Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-01-09

much desired, and the department also re-
commends an increase in the rank and file
of the marine corps and in the number of
warrant officers.
The report concludes with advising that
authority be given to the President TO ap.
point one out of five or six midshipmen al
large, irrespective of the place Of resi-.
dence of the person appointed. Provision
might thus be made for cases of peculiar
merit which are now excluded. Nothing
is said in the report on the system of pro-
motion. The Secretary confines himself
to faithful narration of the doings Of the
navy, with few practical suggestions such
as we have mentioned
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR
The Secretary gives a full history of the
commencement and progress of our Mex
lean war operations; the battles of Palo
Alto, Resaca de la Palma, and Monterey
are narrated; and thel termination of
the armistice; the conquest Of Santa Fe
and the CALIFORNIA;, and accounts of the
various movements Of the armies.
Satisfactory, though not official informa.
ton, has been received of the taking of
Monclova, but not Chihuahua. Gen. kear-
ney's detachment was expected to reach the
Pacific about November last. The oper-
atoms of Col. Fremont and Commodore
Stockton west of the Rocky Mountains are
reterrcds to with commentator. Anthem
tic information but not official report has
been received of their operations. The
military force Of the United States has
been augmented from s,64O to 10000 men.
The duties of the War Department have
been arduous and embarrassing. The de-
partment of Tamaulipas, and the right
bank of the Rio Grande for several hun
dred miles from its mouth, New Leon.
Coahulia, and chihuahua, have all in effect
been wrested from the enemy; and the
Mexican authority, civil and military. dis.
placed in New Mexico and the Califor.
nias--all in the short space of seven months
The regular army, under the law of the
last session, when filled up, would amour,
to l6,90s, officers and men, but does not
now exceed 10000. Our success in the
field is attributable probably to the large
number of volunteers called ""' since the
passage of the bill increasing army. 1t
is impossible to tell the number of troops
which the cxigences of the war may re-
quire.
The volunteers called out who have en-.
countercd the enemy have more than just-
fed the expectations formed of this descrip.
ton of troops; but it is no disparagement
to them to say that regular forces would
be preferred in a war to be prosecuted in
a foreign country. Considerations ofecon.
omy are also decidedly in favor of troops
engaged TO serve during the war. The
Secretary is most solicitous that this subiec,
should receive the attention Of Congress,
and that body of troops should be raised
to take the place of those volunteers who
will claim discharge at the end of their
term Of service.
The plan suggested by General Macomb
in his report in 1886, is recommended now
in reference to regimental field officers.
Provision should be made for offences com.
mitted by our troops and by persons con
nected with the army. An increase Of the
regular army is recommended. The est-
mated appropriations for Notifications for
next year amount to 495,6 dollars.
The report then goes on to speak of our
national offences; Of sappers, miners, and
Typographical engineers and their present
organization; of the ordnance bureau be.
ing inadequate; deficiency in the medical
staff of the army; history of operations in
mineral lands the past year; number of
pension agencies, A, exclusive of navy
pensions, and number Of pensioners about
10000. The independent treasury &C,
contemplates the employment of officers
named therein as pension agents and rem
ders it doubtful whether those hitherto EN-.
ployed are not suspended. He recommend.
that authority be given to continue the
present agents at a reasonable compensa.
ton. Three thousand four hundred and
thrty-four Indians have been removed ives,
of the mississippi river since the last
annual report. New treaties with Indians
are referred to, and the soliciude of Gov.
eminent to promote the welfare of the In
dian tribes is feeingly expressed.
POSTMASTER GENERALS REpoRT.-This
is very busness,lke document. We pre-
sent the following abstract of its leading
| features:
Revenue for the year, ending
June 80, S3,4s7.l99 81
Expenses, B,0S4,297 2:
Excess of expenditures, 597,O97 s.
The Postmaster General thinks that ,
considerable portion of the deficiency il
the revenue of the past year is not attrib
utable TO the reduction in hostages, bu
may be traced to other causes. He saw
that expresses still continue (. run he