National Republican., 1875-12-07
CURRENT CAPITAL Tn1cs.
fContinsed from First Pd,nl

since my last report. At the. e,x,.ripr of the
hseai year the main the survey were
rstions in Southern and SontST.stern Oolorsdo.
Northern and Mort, t,>Western New Mexico and
NoitnesseIn a s,s ~ >ceA where connections were
nation In Nov,<oaber and December 1s7l OF the
seasons work 4 IN these locaFJes the parties were
sp,s Re ussS and portion os the assist iSs
maps and uzher results Of the survey for publica-
ton. he field work Of the present. season was
Of surveying tracts m Colorado and Californis,
and an ofhcer with special party was detailed
20 Eake Frelimlnary instIumentai survey with
biiity Of diverting the waters OF the river Colo
rado for the purpose OF irrigation and It is hoped
cost wiii Be recsTed from the sfieer in charge Of
the party In time to be transmitted to Congress
at the coming session.
Two Of the stxquarto volumes Of the reports Of
the survey which were authorized by Congress
are in the hands Of the printer, and the others
cston Of tbe tonosTsDbca ara Sso,osics MA:
sheets Is progressing satisfactorily. The main
objects Of this survey the preparation aud dis
maps Of the interior Of the country, and reports
as 10 the resources Of the regions surveyed For
the latter purpose competent scientists In the
Bpecialttes OF geology, mineralogy, paleontology,
zoology and botany accompany the surveying par
ties with little increase Of expense In comparison
with the amount Of Information gained BY them.
The Typographical maps, which form an import
ant result Of this survey, furnish Information use
iul to the military service and to other branches
grants who are rapidly settling the great valleys
west of the Mississippi, and the appropriation
asked for Its continuance Is recommended.
There are at nearly all the headquarters Of the
four military divisions and the nine military de-
psrtments officers of the corps Of engineers,
other information, and these oficers do, by means
OF their own explorations and surveys, and by
collecting the notes, ketches and maps made by
nf nd hall arfnsr 70
posts on their scouts and campaigns, add year by
year to the knowledge Of the Interior of the
country, which is not only essential 70 the gen
visions, but which is useful to the country gen.
orally. The maps embodying the Information
are finally published BY the en- gineer department;
and It will be observed that the chief engineers
reports an unusually large number Of these maps,
war, as printed and published during the last
fiscal year. commend to Congress the appro-
prstiSn asked II iOT The surveys 6y snSi1ssr ON
ment headquarters, and for the construction and
printing Of maps BY the engineer department, for
and which to q very great degree stimulate and
assist the various enterprises which are fast set
Ting up our interior domain.
THE ESTIMATES OF THE CHIEF OF ESeISEERs
are submitted separately, as presented by that
officer, viz: Fortifcations and other works OF de-
fense. GOA coo; public buildings and grounds
and Washington aqueduct s7l4,I74 surveys,
Sl7o,O0Q; engineer depot at Wiilett's Point, New
mept q aiTefs ma ssFSofs az 3 ioo mRSSrs %oys
eli, ,2es, ,s7I.
MILITARY ARsENALs.
The Secretary rehearses the difhculty and ex-
pense Of maintaining numerous small arsenals in
various sections OF the country stated BY the chief
Of ordnance in his report heretofore printed in the
NATIONAL REPUBLICAN, and recommends the
plan there proposed. That plan consists In the
establishments Of grand arsenal Of construction
In ha ufr tfv 0f Ma offr rafo otnIno ha
Springfield sfmory and Frankford arsenal as ad-
tuncts for manuia eturing p1rPoses retaining also
the 1Ldlanspolls arsenal, Indiana; kennebec ar
senal, Maine; Fort Monroe arsenal, Virginia, and
Augusta arsenal, Georgia, as places for storage
and repair, and selling the Allegheny, Water
rapidly as circumstances will permit the proceeds
Of such sales to be devoted to the purchase Of a
site and the erection Of shops, store-houses and
other works for the grand arsenal The amount
that can probably be realized from the sales will
tration Of ordnance manufactories seem TO call for
no extended argument The military powers Of
the world bring together in one grand whols all
and perfect work. The experiences Of all private
enterprises points to concentration as vital ele-
ment OF success. Proximity to raw material,
skilled labor and cheap transportation can be
obtained by the plan proposed, and it appeals
strongly for legislative consideration and action,
because 1t can be carried out without taxing
dollar from the public Treasury. This policy Of
concentration has been carried out for the Pacific
coast at the Benicia arsenal and for the Missis-
sippi Valley at Rock Island arsenal, and cannot
be 100 highly commended nor too closely fol-
lowed. With our railroad system of fintercommu-
nicatiop, reaching every portion Of our broad do
am tns distance 70 any point 4i our long shore;
less paramount importance in the distribution of
war atersl, and few we'll selected and amply
Economically fuihIl ali demands than did many
arsenals without rail facilities half century ago
The entire army has been supplied with new
VI fHna and 0rhN NnGa Nh.a 49,.
