The daily union., 1856-12-10

considered az giving to our commercial cities immunity
from the danger Of sudden descent they may however
Is seen be adequately protected BY proper preparation but
such preparation requires time for its accomplishment For
tfcaons in order 10 insure their full efficiency not the
work Of few weeks months but often Of many years
Batteries hastily constructed be useful auxiaries
10 important deence but they should seldom DO re-
lied alone When il is necessary resort to such tenn
poary works II would be easy TO show that these deence
far less economical than permanent works IN cost Of
construction in the amount OF the necessary armament
and in the number Of required for their service In
deed this will be obvious 70 any one who has, Dy exam
nation OF permanent fort compared the easy management
and the rapidy and efficiency of fire OF its heavy guns
with those that be used behind hastily
breastwork and particularly where rapid firing against
moving body ID required.
The defences Of many Of our most important seaports
which still inadequatey protected be properly Of
cted only by liberal and regular grants from Congress
for the completion the works already under construction
and for the commencement OF such as 1t Is pro-
posed to erect Economy Of construction will be promoted
by the appropriation of large can be udcousy
applied within the year, and earlier efficiency will be
attained the works may thus be brought TO
state OF compton therefore the estimates for the next
year have been prepared with view to hasten the COM
pleton OF all the most important works now under con-
struction.
During the late in Europe commission of the Off
GERS of the army was sent out with your appreciation 10
the opportunity afforded, by extensive military prep
arations and movements of troops to collect Information
which might be useful in service The commission,
composed of three officers of different corps visited the
of operation in the northern and southern parts Of
Russia, and many military establishments in England,
France Prussia and Austria. In Russia they were re-
ceived with the most courteous beray, and every Ia
cliy which their time allowed extended TO them for
accomplishing their object They did not obtain access
to places actually besieged but they were permitted to
examine the extensive and interesting Notifications of
Cronstadt before which allied fleet then lying.
At St Petersburgh and Moscow they visited the camps,
barracks military schools hospitals and arsenas At
Warsaw and its vicinity they had opportunity of see
ing Notifications of great extent constructed on the mod
system of the Russian engineers who have acquired
deserved celebrity by the skill and energy displayed IN
the protracted defence of Sebasopo The English gov
ernmen "trustng to the honor of officers freely per-
mitted the commission to visit their camp in the Cmea
but conditions at that time stipulated by the French
authorities in according like permission could not then be
acceded by the commission without giving other inn
portant objects. On arriving in the Crmea short time
after of the Russians from the south side OF the
harbor of Sebastopo the commission met with hosplta-
BILE reception and kind assistance from the commanders
and otter officers of the English and Sandman armies
Their VISIT the Crmea this time enabled them to
the camp arrangements troops and siege works OF the al
lies and also examine the orhcations OF Sebasopol in
the state which they left after the last assault Here
and at Constannope the for the tranporta
ton and subsistence Of the troops and for the OF the
sick and wounded in the field and permanent also
came under their notice In returning from the East they
examined with the courteous permission OF the govern
mens many Of the Prussian and Austrian military esab
shmn,ts Notifications arsenals and other manufactures
military schools and barracks of the various corps of
troops In passing through Belgium they visited the
ernmen foundry for and some OF the manufactures
of small arms at Liese and IN entering france tney mao
opportunities seeing OF the principal oruhcatons
arssnals and The commission returned home
in April last after absence of year The preparation
of their detailed report delayed by the necessity OF as
SIGNING some of the officers to duty but it will prob
ably be completed before the end OF the approaching ses
sion of Congress. .-,,-
Its high mission 1t is steadily advancing in all which
facilitates thorough instruction. and whilst Its purpose Is
mainly the education of warrant ocers 10 prepare tne
for the responsibilities of higher grades lts penes are CO.
extensive with the Union and its influence feit In all the
pursuits of country The mode of appointment pre-
its advantages from being confined to any eas
na1iy,c nr
and the first step in the military ladder the army is
thus furnished with body of officers who represent the
whole country and who by being reared in its service
may be expected to feel for the country whole and in
any and every contingency to reliable buwark for
the common defence Since the organization OF the acade
my 1882 has steadily expanded with the increasing
growth of the country and the requirements OF the nsu
ton have long since changed 1t from its original character
of engineer station and made 1t an important post OF
the army which every and great majority OF the
regiments are represented in the persons of their officers
In the time demand for engineer officers in surveys
and works of construction has not permitted the corps OF
engineers to furnish than small portion OF the
officers selected for duty at the academy Thus will be
see from the necessity Of the case that the condition OF
the academy long since ceased to conform to the terms
of the Law for its establishment more specially set
forth in my last annual report
For more detailed information refer to the annual
mort OF the Board o. Visters and to the report OF the
chief engineer who by Lie office is also inspector OF the
academy
The military roads in various Territories provided for
by acts of Congress have been steadily progressing
Some are now completed and work on them terminated
others are under contract or in charge of officers and
will be prosecuted as the placed at the disposal of
the department will admit Experience thus far obtain
ed has demonstrated that in all except where the
location prairie country the appropriations w prove
inadequate TO complete the roads in substantial manner
This remark especially applies to the Territories of
Washington Oregon, and Minnesota 1t Is readily ac-
counted for in the first two by the rugged mountains
deep and rapid streams and the unusually heavy forest
found throughout that region in the last on account OF
the great length Of the roads, the heavy forest and the
number Of streams TO bc brdged For their completion
the scale originally contemplated additional means VIII
be required.
BY act of Congress dated February IT, 1856, $4,000
were appropriated cutting the timber the road
Fort Ripley via Crow Wing river to the main road
leading the Red river Of the north The location of the
route indicated found circuous and Objectionable
Under the circumstances it considered the duty OF the
department TO suspend all action the road until Con-
press could so modify the Of the law admit the
money being expended along the most advantageous line
Such a modification Is recommended.
An appropriation of $4,000 made February 8, lS55
for the construction of the road from the Grand Falls OF
the Missouri to inersect the road leading from Wala-
WaIla to Puget Sound This entirely inadequate
10 effect the object Of independent measure and the de-
partment contemplated using in conneXion with 1t the
OF body Of troops from the upper Missouri TO
valley of the Columbia river but the unexpected de-
mand created by the hOstes In Washington and Oregon
Territories rendered 1t necessary 10 despatch the troops de
signed this service By another and speeder route
bs therefore not possible sdyantgeeusly expend
the appropriation and the work has not been commenced
The general rule which have adopted and insisted up
on when nev appropriation has been made for specific
object as for the construction Of road between two
named points to determine plan for the work
codnq 10 the scale indicated by the amount approprs
ted and Il be evidently impossible upon any plan which
can be devised to accomplish the proposed object with the
IN ihn of