The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-12-03

Abstract Of the Report OF the Secretary al
War.
. Tho an horised strength Of The army . now l1.se>
men The actual s,sas:s q the date q the rsssrn:
made during the twelve months ending september 90,
1859, s,s40. The number Of offers refused &C
count OF minority and unntness Tor serrce was oes
The number OF casualties during same time ives e6gs
OF which 22S were by desertion
All our Indian troubles in the West have ceased OK
cep Of with the Chey ennes.
Tbe disposition Of the troops u given IN detail.
is recon nended 70 extingush the Possess'ry rights
to government and would be disposed to exercise
powerful influence amoug the Indians against people
A vigorous campaign has been projected axains, the
Florida Indians General Harvey handing tho military
Much space Is devoted 70 the consideration Of the pro-
sent system Of military posts the Western frontiers,
and complete revolution Of the whole system urged
responoicg benefit 70 the country frontier.
The number Of designations in the army sho the
injurious 70 protsssons PRIDE While che hard service
and frontier stations Of the officers require OF them
races which no other officers Of the govern~ens are
called upon 70 make. The expense of living has been
greatly Augmented and the pay is about the Same Il
was fifty years ago. 1t is bad economy the report
tnues % drive the active and intelligent from tho ser.
The Legislation which created special corps or de
paYments composed OF officers, whose duties do not
vofve the command OF TROOPS has given rss TO much
trouble and confusion. Brevet rank Il condemned.
The ezstiDg abuse In the discharge from the army Of
persons Who having been represented TO the recruiting
officer being Of mature age, had, after enlistment and
transportation TO distant posts, brought forward suf
cent evidence 10 require their discharge, ia strongly
condemned and remedy suggested Attention 10 again
called TO the want Of legislation upon the subiec! OF mill
taTy ses, and the recommendations Of the last report
are repeated.
The great Improvement made in small arms must
supersede in great the Of Of small
canbre. Tho report OF the Colonel OF Ordnance 10 re-
ierred TO for details In regard 10 this branch OF the
subject, the Of wrought iron instead OF wood for
Proper exps rmens he been ordered 70 be made Tue
operations at the national have been restricted
10 The completion Of new models for small arms. Toe
alteration OF arms OF the old % 10 apply 70 them
all the nodern improvements has progressed far enough
coDclusively that they be made equal in EN-
cheney those OF the model There In the United
States arsenAs upwards of half million of these arms
which have cost betWoen Six and seven millions. Re-
ports Of experiments BY the Ordnance with
the improved small have been printed and dstri
buted for the OF the army and militia and will enable
them to learn their powers and UNDER and them theo
recaly In anticipation OF having such weapons furnAhed
them The brooch loading arms have not been tested,
the inventors failing to supply specimens tor experiment
The subject OF ordnance Is treated ~ length.
Dor coast Qualifications have steady progress dur
ing tine year. though much remains yet to be done Re
cent events have demonstrated the utility OF Notifications
for hGrbor defence The failure OF the formidable naval
Of the allies Anst the ford ed places
Black Sea and the Baltic would show conclusive
y properly constructed are sure re
ance against most formidable fleets Liberal appropra
tons recommended for all our seaport towns and
cities which are sti inadequately protected
The officers Of the Crimean Commission visited the
scenes Of operation in Russia, and many military estab
lsbmeDts in England, Frarce, Prussia and Austria. In
Russia they received with the most be
rany, ard every facility extended they did obtain
access to place actually besieged, but they were
mted to examine the extensive and interesting fortca
tons Of Cropstact before which the allied lees then
ing At st. Petersburg and Moscow they visited the
camp, barracks military school, hosptis and arsensls
At Warsaw they had opportunity OF seeing fortidca
tons constructed the modern system Of the Russian
engineers who have acquired celebrity In the skill and
energy display cd in the proiraced defence Of sebAstop
a nft ha
officers, freely permitted the Commission to visit their
camp in the Crimea but the French refused except
one which would have defeated the very OBJECT
the Commission The for !incacns OF Sebssopo left
after the last Assault. examined. The manner Of
their observation The report OF the Commission viii be
furnished probably before the close Of the session Of
Congress-.