In store reserve supply Of these arms Of 26 900.
At the end Of the present lscal year our reserve
supply may reach q total Of 10000 arms Of the
new model an6 calibre-about enough, in case Of
war, TO arm one army corps. Our ooldiers should
be armed with the best weapon that ingenuity
and workmanship can produce, and in our coun-
try, where armies are to be improvired, made up
on the instant by recruits from the anvil and the
plow, the want Of military discipline and training
ne s ~ tS a. p0ssiois ior oy
Our arsenals should therefore be we'll stocked
with large reserve supply Of the best rifles and
carbines.
The question of patent infringement by the
Government IN tie manufacture and alteration Of
firearms and appliances Of war is referred to Con-
gress for adl ustment by legislation.
KxPEsDITUREs.
The actual expenses Of the War De-
partment for the year ending June
80, 1874, Including river and harbor
improvements. were. sl2,aa,3l4 II
The eame for the last fiscal year,
ending June 30, 1875, were. H,277,s75 2s
Showing reduction Of............ sI,o4s, $50 4s
The estimates for the military estar.
lishment bor the ensuing fiscal
year ending june %. ISL are..:. sss. 1923 50
ending June 60 1879, were........ s2,4 ,4Ss, 900 50
Being an increase sf.....-......... 0Ss,427 90
The appropriations for that purpose
for the current fiscal year Were.. S2s TT 407 90
The excess ef the amount Of the estimates for
the ensuing hscal year over the appropriation for
the current hscal year arises from the fact that,
as experience has shown, the appropriations were
not sufficient to meet the demands Of the service
The appropriations for the subsistence and pay
departments, based as they are on the actual
number Of men TO be paid and subsisted, are nota-
bly, below the sums actually required. The basis
SrmT must neeessaTR Be % that oence of iSs o. sns
number Of soldiers and officers allowed by law
This necessity arises from the fact that the army
Of its maximum strength, 10 frequently quite up
to its big standard, the variation depending on
the success OF to meet stes. As the
pay and allowances are fixed BY law, It is no diff.
cult matter 10 ascertain the exact amount requi-
site to meet the obligations OF the Government TO
Its soldiers; and when the esti-
mates OF the Department-based upon calcula-
tions that have been reduced, by knowledge or
the fluctuations Of the strength of the army to
an almost mathematical certsinty-are mate
rally cut down BY Congress, grave embarrass-
ments, such as have recently resulted from the
large reduction OF the appropriations asked for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1875, must necessa-
rily occur. For the last month Of that fiscal year
the unexpsndod balance Of appropriation for pay
Of the army was only sufficient to give each ON.
Ger and soldier about one half OF what they were
entitled to for June, 1875, so that there remains
due upon contract with the Government the
amount necessary TO give them the remai aiming one
half months pay. The Paymaster General has
been Instructed TO submit q deficiency estimate
to meet this want. Had the estimates submitted
not been cut down several millions by Congress
the appropriations would have sufficed TO meet
all legal demands upon them, and would have
et but little, II any surplus to turned into the
Treasury as unexpended balances.
ment commanders Of the West on the Indian
question, that Of post traders, the protection OF
the national Yellowstone park, etc, and to the
Of the titles and jurisdiction of the
national cemeteries and the representation Of
war material ct the Centennial Exposition, and
asks appropriate action by Congress in regard to
the same.
Secretary Robsson's Report.
: The report Of the Secretary Of the Navy, Just
completed, shows that the number Of vessels Of
every clats and description now borne on the navy
register isl47. These carry, all told, l195 guns,
and are of 152, 4e2 tons measurement. or these,
%, carrying nomInally 2o5 guns, are sailing.ves.
sells without steam power, Of which number four,
namely, the Ssntee, the Dale, the Saratoga and
the Portsmouth, are in use rs training and prac-
tice ships; two, the Ssint Marys and the James,
town, are sssigr Ell 10 the States as scholarships,
under the act Of Congress providing therefor;
three, the Pawnte, the Saint Louis and the Saint