The New York herald., 1871-12-04

MEDICAL MATTERS.
Owing to the deficiency existing In the clerical
Sorce OF the Surgeon Generals ONCE a large num-
ber OF Official demands for information from the
records Q the Office ior the settlement OF pension
Under the act OF Congress authorizing the appoint
menr OF hospital stewards, that force has been
work VIII he rapidly disposed OF. There were 2Od
military posts requiring medical attendance on
July l. 1870 The number OF medical Orlcers Is In
sufficient for the service, and renew the recon-
mendaton that the law prohibiting promotions ana
appointments N that corps be repealed.
Part first Of the Medical and Surgical History OF
the War Is near completion aud will he laid before
Congress DUNG It's coming session. when, 1t is
hoped suffcicnt appropriation WIN be made TO con-
tinue the publication OF the remaining pnrts The
report OF the Medical Statistics Of the Provost Mar
shat Generals Bureau. the compilation Of which
was authorized Dy the act OF July 49, 1865 Is also
nearly completed ana is IN process Of being printed
at tho government printing Office. 1t Is expected
distribution during the approaching session.
the Corps OF Engineers during tho past year has
THE DEFENCE or OUR SRA COASTS f.
on river and harpOr Improvements, and in surveys
ana reconnolssances and construction OF light
houses. With the appropriations granted for rortl.
fcatlons In our principal harbors, these works
along the Northern Atlantic and Pacific coasts have
been pushed forward IN their notifications as
rapidly as the circumstances would permit, and
already the bait RES are beginning to assume the
character needed by the requirements OF modern
strengthening OF our works by the introduction OF
heavy earthen batteries iOr the largest guns and
mOrtars.
THE ENGINEERS.
Since the last report the battalion OF engineers
has been reduced 10 354 enlisted men, and consti-
tutes an efficient body OF troops. and Is carefully
Instructed and dril ed in Its dutles The engineer
posts and dcpots OF Jefferson Barracks ana Yeroa
Buena Island have been broken up and the
Point and West Point, New York. Beslues
assisting IN thc instruction Of the cadets OF
the Military Academy. the battalion Of engineers
constitutes the school for the trials With lorpedoes
for the defence oI our harbors and takes charge OF
engineer tools Tor the use Of the army in general.
The appropriation asked fol tOrpedoes and other
purposes at the e. engineer l depot at Wlletrs Point
A visit made to Willet's Point IN September last
gave me an Opp0rtunity for inspecting closely The
vantages offered the men In drill ana discipline and
In the education necessary for that arm OF .he SER
ye1y Tae @ a 1e
battalion deserve commentator. @
Satisfactory Dr0gress has been made In the prose
haroors and OF the SURVEYS connected herewith.
The annua. report OF the Cnief OF Engineers coa-
tam ana Of Of e aes
oroerei by Congress. This report also contains IN.
formation concerning the public buildings and
grounds and the washington AqueLucL
Proper measures have cen taken to carry out the
JOIN, resolution OF February D. 1871. In relation TO
the establishment OF water gauges and masIng
daily observations OF tho rise and ,a OF the LON er
Mississippi and It's cnief tributaries sA
Under the act OF Apiii 4, 1871 for the appointment
THE sUTRo TUNNEL.
Lieutenant Colonies H. q. Wright and John G. ros-
ter the Corps OF Engineers, anu Professor Wesley
Newcomb, a mining engineer, were thus ap Honted,
and Captain " ": r King Corps ?. p OF Engineers was
has completed the investigation at the
tunnel ana the mines Of the Constock lode, and Is
now preparing to report. In the
SURVEY OF THE LAKES,
operations were carried on Ia Lakes superior Michi.
gan, Il. Clair and Champlaln. aud the progress OF
hn yxo n 0f1ica a I,trhu
factors. The geological survey along the central
route OF communication to the Pacific coast mas
been actively continued and the publication OF the
results, already begun, Is looked for with much IN
tercst. 8t .-a-al1 .sIs Ar
During the fiscal year small-arms and ordnance
stores to the amount OF SlO011.000 have been sold
ind the entire proceeds except o small sum re-
or sale, have passed into the Treasury beyond the
control OF this department. The operations at the
naye Iee Sv e e @
stores on hand, and TO the manufacture OF one
Of two experimental gun carriages. 1t Is hoped
ior 10 carry ont the plans Tor the cont.nuancs OF
the work at the great arsenal OF construction for
the Mississippi valley at Rock Island. several
kinds OF exDerimental rides and carbines, as re-
commended by. the s.. Louis board. have been
at Springfield Armory for compare
tive trial IN the field. An inspection OF tnat ar.
mory not long since satisfies me or the necessity
tcnance and support. The sblity or IFS present
especially commends this weil.ap-
poi ilted armory TO lae attention OF Congress.
from the use OF the experimental arms IN the Held
to enable a board 10 recommend breech.loading
system for adoption. The armament Of state
troops should be ike that OF the national forces
who now use breech-lOadlng small arms. The re-
serve OF 10000 arms OF that kind now on nand ID
not half sufficient 10 supply the States upon quotas
now due.
Afternoon is called TO the Recommendation or the
Chief Of Ordnance concerning the repeal or the act
prohibiting promotions and appointments in the
Ordnance corps.
An increase Of the annual appropriations under
the law or ls0s providing Tor armng and equipping
the militia, IS urgently required. ltet7
The small clerical iOrce allowed
OF the army is not suIcient 10 perform the great
amount OF labor required to copy, the demand or
persons VINO have been tried. the volurnnous pro-
ceedlngs OF tue courts martial III Their cases. 1he
duty Is an imperative Que under the law, hut the
'0rce IL Inadequate to It's accomplishment, as may
Ihe vast amount Of work performed In that ONCE.
recommend tile continuance Vf the approximation
BY which special copyists could be employed this
purpose. M aHsaN ala
0PER ATOMS At THE SIGNAL STATIONS. 4
Al Fort Whippe, Va, instruction has been given
y the meteorological duties and studies required at
the signal EtatlOns for observations aud reports or
storms throughout the United States, and In mill.
rary signaling ana telegrapny TO officers
)f the army and navy. During the year the
observation and report OF storms has been neces-
iure success ihaii as completely Organized. duty
details or plans and dIscipline-the observation.
reports and mode OF making pubic the necessary
deductions and reports. The progress made has
been fully as great as could have been anticipated,
and has secured valuable results and gives promise
OF extended usefulness.
BY comprehensive telegraphlc organization each
OF the signal stations is In Geographic ctrnmunica-
ton with the Signal Once at Washington, ana from
each OF them daily and nightly weather reports are
received at the department. These reports are
died, bulleiined and chartcd at the office OF the
ChIei signal 0nicer, aud are furnished at The same
time TO most OF the principal clues aud ports or the
country. The dedu ct0ns rom the study OF the re-
ports are instantly teegraphed TO the press and
buetined as soon as practicable at the observing
Offices, In board or trade rooms. merchants ex-
changes. and other prominent places, and during
the past year there bave issued IN ihs manner from
The Chlcf Signal Office and the observing stations
1fty thousand charts.
In the month Of october the display OF .uuonary
signals, announcing the probable approach OF
storms, was commenced, for the 1rst time In the
United States, at twenty ports upon the lakes and
Atlantic and Gulf coasts. These signals are ar
ranged TO be dsplayel at anv hour OF the day or
night, upon the receipt OF teiegraphc orders from
Washington.
while The service has been rapidly organized and
pressed to these results each step has been taken
only when the pubic mind seemed 70 be educated
and prepared for 10 and the public necessity de.
ba tSrno uff otpfp Inv falo