The usual office Ia taken Of the Academy and nume-
rous sugge srs made for its greater efficiency For
tells reference made 10 the report Of the Board OF Visit
ers The military roads IN the several Territories have
been PROF. ecuted with ygoy, and several OF them
pie,ec The road operations given In lengthy dstni
Haxbtr and river improvements are all reviewed In
eess but 10 manner not Interesting 70 the general
reader.
The subject Of PscGo RAILROAD is elaborated a. re.
ference ade to sundry and explorations The
railroad from san Joee 10 San Francisco is esiim ei 20
cost twenty millions Tho Southern road IS estimated at
icriy iorT thousand dollars per nile II tho fna term,
of The Pacific road IL 10 be san Irsncsco the
through the Goreona Pass 10 San Pedro preferable 70
Gan Diego since the former port Is hundred
d lies nearer san Fraucsco.
KsrsLs AFFAIRS are rarely referred 10 BY Secretary
Davis, ard his report closes
Abstract Of the Postmaster Generals Report.
On the 18TH Of june 1855. there wire Is, sos post
oiicts, berg al increase OF 4,6t4 10 four years
eco All routes the total 9Th Of which was cstima
led at sSb,ts2 niiies costing 90 o85474 These mSii
routes divided ollowF22 323 miles OF railrosd
1891 Of steamboat So asa coache. and nearly lSs,
ctO Inferior grndes The during The last nscal
year nearly 2coto miles OF railroad $50 Of steam.
b.ai; l. $50 coach and 81 900 interior grades In Ne
nd Enns mile added !,
OF the routes Between The lst Of july 1852 and LIST Of
July. 1885, the railroad ,srvce was Increased LIT
miles exhibiting the fact that within thar time this de-
scripton Of service was more than doubled. On the
ist or December, 1865 the length OF the railroad
routes bad increased 10 n $40 miles. The total for
tins service tha, cate amounted 81 4o3,747 The
Whole ccst Of the inland ervse on the lat July was
Sc. 52e,cas.
The Postmaster General sGdes to the Panama Railroad
Company rezirg the occasion Of the withdrawal OF
the steamers via Nicaragua 70 force the Department 10
wna' nc eorser ~ n racs % ,, .ne
not exceeding $50 600 per annum and contract not ex
ccedng s7c0tto per annum via tho Nicaragua or Tuhu
anteptc route no AZ 10 give weekly mail.
The California expenditures for tho year 1856 were
$40 500 1856 and the gross including annual ap
Preparations for free matter, s7o2o,s2l The deficiency
He RECOMMENDS the sbobaon Of The ranking PRIVILEGE
and compulsory prepaymen, on al TRANSIENT print
which siy,s The Postmaster General Discretionary
rover - msko contracts for ocean steamship ser
vice Tic andes TO the fac,-tmbracrg the branch iron
msLip lines running OF New York. at expense
10 government OF 81 aes COO per sunum and says that
here why part OF the country shoulf be
preferred 20 the exclusion OF others
Among Other points Il Ia stated that negotiations are In
progress with view 20 the reiuciion Of the British
charge United States closed mails and the rate
Of postage between the United States and Great Britain
10 Twelve cents n single letter.
The Electoral Colleges.
MEETING OF THE NEW YORK ELEoroRAL COLLEGE
ALBANY, Dec. 2. 1858
The Presidential electors chosen by the people Of tns
sate Of New York, met m the Senate chamber at the
capitol this afternoon, for the purpose Of orGanzaoo
and Cling vacancies which might be found TO exist 10 the
eoUcre
the electors order ard read st OF the names AZ
found 10 bave been elected by Tho Official OF the
s,ate All the electors the Fremont electoral to
ans wered 10 their except Daniel L. Pcee, OF he
nith district and Jared v. Peck OF the Ninth district
Uron the Of these vacancies being made
by Secretary Of State, the electors proceeded In &C
oordance with the statute 10 ballot for persons 70 oil The
places OF the abssrtees.
- NJ Conovcr Of the Seventh district, and II. VI. Van