Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-12-08

UTOgTess prOVt EnT.
and character and permanence Of the works, as
may be necessary To keep Congress fully in
formed and advised. To enable this officer TO
make the required surveys and inspections an
annual appropriation is necessary, the estimates
for which may be found in the report OF the chief
of engineers, which also contains further inior-
nation in gard to this work. The amount re-
CURED tor these surveys ana examinations dur
the present fiscal year is $1,000, and as 10 means
for them have yet been prov 'ded, the appropri-
alton of that sum is recommended to be u ide at
the earliest day practicable after the meeting OF
q, ngress.
by letter of the 10Th of June Mr. Eads infor ne d
me that he commenced on j une Ii the eObstruc-
tiOn of works At the bar OF the SOuth Pass. add
that the provisional works for the constru ton of
the east jetty had already been extended 900
feet. The report of Major COmst"ck upon the
progress made by MIR. EiCs up TO September %
Will he found In the report of the chief OF eDgt
neers. IC gives % clear description OF the exact
character OF the works. their progress, the ma
terials used and the degree OF permanencr WIN
which the letties are being constructed. In the
Improvement OF the Mississippi river the want OF
a detailed and accurate survey has long been felt
The need of such survey rs becoming more aud
more urgent from year 10 ear, as engineering
improvements IN aid of commerce. become neces-
sary. The partial surveys of detached portions OF
the river which have from time TO time Deen made
tor special improvements are not sufficient for the
discussion o plans for protecting the river against
hOods-a question which is now OF much import
ance-Or lot other general engineer improve
tnents, which should be- based on detailed maps,
exhibiting not only the condition OF the river a
tue time OF the survey, bat giving the means Of
discON eriDg future changes. he organization
ana instrumeG of the lake survey furnish the
means OF making the survey OF the river aceu-
rately and economically, and l recommend that
the work be placed In its hands
SURVEYS.
The preparation of the report of the geological
xpora ton OF the orJieth parallel has been some
what retarded by the delay in completing the
necessary leont oOg zeal studies, buI the engrav
ing OF the geOlog zeal atlas has been commenced,
md fp41 a wi he en m N 10 fAG
before the end of the current year, we'll as the
text OF this important work The geographical ex-
under the War Department, have been in prog ress
since my last report. At The beginning of the
nscal year the main divisions of the survey were
bout leaving Pueblo, Colorado Tor fields of ope-
ratoDs in southern and Southwestern Colorado,
Northern and Northwestern New Mexico and
Northeastern Arizona. where connections were
made with he work of former years. At the termi-
nation in November and December, 1874, OF the
seasons work in these LOCALITIES the parties were
disbanGed AT Pueblo and a portion of the assist
ants were engage ed In this city In preparing the
maps and her results of the survey for publica
tion. The field work OF the present season was
divided into two main sections, with the intention
of surveying tracts in Colorado and Calitornia a,
and an officer with special party was detailed
TO make preliminary instrumental survey. with
a view TO complete examination as To the feast
6illty of dtvertiDg the waters OF the river Colo
raGO for the purpose of irrigation and il is hoped
that a report accompanied by estimates OF the
cost will be received from the officer IN charge OF
at the coming session.
Two OF the six quarto volumes OF the reporis of
the survey which were authorized by Congress
are in the hands OF the pruter and the OF hers are
in an advanced state OF preparation. The publ
cation Of the typographical and geoloe ical atlas
sheets is progressing satisfactorily. The main
objects Of this survey are the preparation and dis
seminatiOn Of reliable detailed typographical
maps OF the interior of the country, and reports
as 10 the resources of the regions surveyed. For
the latter purpose competent scieni ISIS in the
specialties OF geology, mfuerslogy, pae0n ology,
zoology and botany accompany the su veyins par
ties with little increase OF expense in comparison
with he amount Of Information gained ny them
The Typographical maps, which form an import
ant result of this survey, furnish Information use
fui to the military service and to other branches
of the Government, aud especially to the immi-
grants who are rapidly setting the great valleys
west of the Mississippi, and the appropriation
asked tor its continuance IL recommended.
