The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-03-19
a5L- Jla ~ isQt i DEC. OF the treasury.
To Hon. SCHUYLER CoLFAx, Speaker of
House of Representatives.

sllL Bag t.-atd 81 Sec. of the Treasury.
To Hon. SCHUYLER CoLFAX, Speaker of
House of Representatives.
The dismantling of Forts Caswell, Stanton,
Baker, Mahon, Lincoln, Totten, Slocum, Stew
ems, Rents and Summer, at the mouth of the
Potomac, reduces the defences of Washington
to peace footing, and leaves of them only
the principal water battery on the Maryland
shore above Fort Foote, which is armed with
the heaviest and most improved artillery and
commands the Potomac river for miles below
and above. The formidable battery on the
Virginia shore near Alexandria, known as
Battery Badgers, which is mounted with heavy
guns OF long range, is also essential to guard
the river approach to the metropolis and Fort
Whipple, in Virginia, about midway between
Alexandria and this city, is used as a military
prison, and to which the old Capitol prisoners
were removed. op' 90 Lsi~aa
On claim for 800 bounty preferred by a
soldier who enlisted July 1, 1851, under the
provisions of general orders Nos. Is and 25 of
1861, which do not limit the time of enlist
ment to two years service in order to entitle
volunteers to the 500 bounty allowed at that
time and who was discharged for disability be-
fore the expiration OF two years, the Paymas-
ter General has decided that the soldier is not
entitled to the bounty in question for these
reasons. The act Of July 22d, 1861, applies to
all three years men who enlisted from the
commencement of the rebellion up to the call
OF, July, 1864, but the general order No. 80, of
the year 1864, from the War Department is
explanatory OF general orders Nos. Is and 25
Of the year 1861, and this plainly states that
continued Service of two years is requisite to
entitle volunteers to the 500 bounty .TyTr
There has been no public demonstration to-
day in honor Of Ireland's patron saint, but
services appropriate to the occasion were held
in all the Roman Catholic churches of the
City. The weather throughout the day has
been clear, cold and windy. -
Major III. Henderson, U. S. A, has been
assigned to the command of the Military De-
partment of Arkansas. l19 w8SH
Lieut.. Gen. Grant has instructed comman-
ders of military departments to reduce the
number OF volunteer organizations in their re-
spective commands. Us srnii
There are 1913 National Banks, with cir
cnlation amounting to 1921 ,63S, 920, and with
total capital of $412, 693, 236,
The Sd, 9Th, 9th 10th, 18th, 18th and I'd cav
airy regiments have been assigned to duty in
the Dept of Missouri. The military districts
in this department except the Dist of New
Mexico, have been discontinued. -
The Dept Quartermaster of the Dept of
Washington is rapidly reducing the number of
clerks, messengers and transfers under his
supervision by the discrimination of the sub
department at the foot of G street. No less
than thirty persons have been discharged The
total number of employees under Gen. Ruck-
er at one time during the war amounted to
nearly 10000 persons. Now the number is
less than 1900. The highest number of horses
foraged at this depot amounted to $4,000. 1t
is now less than 5000. - - s. A-- -
Rev. j. II. w. Sloan of N. Y, preached this
morning in the Hall of the House of Repre-
sentatives. I large number OF Congressman
were present. e-1 ~