Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1856-01-17

recommend such revision of The act in question
as will render its provisions consistent with
the changes introduced by subsequent legisla.
ton aud the necessities of the service.
The sea'coast deiences have during the past
year been steadily pressed toward completion
10 the extent OF the means granted by Con-
gress Tor that purpose. In no part of our mill
tary system IS the exercise Of wise foresight
more necessary than in the prosecution of these
works, and recommend to favorable consider
a'ion the remarks Of the Chief Engineer upon
this subject
The preparation Of the armament for these
works IS IN advance Of the construction
The recommendation heretofore made for an
! appropriation TO commence the fertilization Of
ship island is renewed. The importance Of
1 inns work as connected with the defence of the
approaches to New Orleans, and the command
OF the inner channel of communication between
the Mississippi river and Mobile harbor, has
been augmented both by the increased value of
that navigation III the time of peace, and by
the introduction of light draught war steamers,
which would render this approach still more
available for the operations Of an enemy than
when IN 1914 il was selected as the line of u
| hostile descent.
The physical geography Of the vast region
drained by the Columbia river indicates that
| at some daya great city must arise at the point
| winch shall become its commercial entrepot.
| Attention has been heretofore called to the
| necessity OF iortllying the entrance of the
| Columbia river and would again commend
il to attention and favorable consideration.
| For information in regard to the operations
of the Ordnance Department | refer to the
accompanying report Of the Colonel Of Ord,
| nance; taking occasion to renew the recommen-
datons have heretofore made for an appro-
| priation for arsenals in Texas and New Mixico,
and on the north Pacific coast in Oregon or
Washington Territory, as may be found most
advisable; also for national armory for the
fabrication OF cannon and projectles. My
views in regard to the expedency of these
measures, as heretofore given. remain un.
changed; the reasons then advanced in support
of the recommendations remain in full force,
and are referred to instead of being repeated
| here.
| at the national armories the manufacture OF
smooth-bored arms has been brought to a close
| New models for all small arms have been
adopted upon the rifle principle, and embrac,
| ing the improvements described in nv last
report, and 1t is expected that the armories will
| be at work upon the new arms before the close
of the year.
| In The mean time, improved ammunition, to
which mainly is due the increased range
| recently obtained by smallarms, has been
issued to troops bearing grooved arms, and its
use Ia actual service has fully realized all the
advantages that we're anticipated.
Among the new models for small arms is
pistol of increased length of barrel, furnished
with an attachment 10 the stock, which may be
instantly applied, and which converts it into
i n.rbI al,
actual service rs the experiments made now
indicate, no difference will be needed between
the arms and equipments of dragons and those
oflight cavalry, but the whole, armed with this
weapon, will be rendered, in CELEBRITY Of move
ment, equal to light cavalry, ard in combat. as
efficient as heavy Dragons. 1t is thought that
this arm viii be found, also, well adapted to
the use OF sappers and miners, Of men working
in the trenches, and OF light artillerymen
Under provisions made last year for the
purchase OF breech.oading rifles, many samples
of this weapon have been examined, and n
number of various patterns purchased, and
| placed in the hands Of troops for trial in the
field. 1t is deemed indispensable to subject
them TO this test before adopting any as a
standard weapon
The distribution Of arms to the militia Of the
several States for the current year has been
made according to representation in Congress,
as prescribed by the 7ih section Of the army
appropriation act approved March ,, 1855.
In fixing the quota oil The District of Columbia
and the Territories, which by the act is left to
the discretion of the Executive, it was deter
mined that the District and the Territories
should receive the quota of States having the
least representation in Congress. That pro-
vision Of the act which required this department
to equalize, as far as practicable, the number
Of arms distributed 10 the States. was executed
by issuing from the United States arsenals 10
each State and Territory which had received
less than 1000 stand so many arms as would
bring their supply up TO that number.
Arrangements have been made to convert
arms Of the old model.issued to the States, when
desired by them, into riaed arms of the new
model, with percussion lock and primer at.
tached; the expense Of the alteration TO be
charged to the States and deducted from their
several quotas of the appropriation for the
annual supply Of arms.
Under the appropriation made at the last
session, editions of cavalry and light infantry
tactics have been procured for the militia, aud
are in course OF distribution.
At the last session of Congress an act was
passed directing the Secretary of War to cause
TO be constructed, on n site TO be selected by
the President Of the United States, a suitable
building for the care aud preservation Of the
ordnance and arms and Announcements OF the
volunteers and militia OF the District of Colum.
ba, and for the care aud preservation Of the
military trophies Of the revolutionary and other
wars, and for the deposite Of newlyinvented
and model arms for the military service; for
which purpose the sun Of $4,000 was appro.
priated. ia the execution OF this act, a site was
selected and a plan and specifications conforma.
bic to the means granted, prepared, and bids
for The work duly invited by public advertise.
ment.
a contract has been entered into, but at 80
late period that no progress has been made
in the construction Of the building.
The work upon the military roads in the
Territory Of Minnesota has generally made
satisfactory progress. Those in Utah, Wash.
ington, aud Oregon for which appropriations
we're made last year, have been completed &C.
cording TO the plans adopted. Those for which
appropriations we're made At the last session in
Kansas, Nebraska, Washington, Oregon, and
New Mexico have not yet been put under con.
siruction. No report has yet been received Of
the completion Of the necessary preliminary
SURVEYS