New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1860-12-05

source Is now either entirely or very nearly eAna,S'o
IL is therefore recommended that the law be 20
amended az TO except from the prohibition such arms or
other military supplies az constitute regular part OF
the armament or equipment OF troops, aud also the lm
proved patented mode of casting and cooling for iron
cannon 1t should De repealed to all articles used IN
the Quartermasters Department.
agan call attention TO the existing law Tor arming
and equipI ing the whole body of the militia OF the
United States, which passed in 1905 The provis
ION then made for the purpose remains the same now.
IL il entirely insufficient for its eecual accomplish
ment as il shown by frequent acquisitions and urgent
applications from States and Territories for advances
u arms and equipments beyond their regular quotas
The want Of national arnOry for the fabrication Of
has long been felt and the expediency indeed,
necessity of proper legislation to secure ts establish,
ment has been repeatedly urged upon the National
Legislature The improvements OF Late suggested and
verified so far a. the limited means at my disposal
would permit, in the models and mode Of casting can
non and in The adaptation to them Of tue rifle principle,
can only be fully developed and successfully carried
out by having the proper means under government
control f. preparing and treating the materials and Tor
perfecling their fabrication. The adoption OF these i'm
provements so as 10 apply them most 'cesiniiy,
which il essential to the highest efficiency OF our artll-
lery arm, furnishes now additional argument to the
many heretofore advanced in favor OF having them
fabricated az such an amory az Is spoken OF.
4 large quantity of condemned stores, among which
were many old muskets, have been sold during the
year 10 make room in the arsenas for modern arms.
BRERCH-L0ADING ARMS.
Very frequent and numerous experiments nave Dcei
made under my direction, of breech-lOadlng arms, ana
invention for this purpose are wonderfully numerous.
Many have been rejected but some plans for breech-
loading have been approved after very numerous eX-
perments and are now conceded, by all who are ia
mar with them and capable of judging, to be by far
the most efficient arms ever put into the hands of intel
hgent men. Immediate steps ought to be taken 70 arm
all our light troops with the most approved OF these
arms. l hold it 10 be an inhuman economy which
sends soldier into the field, where his lfe IL CONSTANT
L.; him heat
the most expensye) arms that be made. 1t
il no answer to say that troops cannot be
taught with skil this character of arm as well
another. II Is the practice and drill that make the
soldier expert in the of his arm, and while he may
attain TO great skill with good weapon, he certainly
never can do so with an indifferent one.
think may be fairly asserted now that the high
est efficiency Of body OF men with firearms only
be secured by putting in their hands the best breech
loading arm Tie long nabit Of using muzLleloading
will resist what seems TO be great an innova
ton, and ignorance may condemns but as certainly as
the percussoncap has superseded the n and STEEL so
surely will the breechoading gun drive out Of use
those that load at the muzzIe. For cavalry, the revolt
yer and Dreech-loader will supersede the saber.
EXPLORATIONS.
During the last four years explorations have made
known the character OF that singular river the Color
do If the West and its suitabeness for navigation; the
nature Of large portion Of the belt of country hitherto
Unknown, between that river and the settlements OF
New Mexico, and north Of the thirtyffth degree Of
latitude which roads impracticabe from the
extraordinary character of its surface.
Further north they have resulted in the establish
ent of new route across the Great Basin from Great
Salt Lake City, and in ascertaining the impracbilty
of other lines of communication between important set
Elements in tie interior. They have opened a new,
shorter and better between the settlements OF
Great Salt Lake and those OF Oregon aud Washington,
on the Oregon River.
They have developed the general character and re-
sources of this extensive region north OF the Platte and
tho Missour River and the Pacific divide
the Rocky Mountains, have shown the existence there
of several practicable wagon routes valuable in con-
necton with military operations and the emigration to
the Pacific.
In each division of country explored, the general
Topography and photography have been obtained lines
of bsrometrical have been carried across the char
actelistc features geographical positions have been
determined, the climate has been observed, and the
general geology has been ascertained
The efforts OF those who have carried those opera
tons have successfully directed TO collecting all
information that would be valuable In military opera
lions in the overland communication with the Pacific
coast in the settlement OF the country and III the de-
veloIment OF its resources.
Incidentally, valuable contributions have been made
TO several departments of science.
WEST POINT.
The Military Academy has been progressing in its
usual course except that the of study and dis
cipne has been extended from four years TO five.
This was considered at the time to be necessary,
owing to the low standard Of proficiency for entrance to
the school,
The Joint committee Of Congress and the Army, ap-
ponei last session to renvestgate this have
been in session at West Point for some time during
the Summer but did not believe bring their abors to
a close. -
STEAMER FOR PUGET SOUND.
The settlements on Pugets Sound and the adjacent
waters are exposed the incursions of warlike In
dams from the British and Russian provinces THESE
Indiana come down in large canoes, which carry from
fifty to one hundred warriors, and move with great
Il TI.r no my ADUrOaCn
and pursuit with ordinary means s OF course out OF the
question II is very necessary, therefore, to have a
steamer for that purpose. The Massachusetts ship
with an auxiliary steam power belonging TO the quar-
termasters Department has been and now, used for
this purpose; but il il not at all suitable, and ex-
pensive 1t is proposed to sell her and substitute
suitable steamer She should be good strong sea
boat, of light draught-sSout SIX ieetvnot large ana
TRANSPORT az well for the purpose mentioned, and
ought to be constructed specially for the service
refer particularly TO the reports from the different
bureaus for great deal of very interesting and in-
structive information Indeed it is only through these
repors that an exact and detailed account of all opera
tons for the year be thoroughly understood The
information contained in these reports will amply repay
their perusal.
Several new posts have been ordered and erected in
the coure Of the last in the various deparmen
for the better defense Of the different Territories and
the horoughfares leading through them Some OF these
works have been executed with great promptness and
energy, showing very high administrative cspscly Ill
the officer undertaking them. .
/ cannot, in this connection, refrain from making
special mention of the manner in which, under very un-
favorable circumstances the work has been executed at
Fort WISE This post Is situated in the region of the
Comanches and Kiowas, and toward the gold discov'
eries of Pixies Peak II is necessary for the protection
of the crowds of our people moving continually in that
direction from the awless and hostile bands OF Indians
already spoken of. Without any of these facilities 20
essential to substantial and cheap construction, Maj
Sedgwick with his troops alone, and almost without
oos except those Of the rudest sort has been able to
construct Of stone houses of the most substantial charac
ter and in sufficient numbers to shelter all the stores