Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-01

The sale OF kennebec arsenal, Detroit arse
tract at Sag Harbor, Long Island, now no longer
needed for public purposes, is recommended.
By the act of Congress approved June 10,
the Mount Vernon arsenal, Alabama, pursuant
to q Recommendation made for its disposal as
part of the public domain. Subsequent 20 such
recomme ndation the exigencies Of the service
required that the property should be used by
the Quarter masters Department for military
purposes, and the period when such necessity
these circumstances the repeal OF so much Of
the act of June 10, 1S12 as relates to the sale OF
this property is recommended.
That portion of the same act which directs
the sale of the Apalachicols arsenal should, in
my opinion, be repealed, for the reason that the
property was granted TO the State of Florida in
$50, by the act approved December Is of that
year, under the name Of the ChstIshoochee
arsenal.
The Department feels much embarrassment
arising from conflicting claims founded on al
struction of breec aiding guns at the national
aImory. Officers OF the Ordnance Corps, in the
execution of their official duties, are seriously
annoyed by private actions for damages, insti
tuted by persons claiming to hold valid patents
which have been infringed in the productions
OF the Government srmory, and some legisls-
ton seems to be req uired in order to enable the
Department to dispose of the claims.
The fifth section OF the act of July l.. $50.
which provides THAT all balances of appropri-
atoms contained in the annual appropriation
bills and made specifically for the service of
any fiscal year, and remaining uneNpended at
the expiration of such fiscal year, shall only be
applied to the payment of expenses properly in
CURED during that year, or to the fulhllment OF
contracts properly made within that year, and
such balances not needed for the said purposes
shall be carried to the surplus fund: Proridsi,
That this section shall not applyto appropriation
known as permanent indefinite appropria-
tions," is Injurious to the interests OF the gov
eminent where permanent buildings are TO be
erected, and appropriations fer this purpose
should be allowed to run for three years instead
of one, as now limited by that act. 1t is recon-
mended that the act be modified accordingly.
Systematic and continuous instruction OF the
Army in military signaling and telegraphy has
continued during the past year at the school of
instruction and practice at Fort Whipple, Va,
and in the Department of the Missouri and
the special attention of some of the most pow
erful foreign governments has been directed TO
these branches OF military science, and they
have taken pains to procure the minute details
of our equipment and apparatus.
Recruiting for the signal service has been
successfully conducted, the standard of acquire
ment being maintained by special examination
of those enlisted. After selection and enlist
ment, the men are at once placed under a
course of drill and instruction, and after a sec
ond examination those especially designated for
duty at stations are drilled, examined, instruct
ed, tested by practice, instructed in the higher
branches OF the service, and again examined
and tested before being intrusted with the man
agement Of stations OF observation.
The Chief Signal Officer renews his recon
mendation for the establishment by law of a
as Will secure permaneDcy for its details. He
insists that the extent of the service and its now
material Importance should commend this sub
ject to the attention OF Congress.
The whole number of stations from which
regular meteoric reports now received is
ninety-two, of which seventy eight are in the
the West Indies.
The regular telegraphic reports from Havana
ma began on August 6, from Kingston, Jamai-
ca, on September Is, and from Santiago de
Cuba on SentP mher %, Three other rs i'm
the islands OF Porto Rico, Guadeloupe and Bar
bades, will be equipped as soon as observers
can be designated. 1t is a matter of regret
that there is no international arrangement With
the authorities of any OF these islands, nor is
there, at present, any return of weather -tele-
grams provided ., for or, or officially re9uested
the necessary arrangements will be effected.
The display of bulletins and weather charts
at stations, the supply Of prompt and grstui-
tous-informati0n to the press, and the exhibi-
ton OF day or night signals at times ct proba-
BILE special danger, for the benefit OF shipping
and commercial interests, have been con-
tinued.
plan has been adopted whereby synopsis of
reports and probabilities have been forwarded
to many points in the interior not reached by
telegraph, and this plan has given satisfaction
to the farming and interior population reached.
There are nineteen special river stations from
which reports Of the depths of water in the
principal rivers of the United States are daily
made by telegraph, at particular seasons, du-
ring which danger from freshets may be an
ticipated River reports are also made from
twenty of the regular stations.
These data are widely published and distrib-
uted along the line of the rivers, and contribute
TO the convenience and safety of the river COM
merce, the constant and accurate knowledge
given Of the depth Of water in the channels.
The benefits resulting from these reports,
now in the second year of their issue, have been
July scknowledged by the various interests
they have advanced. =
The total number of special river-bulletins
issued has been twenty-th thousand two
rod and tan, Eryhf
and eighty-two printed copies of the weather
report are displayed daily.
Steps have been taken to carry out the legis-
iation Of the last Congress authorizing the es-
adjustment of signal stations at light houses,
and such of the life saving stations on the lake
or sea coasts as may be suitably located for that
points as may be necessary for the proper dis
charge of the duties Of the signal service, by
means of 9 suitable telegraph line, in cases
contemplation proposes the establishment of
signal stations at llfesaving stations and light
houses along the ocean-c0ast of New Jersey,
twenty-five miles from each other. A line con-
Meeting the stations ut life saving stations and
light houses along the coast from Norfolk, Va,
TO Cape Hatteras, n. c., distance Of one hun
dred and thirty-seven miles, and on one of the
most dangerous coasts of the United States, is
being constructed. 1t is expected that the
aforementioned lines will be completed dur
The ascertained comparative accuracy of the
deductions from reportc styled probabilities"
has been more clearly presented in this than in
preceding years. The percentage Of vertical
tions has been automatically computed for
each of the geographical districts mentioned in
the reports. With more rigid and scrutiniz-
ing mode of calculation than was before
adopted, the percentage of verifcation has i'm
proved. The analysis of the years work indi-
Gates clearly, at once, the wisdom of judiciously
increasing the number of stations.
The Department acknowledges, as in pre-
vious years, the general support of the popular
opinion OF scientific men, and Of the press, in
its efforts to successfully carry on this work.
Errors have occurred, but it has been general
ly recognized as inevitable that some must &C.
cur in the present condition Of science. The
great utility of the work is no longer doubted.
1t has achieved results, the promise of which, a
few years ago, could hardly be hoped for.
1t Is mentioned in connection with this sub
ject that arrangements have been made with
the meteorological officers of Russia, England,
and Turkey, to commence on January 1, 1874,
an exchange with the United States Of the daily
reports taken simultaneously at the different
stations throughout the great extent of the Rus
sian and Turkish Empires, the British Islands,
and the United States. The cooperation OF the
systems Of other nations is expected.
My annual inspection of the Military Acad-
envy and Corps of Cadets, in June last, dis