There are at nearly all the he Idqaarters of the
four military divisions and the nine military de-
partmens officers OF the corps OF engineers,
whose chief duty il is to collect geographical and
other Information, and these officers 90, by means
of their own explorations and surveys, and by
collecting the notes, 81 etches and maps ID ade by
officers and soldiers belonging 10 the Western
posts on their scouts and campaigns, add year by
year TO the knowledge of the interior OF The
country, which is not only essential TO the gen.
erals in command of these departments and di-
visions, but which is useful TO the country gen
orally. The maps embed wing the iutormat ion
gained In this way, with little cost to the country,
are finally published by the eng iueer department;
and IL will be observed that the chief OF engineers
reports an unusually large nun Der of these maps
and others illus rating the operations of the late
war, rs printed and published during the las
fiscal year. | commend u Congress the apprO-
pratiOn asked Tor the surveys by engineer off
GERS attached TO the various division and depart
ment headquarters, and for the construction and
printing OF maps by the engineer department. tor
the use OF the War Department aud the army.
aud which to very great oegree stimulate and
assist the various enterprises which are fast Set
Ting up our interior domain.
THE ESTIMATES OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS
are submitted separately. as presented by that
officer viz: Fortiticatiobs and other works OF de-
tense. s204l,0O0 pubic buildings and grounds
and Washington aqueduct. S7l4,474: surveys,
$4,000; eng ineer depot at WilletL'S Point. New
YORK. $4,000: office expenses, $4,000; improve
ment OF rivers and harbors, Sl4, 30l, 100. To,al,
81. 9S,S74.
MILITARY ARSENALs.
The Secretary rehearses the difficulty AMI ex
pense of maintaining numerous small arsenals in
various sections o. 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
establishment of a grand arsenal of construction
in the vicinity OF New York city, retaining the
Spring field armory and Frank ford arsenal a adj
juncts for manufacturing purposes: retaining also
the Indianapolis arsenal, Indiana; Kennebec
senai, Maine; Fort Monroe arsenal. Virginia, and
Augusta arsenal, Georgia, as places Tor storage
ana repair, and selling the Alleg heny, Water
vliet, w atertown and Washington arsenais as
rapidly as circumstances will permit, the proceeds
of such sales to be devoted to the purchase of
site and the erection of shops store houses and
other works tor the grand arsenal The amount
that can probably be realized from the sales will
be over So, 0o0 COO.
The wisdom and economy of greater conceu-
tration of ordnance manufactures TO call for
no extended argument. The military powers of
the world bring toy ether in one grand Who'll all
their resources, that there may result economy
and perfect work. The experience of all private
enterprises points to concentration as vital ele
meBt of success. Proximity TO raw material,
He'd fah ahn
obtained by the plan proposed, ana it appeals
strongly for legislative consideration and action,
because II can be carried out without taxing a
dollar from the pubic 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 TOO highly Commented nor too closely fol
lowed. With cur railroad system of intercommu-
nication, reaching every portion of cur broad DO
main. the distance to any point OF our long shore
line of our vast miami frontier is becoming of
less paramount Importance In the distribution OF
wsrmaterIal, and few well selected and amply.
provided centres of supply can more quickly and
economically fulfill all demands than did IN any
arsenals without rail facilities half century ago.
The entire army has been supplied with new
rifles and carbines, calhre .45, and We have
In store reserve supply OF these arms OF 600
AT the epd of the present hscal year cur reserve
supply may reach total Of 40, 900 arms OF the
Lew mod el and calibre-about enough, in case of
war, 10 arm one army corps. Our ooldiers should
be armed with the best weapon that ingenuity
and workmanship can proc uce, and in our coun
try. where armies are To be 1mprovised. made up
on the Instant by recruits from the anvil and the
pillow, the want of military discipline and training
should be as much as possible compensated for by
the quality OF the weapon the soldier is TO use.
Our arsenais should therefore be well stocked
with large reserve supply of the best rifles and
car bines
The question of patent infringement by the
Government IN the manufacture and alteration of
firearms ana appl ahces o war is re ferred Con-
gress Tor al ustment by legislation.
ExPENDITUREs.
The actual expenses of the War De-
partment tor the year ending June
80 1874 including river and haroor
Improvements were................ So, 326 314 II
The same for the last fiscal year.
ending June 80, 1875. were......... il,277.S75 2S
Showing a reduction of............ s ,04s 939 43
The estma; es for he military estab-
lisnmeot Tor the ensuing fiscal
year ending June So 1877, $50, ASP $50 so
Those for The current fiscal year,
ending June so, 1876, were........ 81, 1855 969 SO
Being an Increase ef............... 963 AT 90
The appropriations for that purpose
Tor the current nscal year were. SIS 127 4O1 90
The excess Of the amount of the estimates for
the ensuing fiscal year over the Appropriation for
the current fiscal year arises IRON the iact that
as experience has shown, the appropriations were
not sufficient to meet the demands of the service
The appropria tons for the subsistence md paw
departments. based as they are on the actual
number OF men 10 be paid and subslsted. are nota-
bly, below the Sums actually required. The nass