The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-12-07

transmitted the accounting officers for
settlement So6, i,212 o. claims by loyal
citizens tor Cuartermasters stores, taken
during the war. Subsistlng supplies to the
amount of IS 9O4,S12 have been issued to
Indians
The annual average mean strength of the
army was 24,210 white, and 2,49i Colored
soldiers The total deaths for The year re-
ported, were 361 white and "a coored.
The distribution Of the medical and sur
glcal history OF the war Is yet to be ordered
by Congress. There exists an absolute ne
cesSlty OF medical corps Of the full num-
Der established by act of Congress of July
rs, lS66,-therc beng now 90 vacancies,
and the number Of successful candidates
rarely exceeds or 10 IN any one year.
The river and harbor improvements have
been carried forward with energy and econ.
omy, though many are only partially com
pleled. The results have saved to COM
merce many times the amount expended.
The increase of commerce with greater
depth OF channels, greater security in navl-
CATION, and the saving of time, add much tc
the wealth OF the country, and increases
the resources of the G. rnment
The bridge across ID Mississippi river a.
Rock Island has been c,npleted, and the
proper site has been determined upon for
the bridge at Lacrosse.
The able and exhaustive report made by
the Commission appointed to investigate
the SutrO tunnel has been transmitted to
Congress.
The observation and reports of the Signal
Office have been continued. Stations have
been ma ntained at each of the principal
lake. seaport. and river cities. Ten add.
tional stations have been established in the
United States, and arrangements have been
made Tor an exchange OF reports with Can
ada, and a similar exchange of observation
is contemplated with the West India Islands
The favorable attention Of Congress is IN
vited to the following recommendations of
the Secretary OF War; A discontnuance OF
the appointment Of extra Lieutenants to
serve as Adiutants and Quartermasters the
adoption of code providing specific pen.
atty for wel-defned offences, so that the II.
regularity OF sentences adjudged by court.
martial may be adjusted the consolidation
of accounts under which expenditures are
made, as measure of economy; a reap
preparation Of the money for The construc.
ton of depot at San Antonio the title to
the site being now perfected; a SPECIAL act
placing the cemetery at the City of Mexico
on the same basis as other natlonal cemeter.
les; authority to purchase sizes for military
poslsln Texas; the appointment of commIl.
sary scrgeants from non-commissoned off.
GERS, as Il measure for securing the bette.
care and protection of supplies; an appro.
priation tor ,he catalogues and tables OF the
anatomical section of the army medical mr..
scum u rcappropriation Of The amount t..
the manufacture OF trecCh loading arm.
snould The selection be er G.la.rd by the
Board of Officers to Pa, o.. tormel ap-
preparations uhexpen' to- close Of the
fiscal year; the sale o. GA als. ais cast Of
the Mississippi as can Je space and the
proceeds applied to the establishment Of
one large arsenal OF COnstruc ION I'D re-
pair upon the Atlantic coast, and Ii pur.
chase Of a suitable site 10. a provr aud
experimental ground ior heavy ciA dnce;
the abrOgatlon Of the laws VI icb deprive
inventors in the United States service from
deriving any benefit from their inventions;
the repeal Of The law prohibiting promo
tions in the stall corps: continuance OF
the work upon the coast detenCes; the re.
peal of the seventh section Of the act Of
July IL, 1866 taking from engineer colder
the per disM granted 10 other trOCp-; linz
ita,lon Of time for the presentauou r sub
sistence supplies under act of July J 1864,
and modification In the mode TIT seize.
ton Of cadets for the Military Acac,u.y "A
order TO enhance the usefulness of the aCad
envy, which is impaired by reason Of the
large amount OF time necessarily expended
In giving rev cadets thorough Knowl-
edge OF the more elementary branches Of
learning, which they should acquire before
entering the Academy; also an approprla-
ton for philosophical apparatus and an in
crease IN the number and the pay of the
Military Academy Band.
The attention of Congress will be called,
during its present session, to various cuieI-
prlses tor The more certain and cheaper
transportation OF the constantly increasing
surplus Of the Western and Southern pro.
ducts to the Atlantic sea border. The sub
iect Is one that Will force Itself upon the
legislative branch OF the Go, ernmcnt soon
er or later, and ! suggest, Therefore that
1mmedIaic steps be- taken t. gain all av9lla-
bic Information To insure equitable and lust
legislation. One route to connect the Mis-.
sisslppi Valley with the Atlantic at Charles
TON, >. <, and savannah, Ga, by water, by
the way Of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers
and Cana.s, and slack water navigation to
the Savannah and Ocmusee rivers, has
been surveyed and report made by an nc.
Complishod engineer officer ct the army
Second and third new routes will be pro-
posed for the consideration of Congress,
namely, by an extension OF the kanawha
and James River Canal to the Ohio, and by
the extension 81 the Chesapeake and Ohio
Canal.
am not prepared to recommend Govern.
ment aid to these or other enterprises, until
it is clearly shown that they are not only Of
national interest, but that when completed
they VIII be Of a value commensurate with
their cos. That the production increases
more rapidly than the means Of transpor,a.
ton IN our country has been demonstrated
by past experience. That the unprecedented
growth in the population and products Of the
whole country will require additional hclli.
ties and cheaper means for the more bulky
articles OF commerce to reach tide water and