Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1863-12-04

assistant bs appointed, With coppetsn
salary.
TO the reports of the Auditor and the
Commissary General, L refer you for infor-
NATION as 10 what has been done in procur-
ing and distributing wool and cotton cards
! and tho procurement Of card making ma
chimes. 1t is much to DO regretted that
these articles could not have been sooner
procured. But I have no reason to doubt
that the agents appointed to procure theRi'
accomplished all that was practicable.
Learning from General James Jones, Quar-
terlnaster General, to whose supelintepd-
ence have committed the card..making
machines, that one machinist can manage
ten with ease, ] ordered one to be made:
here. (uot yet completely and have pur-'
| chased nine others, obtained from abroad,
six of which have Just arrived. The mum.
Der Of WOOL and cotton cards received will
relieve much the wants Of soldiers families
and other needy families; and the card
making machines. trust, will enable me
before great while to materially reduce;
'he p:ice. The mode of distributing them,
according to representation, is not under
existing circumstances, Just. II would
be Tar more SO to distribute them accor--..
ding TO tho actual wants Of all the dis
tr;cts, to be determined by the present pop
uiation.
transmit herewith copies Of commu-:
citizens, upon the subject of Government
ships for procuring srcl. machinery and
supplies as the State may need for her own
use or that of her soldiers in Confederate
service. The Confederate Government
cannot, Mt all times, so promptly as thew
may wish, furnish such things as the army
may need; and by adopting one or both
OF tue schemes suggested, the State will be
in Il condition TO procure for herself or fur.
: nIsh to the troops such articles at mucl, less
cost than n1w.
The Confederate Government has en-
pressed a willingness to take off the hands
1 OF the State the sal:petre plantation and
her interest in the lead mine at cost and
charges, but not the State works. 7 did
not deem it advisable to transfer the leas."
important and expensive part of the bublic'
works. retaining tho others. The work:
ing Of the lead nine recommend to be
abandoned, as it cannot, according to the
report of DR.. LeConte, herewith communi-
Gated, ce made profitable. The sallpetre
p'antati IN, it is believed, can be made to
pay well. and is very interesting expert
men. The advantages Of the State Works
DO not appear to be, SO far, commensurate,
with the expenditures. 1t is believed, how.
ever, that they will in future be profitable,
1t the expenses of procuring coal and coke,
and transporting iron, do not prevent it,
1t is grave question for your considera-
ton, in the present state Of the country,
whether it would not be better now to-
change the locality Of the works, placing
them at Columbia, on the canal, or near
the iron mines, at some place where ths
machinery may be run by water. And
here recommend to your consideration
the question Of how far it may not be de-
s.r"Lle for the State to do something to-
wards establishing moro direct cemnupi-
cation with the Deep River coal mines. #
these difficulties could be overcome, the in
| formation have received on recent visit
to the works, from the intelligent superin-
tendent and the heads of the different de-,
Partments, satisfies me they will be profita::
BILE. 1t is a matter OF great importance to
the State to have it in future in her own
power to manufacture the implements of
war Which she may uced.
In accordance with your resolution, I
contracted for the manufacture of 1000
Morse's carbines. A part of them have
bsen completed, and regard them the
| best cavalry weapon in use. The compen-
sation to Col. Morse has not been deter
mined upon, and Lrecommend this matter
| to your consideration as something more
than the mere value Of the article manu-
factured it may be thought proper to al
! low.
Five Of Georges revolving cannon have
been constructed, under your resolution,
and inspected and approved by the ord
nance officer Of the State, whose report,
together with reports furnished by General
Hampton and Captain Thomas, as to the
utility of the arm, are herewith communi,
Gated. The remaining two will be COM
pleted by Capt. George at an early day.
Iu order to have them fully tested,.I sent.
one to Gen. Beauregard, and another I
| delivered to Gen. Hampton, to be carried
to Virginia, where it can be tested in the
field. He proposed to replace it with an.
other, which he has ordered to be con-
| structed. Two others have, within the q.
his request, he thinking them useful at
for the Inspection of; the military oom-
mittees. refer you, for further infofma-
ton on these subjects, to the report of the
ordnance officer, herewith communicated.
attend, in July last, the annual exami-
nation cf the deaf and dumb. at the Cedar
Spr ngs Asylum. I committed this institu-
tion to the fostering care Of the State. No
one who has not attended the examinations
can form any adequto estimate of the hap.
piness impaired to the unfortunate pupils
OF the school by their education.
The'Gitaiel and Arsepal Academies: are.
in Aourisbing condition, and -at this juno
ture, ass the, most suitablo institutions for
training the youths Of our State. i com.
mend them earnestly to your care and eps
Encouragement. ~ ..-,fs