The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-12-09

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rcspohdins increase in the means Of protection. In
that view ! concur in the recommendation of the
General in Chief, that additional regiment Of
mounted men be authorized.
Allow ne TO call your attention TO the state OF
our defepces on The seacoast.
shortly after the termination of the last war with
Great Britain Board of Engineers was organized
to prepare system Of coast defence.
This Board recommended that Notifications be
constructed at number of points on the seacoast
and on the Northern lakes Their recommends
ton was adopted, and its execution was com
menced, fret, by repairing and charging such OF
the olds works as we're deemed worthy OF preserva
ton; secondly, by the construction OF new works,
beginning, OF course, with those that we're con
sidered the most important, ..
Although doubts have been occasionally Cx-
pressed whether some OF the works proposed by the
Board might not be dispensed with and whether
others were not on n scale unnecessarily large,
the works recommended by it slowly but steadily
advanced, and until the year 1850 Congress never
failed, except in a single instance, to provide the
necessary means for prosecuting them. la the
last mentioned year no appropriation Tor ortlhca-
tons were made, but the House OF Representatives
adopted resolution directing the Secretary OF
War to submit. at their next session, report on
this subject. That report was submitted, but no
action was taken on il, and no appropriation was
made.
1t is believed that this omission caused by
an opinion which seems to prevail that the system
adopted by the Board Of 1876 If not originally too
extensive, has become go in consequence OF events
and restricted.
In that opinion concur; and in the report above
mentioned expressed the opinion that many OF
the works embraced in the original plan might
and ought TO be dispensed with.
The subject ia undoubtedly worthy Of all the con-
sideration that Congress can bestOw upon it and
it is 10 be hoped that they will at an carly period
adopt some mode of revising the plan, and making
any changes in it which The present GIRO umstances
Of the country may seem to them TO require.
In the mean time, however, there are number
Of works which have been commenced, and are in
various ages of advancement, but the prosecution
of which is suspended for the of the necessary
appropriations. Most of these works highly
important, being intended for the protection of our
principal seaports and naval stations, viz Boston
New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore Norfolk,
Cha rieston, Savannah, Pensacola, Mobile, and
New Orleans, or other points Of scarcely less
i'm portance.
Whatever differen ce of opinion may exist as to
the extent to which the system Of Notifications
should be carried all l. Ist admit that no expense
should be spared to rem der pontstike those above
mentioned absolutely imprrgntbie by any force
that may reasonably be expected to be brought
against them.
/ hereto append a statement of these unfinished
works, showing the amounts required to complete
them respectively, and the sums that could be ad
yantageously expended on each OF them during the
next fiscal year, and earnestly recommend that
Congress be urged to make the necessary appro-
priations with view to the completion, il not of
all, at least of the most important among them at
early period as pTaCtlCaOle. III THIS De not
done, the large sums already expended on them
will, in many cases, be lost.
Among the works recommended by the Board
which have not been commenced, there are several
which appear to me of obvious necessity. l refer
particularly those designed for the protection of
New Bedford, and of San Francisco, both of which
now entirely defenceless.
Ii is also the opinion Of the engineers that n work
at Sandy Hook, for the protection of the outer har
Dor of New York, is necessary to complete the de-
fences Of that city.
Congress also omitted the last two sessions to
make the usual appropriations for the purchase Of
the heavy ordnance used in coast defence. AZ this
description of ordnance is generally intended for
Notifications, il has been the practice to Estimate
for it under the head Of "Armament of Fortitca-
tons" 1t is hardly cssary to observe, however,
that II 10 an indispensable part OF any system OF
defence that may be adopted, and that the fewer
the Notifications the greater the quantity that ill
be required.
On this subject beg leave to subjoin few re.
marks contained in the report on Qualifications
above referred to:
"Whatevcr policy may be adopted with refer.
cnce to ortifcatons, it will still be necessary to
provide a much lar ger supply of ordnance than we
now have on hand. BY reference to the report
from the head Of the Ordnance Bureau, hereto an
nexed, marked c, it will be seen that the whole
number Of guns, Of all calbres, now on hand,
whether in the forts or in the arscna's, amounts
only to 3,5 IS; and that of gun carriages is still
smaller. The entire number of guns that can be
mounted in the forts already completed (Classes A
now in progress OF construction should he com
pleted, the total number of guns that would then
be required for all the forts would be 6,093. 1t ap
pears, therefore, that the supply Of ordnance now
on hand 10 very inadequate, even to the present
wants of the service will observe, too. that even
il Congress should determine to restrict the system
of Notifications, this would not obviatc the neces
sity for large increase in the supply of heavy ord
nance. Some means of defence must be employed,
and cannon is an indispensable part of any system
that may be adopted.
1T appears, too, from the reports hereto ap-
pended, that the great naval powers of Europe
have, within few years past greatly increased
the calibre Of the guns mounted on their ves5es
of war. This renders it obviously necessary thai
tie power of the batteries intended to resist them
should also be proportionaby increased. believe
it is the opinion Of all officers, DO of the army
and navy, who have devoted much attention to
this subject, that many of the guns now in our
most important forts ought to be removed, and
others OF longer range substituted glance nj
the report Of the Ordnance Bureau will show
how very deficient are in the heavy descriptions
Of ordnance, particularly in eight and ten inch
columbiads, the most effective weapons against
vessels of
ITO manufacture cannon of good quality ia a
work that demands Considerable tiuIc; and, as
they imperishablc when properly taken care
Of there is no good reason why the Government
should not atUnce provide a requisite supply.
SIN connection with this subject, would venture
10 suggest that provision be made for distribu-
ZION OF artillery among the militia OF the states
the knowledge of this arm than of any other, and
yet it s the one that wuud be most required in a
war with any European power If standing APP
preparation were made applicable to the distribu
ion Of artillery, aud of the book artillery |
practice among the States and Territories II |
would tend very much TO promote the knowledge |
If this essential branch Of the military art among |
he citizens Of the country
One Of the most important and responsible
luucs which have dcvovcd the Department
Turing the present year ia the execution of the
works known as the river and harbor improve
nents.
The number of works for which appropriations
made by the act recently passed, is about one
hundred, and the sum appropriated about two
Millions and quarter. The appropriations, how
'vcr, will only in few ins,arccs be sufficient to
complete the works for which they were made. BY
ar the greater number will require additional and
oIne Of them very large additional, appropria tons
% complete them. II 10 to be presumed that, even
{ Com gross should not see fit 10 continue tho sys
EN- and 10 provide for other works of a similar
character, not included in the present act, they
viii Mt least finish the works that have been begun
] deemed it, therefore, of the utmost importance
o make, at the outset, such PEI manent arrange.
nCnt5 for the execution OF thcie works as would,
far practicable, ensure the faithful, udicious,
md economical application Of the large sums Of
money that have been and may be appropriated
ich