l panies is entitled 10 favorable considerations To some extent erroneous notions prevail in rela-
 ton to the duties of this It IS supposed that these duties are not essentially connected with mi- tary operations that when it's officers are employed with the army they only engaged in labors winch appropriately belong to engineers; and that, though | in fact embraced in the organization of the army, lAey are hut civil engineers This is mistaken view of the subject They have appropriate and m- portani military duties with army in the field | and ihe presence and aid are auxiliary 10 ils cessful operations. The report of the chief of the | corps shows that most of ihe officers belonging to l il are now duty with the army. So great has been he demand for them for military service, that all but one have been withdrawn from the coast sur vey and assigned 10 duty with the different divisions | of our forces They have participated in the ardu- ous abors 0f the campaign, and won Tor themselves fair share of the honor and glory of it's achieve ments.
 | The burden of increased duties resulting from a state of war has borne heavier upon the Ordnance Bureau, probably, than upon any other branch of the public service connected with lbls department ex- | cept that of the Qnartermaster General IL cannot | be expanded 80 meet the superadded dema nds upon it without the authority of Congress. | The officer in charge of this bureau has pointed out in his report the inadequacy Of its present ganization, and suggested such enlargement as will make il efh,ient in the present emergency. IL | is proposed lO give it the same organization, to the rank and number of officers, that of the crps | of engineers am fully convinced that the service is embarrassed in consequence of the defcIency of ordnance officers, and would respectfully renew the recommendation, made al the asI session, for an in- crease of them. That suggested in the ordaance l report would not. in my judgment be than tn 6 public exigencJ at this time demands.
 Ii IS proper that should direct your attention to | he reports of tie Paymaster General and Surgeon General Both urge the necessity of further and i, | 10 enable themtO execute in A satisfactory manner the duties o their respective departments. increased as they are by the large number of troops in the field, and the different destinations of them. There | s no doubt that the ineonyenencies and emuarrass- menls in these branches of the public service are of such magnitude and importance as ts clam the at- tenton and receive the favorable notice of Congress The deficiency the medcnl staff with the army | has been the subject of repeated complaints by our commanding generals. A regard to the confort of tne troops, well the good of the service, re- quires that the department should have the power remove the causes of them. Considerations of econ omy also commend this subject the favor of Con grcss. Where the attendance of army surgeons and assistants cannot he obtained physicians m private life employed; and the amount of claims against the for ther services far exceeds the pay l aud emoluments which the additional number asked for in the report Of the Surgeon General would re- ceiys.