The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-03-31

poance OF such troops by feasible deductions, extracted
from theoretical principles applicable and useful only
in the large armies oil Europe. He also says Una.
engineer. troops can and ought TO be required al
the present time to perform IN Texas New nieAioo'
California and Oregon, the duties he enameraIes some
OF which are constructing and repairing bridges mpos-
ing fords cutting down the steep banks oil streams Tor
the pas sage OF trains making and repairing roads, &c
Sc Now, is il not strange that TINS method OF making
engineer soldiers useful TO the country has not been dis
covered ere this Has required six years OF instruction
at West Point to learn intelligent and active body OF
"young Americans" what the most stupid OF European
laborers do without teaching And would not in
fantry soldiers better answer the same purpose, at less
expense the country' 1t be proved that the
nua average expense OF this company is more than would
maintain regiment OF infantry, who might be employed
TO some purpose our frontiers The amount that has
already been expended this corps for pay subsistence
transportation. material OF &C., may be reckoned al
six hundred thousand dollars; and yet the writer in the
Union modesy asserts that battalion should be crea.
ted Verify he should first ask Congress to double
nually the army appropriation.
The gentleman has not said word in his communi-
cation in regard to the expense of maintaining the in
creased force he recommends He has not informed his
readers that the pay OF sergeant in these troops more
than the pay proper OF a second lieutenant, and equal to
that OF first lieutenant in the lne-that OF corporal
is more than double the rank and that the pay oil
first and second class prvates equal 10 the average pay
OF non-commissoned officers in any other arm OF the
service II must also be recoeced that il these troops
should De sent TO California and Oregon their pay oud
be doubled and that every other expense would be in
creased in greater less proportion Neither is this
all In order effect twentieth part OF what the gentle
man has laid down in his undigested and ndigestible
programme OF services be rendered by these troops in
any reasonable time, il would require, instead OF five
companies five times that number would merely ask the
gentleman how long time he imagnes il would require
for four hundred a road TO California
and this only item OF the duties he proposes perform
Again does he imagine that it would be possible to get
such men required for engineer soldiers to enlist
for the purpose OF acting common aboers public
roads He certainly cannot be acquainted with the nature
Of the men who have composed and who now compose
the present company majority of them are "young
American mechanics" the remainder who have
toiled in the drudgery Of the common laborermen
who, in the hour of their countrys need, would submit
without murmur to anything in her service, but who
in time OF peace could be better employed than in build
ing roads the rackess wlds OF the West
strucng mud batteries the sandy shores OF Texas
Truly, among the duties he 'enumerates," fancy he
have forgotten mention that of constructing castles
IN the air. The vast prares OF the West, like the
require roads. Go inquire OF the overland emgran
to California what assistance he asks OF his country
His only reply will be protection Give him and his fam
lily protection from The wandering tribes OF Indians and
he will find his own road II the time should arrive
when road TO California should become feasible and
necessary, private enterprise will build Of iron
the only kind OF road suitable for the country and the
age In regard to the contingency OF our being involved
in the OF Europe, think it unnecessary TO say any
thing that argument for the increase OF the army ha.
been often used the floors OF Congress without much
effect. The idea has become almost obsolete, and
only reminds of the building OF the tower of Babel
or the construction of the Chinese wall.
So far from increasing the present force OF engineer
soldiers, the company existing should be dsbanded
at once and let Congress equivalent create reg
ment OF mounted men, equipped in such manner as may
be necessary TO the exgences OF frontiers ant
the demands and wants OF our citizens.