Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-12-24

Report OF The Secretary OF War.

ness men, and to their attention We commend it.
-o~-
Report OF The Secretary CT War.
The Report of the Secretary of War is an able
document. ItsEows The necessity for an imme-
diate increase in the army, which a. present con
sists of nineteen regiments, divided into ten o.
infantry, loGr of artillery, two of Dragons, two
Of cavalry, and one Of mounted ~ri1emeu, the
whole strength of the army as posted, consisting
of about Ig,GS0 men, the actual strength On the
first of July last being 1864. IN addition to
the movements which the troops have been call
cd on to make this year, the force is called upon
to garrison sixty-eight forts Of 4 large and per-
mancnt character so far as it is possible to sup
ply men for the purpose; and to occupy seventy
posts, less permanently established, where the
presence OF force is absolutely required. The
area over which these forts and posts are spread
embraces a circuit Of about 8, 9J0, 900 square miles.
For the proper occupation of these posts, the
military supervision of the extreme boundary Of
our country, the protection of the double line of
Indian frontier extending from the Lake of the
Woods to the banks of the Rio Grande, on the
east side of the Rocky Mountains, and from be-
-N-N AN~ NHs "
the head of the Gulf of California, ON the wes-
tern Slope of these mountains, and the protection
of the great lines of intercommunicatien between
the valley OF the Mississippi and the Paeiiia
Ocean, he Secretary recommends the raising o.
five additional regiments.
The army has been very actively and constant
ly engaged in The performance OF arduous and
important Duties. In view Of the menae.ns atti-
tude of affairs in Utah, and the Importance of Z
prompt and thorough suppression OF the spirit oil
rebellion eiguing there, the Secretary repeats
his Recommendation Of five new Regiments, which
be considers tie smallest addition to the a-my
which the cz:gcncies OF the services will allow.
Anumbor OF defects Ill the organization Of the
army are pointed out and improvements suggcs-
ted.
The route from FL Paso to the Colorado Is de-
| signatcG as the most eligible route for the rail-
road to tie Pacific, it being the shortest ii al yet
surveyed, and possessing advantages ovcl the
others, Of Craze, climate, Gis,alce across the de
serts, and a sufficient abundance Of water, bu;
the contamination of this project, freed from al
other difficulties, woali require immense SUMS
OF moncy and a great length Ct time.
Meanwhile, it is recommended that at least
two other routes FOR the passage of emigrarts and
tie transportation of military sicIcs, which. il
tie rdl!road We're built, these routes would still
be necessary to make accessible vast regions o.
our country, lie 4; once opened and mainsaiaed,
and d line cf s;uckaGe posts established aiong
them, TO insCrc the safe and rapid transportation
of the mails ana perfect protection 70 Il tclegra-
pkic line from one oeo'.n to- the other, which lat
ter object wouil in itself be worth far E.ore to
the country .hJa the SOS; OF the posts AMI the ex-
pense of maintaining them.
The military explorations and surveys are pro
crossing satisfactorily, and every day Is adding
new and important facts to our present stores Of
knowledge of The geography and general charae-
Ter OF the country lying between the valley ofthe
Mississippi and the raciie ocean. Two exPeGi-
tions have been fitted out expressly to explore
tracts of country hitherto wholly unknown. The
first Was sent to The Northwest, beyond the va
tiers Of The upper Missouri, towards tie Black
Hills, and VIII, no doubt, brig valuable iufor-
nation; and the ether is aged in exploring thc
Colorado Of the West, OF which, By this time,
nothing scarcely has been accurately known.
The Secretary hopes that this exploration will
: result in discovering the best means by which
the transportation Of army stores can lie effected
TO The interior OF New Mexico and Utah.
The Importance to the public service O. estab-
lishing Il national foundry is again impressed
upon Congress.
The Secretary says on this subject: : we'll
managed national foundry woald very speedily
develop aud establish facts which weEld add i'm
mensely to oar national wealth. Ii is sc>rcely
to he credited that, with the infinite variety OF
iron ores & their extent in the United States, we
should not have yet discovered 4 mine capable of
making the very bes, gun, or ifsuei he discover
ed, that there are no means by which the pu5ie
S rvice can be benefited BY it; but such is the
fact.
4 national foundry would serve as a great u
boratory at which the qualities and value OF
metals throughout the whole Contederacy W uId
be tested and fixed. Ever variety Of iron, with
its especili adaptation to particular uses, would.
in a few years, be familiarity known to the coun-
try, and individual enterprise would be saved
in experiments many times the amount which
the works wouIi cost, whilst 4 great national
branch Of industry might. ~ this means. receive
I legitimate AMI efisient Encouragement.
There is but little doubt that many American
iron ores are cqral Il. least TO those of Norway,
and vet the national arnories are driven ~ ne
cessity TO purchase from abroad the Norwegian
iron for the manufacture Of small arms. Choos-
ing to have the best quality of arms, We must 60
abroad for the best quality OF iron. \ national
foundry would soon teach Us to improve the
,-H a. r,.sn-, II ;r,, .,l ,, vr,,rH k,z,,.H H..
modification orbriugius iran from abroad. AMI
the money, too, we have to pay fort.
The cost Of heavy arms would presently hc di-
miuishcd, ami their quality would be, unioab;-
cd!y, very materially improved.
Ii therefore appears 10 mc that every cons,d-
grafton OF souaI policy and economy demands
the establishment GA national foundry, which
accordingly respectfully recommend.
The scacoast deleEees are gradually but Ger
ta;Gly advancing toward complexion, and when
finished VIII constitute a system oi mari
;imc Ietcuc,s formidable in exteu; ana Of great
magnitude. 1t is coup;dcrci that tho harbor OF
New York will be ~imprcsnab!c from any attack
from the sea whea the notifications now in pro
gress are flushed.
The remainder Of tho report is devoted to The
result otcvVcrimcuts on arms. &c. The Secrc-
tary accounts lor The very heavy expenditures
in the Quarterma,ter Generals Bureau by the eN-
tent and character OF The country " or which the
operations of Inc army have extended.
-
Rep ri OF the Secretary Of the Navy.
This is the brieIcst OF the reports and is a bu-
sincss like document. 1t gives a iull statement
of the condition and distribution of our little ma
w, and proposes an increase which cannot fail to
meet with general favor.