Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1872-12-14

Frpedmefis Bureau have all been trans
ferrcd to the War Department, ana
regulations will I've put into execution
for the speedy payment of bounty and
paw dues to colored soldiers, properly
coming under that Bureau. All WAY
rants for money and property issued
prior to 1871 have been examined and
transmitted ia the Treasury for final
settlement. During the fiscal year
there has been paid for transportation
on railroads, 81 .301, GOO. OF which $780,
S57 was over the Pacific Railroad; for
transportation by water, S62G,313 81,
and by stage, S4S,975 81. and for the
purchase of transportation, animals and
wagons, hire of transfers. etc, S924,-
$50 Ga. About So, 705 have been col
lected from Southern railroads during
the year. leaving about 81 ,o00,0 GOO still
due. The Quartermaster has examined
and transmitted to the acting officers
for settlement, S3G7 .172 y of claims
by LOYAL citizens for Quartermaster's
stores during the war. Subsistence
supplies to the amount of $500, il2
have been issued to the Indians. The
annual average mean strength of the
army was g. 2l0 white and 2 .494 color
ed soldiers. The total deaths for the
year are reported at SG7 white and 81
colored. The distribution of medical
and surgical instruments has yet to be
ordered by Congress. There exists an
absolute necessity for medical corps
of the full number established by the
act of Congress of July %, 1866, there
being now 50 vacancies, and the number
of successful candidates rarely exceeds
s OF 10 in any year.
RIVER AND HiRBOR IMPROVEMENTS
Have been carried on with energy and
economy. though many are only par
TALLY completed. The results have
saved commerce many times the amount
expended The increase of commerce,
with the greater depth Of channels and
greater security in navigation, and the
saving of time, adds much to the wealth
of the country and increases the re-
sources of the Government. The
bridge across the Mississippi river at
Rock island has been completed, and n
proper site has been determined upon
for bridge at La Crosse.
THE sUTRO TUNNEL.
The able and exhaustive report made
by the Commission appointed to inves-
tigate the Sutro tunnel has been trans
mitted to Congress.
THE SIGNAL SERVICE.
The observations and reports of the
Signal Office have been continued
Stations have been maintained at each
of the principal lakes and ports and
cities. Ten additional stations have
been established in the United States,
and arrangements have been made for
the exchange of reports with Canada,
and similar exchange of observations is
contemplated with the West India
islands. The favorable attention of
Congress is invited to the following
recommendations of the Secretary of
War: A discontinuance of the ap-
pointment of extra men to serve as
Adjutants and Quartermasters; the
adoption of a code providing a specific
penalty for well defined offenses, that
the inequality of sentences adjudged
by Courts-martial may be adjusted; the
consolidation of the accounts under
which expenditures are made, as a
measure of economy; rcappropriation
of the money for the construction of a
depot at San Antonio, the title to the
site now being perfected; special act
placing the cemetery at the City OF
Mexico on the same basis as other Ma
tional cemeteries; authority to purchase
sites for military posts in Texas; the
appointment of Commissary Sergeants
from non-commissioned officers, as a
measure for securing better care and
protection Of supplies; an appropria-
ton for catalogues and table of the
anatomical section arms and medical
museum; an appropriation of a sufficient
amount for the manufacture of breech-
loading arms, should the selection be
so formed by the Board of officers as to
have the former; the appropriations tc
be expended at the close of the fiscal
year; the sale of such arsenals east OF
the Mississippi as can be spared, and
the proceeds to be applied to the
establishment of one large arsenal OF
construction and repair upon the At
lantic coast, and the purchase of q
suitable site for approving and expe-
rimental ground for heavy ordinance
the abrogation of laws which deprive
inventors in the United States service
from deriving any benefits from thei,
inventions; the repeal of the law pro.
hibiting promotions in the staff corps
a continuance of the work upon the
coast defences; the repeal of the seventh
section of the act of July 10, 1866,
taking from the engineer soldiers the
per diem granted other troops; limi-
tation of time for the preservation OF
subsistence supplies, under the act OF
July 4, 1864, and modification in the
mode of the selection of cadets for the
Military Academy, in order to enhance
the usefulness of the Academy, which
is impaired by reason of the large
amount of time necessarily expended
in giving new cadets thorough know
ledge of the more elementary branches