Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-12-12

medical corps Of the full number estab,;.l.,
by the act of Congress of July 2stb IScc
there being now ifty-nine vacancies and ~,
number Of successful candidates rarely w re
ceeds eight or ten in one year ~
RIVER AND HAtBoR IMPROVEMENTS
The river ana harbor improvements ba,.
been carried ON with energy and econo, %'e
Though many are only partially completed
the results have saved to commerce M,
times the amount expended The iucrease :,
commerce with greater depth OF cbanna,,
greater security III navigation and the saw,
OF time adds much to the wealth OF the co,
try, and increases the resources OF the gover-
ment.
The bridge across the Mississippi Rivsr -.
Rock Island has been completed, and ,f ae
proper site has been determi ed upon for tbo
bridge at La Crosse.
The able and exhaustive report made bv tho
commission appointed to iuves tigate the Sntro
Tunnel has been transmitted TO Congress
THE SIGNAL OFFICE.
The observations and reports OF the SjgnsI
Office have been continued. Stations bsra
been maintained at each OF the principal lake
seaport and river cities. Ten additional sto'
tons have been established in the .Unitoa
States, and arrangements made for EXCHANGE
Of reports with Canada, and a similar EXCHANGE
of observations Is contemplated with the West
India Islands.
REFORM IN THE MILITARY SERVICE
The favorable attention of Congress is in
yited to the following recommendations of rba
Secretary Of War: a discontinuance Of the nm
pointment Of extra Kieutenants to serve AZ
adiutanes and quartermastcrs: the adoption az
a code providing specific penalties for wen de
fined offenses; so that the inequality of sen.
fences adiudged by Court Martials be adiust-
ed; the consolidation Of accounts under which
expenditures are made, a. a measure Of eeouo.
my q reapproprlatOn OF the money for the
construction of depot at San Antonio the
title to the site beng now perfected a special
act placing the cemetery at the city of Mexico
on the same basis as other national GENE.
tories ; aHthorily TO purchase sites for military
posts IN Texas the appointment OF commits
sarv sergeantS from nOn-cOmmissiOncd officers
as measure for securing the better care and
protection Of supplies; an appropriation for
the catalogue table OF the anatomical section
of the army medical museum; q re-appropra
tiCn OF the amount for the manufacturing Of
brecch-loading arms should the selection be so
delayed by the board of officers as to leave the
former appropriations unoXpended at
the close of thu fiscal year: the
sale of such arsenals east Of the MISSISSIPPI
pi as can be spared. and the proceeds applied
to the establishment Of one large arsenal of
construction and repair upon the Atlantic
coast, and the purchase Of a suitable site for
a proving and experimental! ground for heavy
ordnance; the abrogation of laws which
deprive inventors in the United States
service from deriving any ben-ft from
their invention the repeal of the law
prohibiting promotions in staff corps a con-
tinuance OF work on the coast deienses the
repeal Of the seventh section OF the act of July
18th, 1866, taking from engineer soldiers the
per diem granted to other troops a limitation
of time for the presentation Of subsistence
supplies under the act OF July 4th. 1864 and
a modification in the mode of the selection of
cadets for the military academy, in order to
enhance the usefulness of the acade-
my 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 shonld acquire before
entering the academy; also an appropriation
for philosophical apparatus and an Increase in
the number and the pay OF the military acad-
envy baud