The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-12-03

all been transferred to the War Depart.
ment, and acquisitions have been put into
execution for the speedy payment Of boun.
ty, pay, &c, due the colored soldiers, pro.
perly coming under that head Of the Bu-
reau. All war accounts for money and
property prior to 1871, have been exam
ined and transmitted to the Treasury for
final settlement. During the fiscal year,
there has been paid ior transportation on
railroads $l,3O0,000, OF which $S0O,757
was over the Pacific railroads. For
transportation by water $G2G ,97352, and
by stage $4,S97, ,5s4; for the purchase Of
transportation animals, wagons, hire Of
teamsters, &c, Sc, 1924, ,G50.64. About
So, 900 have been collected from
Southern railroads during the year, leav.
ing about $4,000 900 still due. The Quar-.
termaster has examined and transmitted
to the accounting officers for settlement
$3O, ,7l7,272 ofclaims by loyal citizens for
Quartermasters stores taken during the
war. Subsistence supplies to the amount
oi $S,904, ,Sl2 have been issued to the In.
dians. The annual average mean strength
Of the army was 24.10l white and 2,494
colored soldiers. The total deaths for
the year reported werC 80 white and 81
colored. The distribution Of the medical
and surgical history of the war Is vet to
be ordered by Congress. There exists an
absolute necessity Tor medical corps oil
the full number established by the act Of
Congress of July %, 1855, there being
now titty.nine vacancies, and the mum.
Der OF successful candidates rarely cx.
ceeds eight or ten in any one year.
The river and harbor Improvement
have been carried on with energy and
economy, though many are only partially
completed; the results have saved many
times the amount expended; the increase
OF commerce with greater depth OF chan.
nels, greater security in navigation and
the saving Of time adds millions lu tue
wealth OF the country and increases
the resources OF the Government. The
bridge across the Missouri at Rock
Island has been completed and the prop
er site has been determined for the bridge
at La Crosse.
The able and exhaustive report Of the
commissioner appointed to investigate the
Suuo tunnel, has been transmitted TO
Congress
The observations and report Of the sig.
nal officers have been continued; stations
have been maintained at each princi.
pal lake and sea port and river cities, ten
additional stations have been established
In the United States, and arrangements
have been made for IN exchange Of re-
ports with Canada, and similar exchange
Of observations is contemplated with the
West Indies.
The favorable attention OF Congress ia
invited to the following recommendations
OF the Secretary OF War: A discontinu.
Nnce Of the appointment of extra lieu.
tenants to serve as adjutants and quar-.
termasters; the adoption Of code pro.
vidlng specific penalties for well defined
offences, so that the inequality OF senten.
ces ad]udged by courts.marlial may be
adjusted; tho consolidation of accounts
under which expenditures are made us
measure Of economy; the appropriation Of
money Tor the construction OF depot ut
San Antonio, the title to the site being
now perfected; special act placing the
cemetery at the city Of Mexico on the
|
with money to purchase sites for military
posts in Texas; the appointment of COM
missary sergeants from non-Commissioned
officers as measure for securing the bet
Ter care and protection Of supplies; the
appropriation for the publication of the
catalogue and tables oil the anatomical
section OF the army medical museum; o
reappropriation OF the amount for the
manufacture of breech.loadinc arms.
should the selection be so delayed by the
board OF officers as to leave the former
appropriation unexpendCd at tho close Of
the fiscal year; the sale Of such arsenals
east Of the Mississippi as can be spared,
and tho proceeds applied to the establish
ment Of one large arsenal OF construction
and depot upon tho Atlantic coast, and
the purchase Of suitable site Tor prov
ing. an experimental ground for heavy
ordnance; the adoption Of laws which
deprive inventors in tho United States
service from deriving any benefit from
their inventions; the repeal Of the law
prohibing promotions in the staff; con-
tinuance OF the work on tho coast dc.
fences; the repeal OF the seventh sec.
ton Of the act Of July 18th, 1865, taking
from the engineers and soldiers the per
diem granted the other troops, Limitation
OF time for the presentation of old
war claims, for subsistence and supplies;
under the act OF July 4, 1864 and mod
i1cation in the mode OF the selection
Of cadets for the Military Academy,in or.
der to enhance the usefulness oi the
academy, which is impaired by reason Of
the large amount of time necessarily ex.
pended in giving new cadets thorough
knowledge Of the more elementary
branches OF learning, which they should
acquire before entering the Academy;slsO,
an appropriation lora philosophical an.
paratus, and IN increase in the number
and pay Of the Military Academy baud.
INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The attention Of Congress will be call
ed during the present session to various
enterprises for the more certain and
cheaper transportation Of tho constantly
increasing surplus OF western and
southern products 10 the Atlantic sea-
board. The subject is one that will force
itself on the Legislative branch oi
the government sooner or later,
and l suggest, therefore, that i'm
mediate steps be taken to gain all
available information to insure equal and
just legislation.
A route to connect the Mississippi
valley with the Atlantic at Charleston,
8. G., and Savannah, Ga, by water, by
the way OF the Ohio and Tennessee rivers
and canals and slack water navigation TO
tho Savannah and Ocmulgee rivers, has
been surveyed and q report made, by an
accomplished engineer officer OF the army,
A second and third new route will be
proposed, for the consideration OF Con.
gress; namely, by an extension Of the
Kanawha and James river canal, to the
Ohio and by the extension OF the Chesa-