The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-12-07

one nunuTtu Auu ulty sSuOulhAS1olSi "Ah
the rank aud pay OF commissary.serGesnts
An appropriation is needed TO supply IN
Judge advocates OF the army with suitable
| Libraries, and the Secretary recommend
that the corps OF Judge advocates b
placed upon the same footing, as to pro
motion, with the other staff corps OF Thu
arm. Under existing laws, the Bureau o
Military Justice consists OF one office, th'
Judge. Advocate General, and the corps o
Judge advocates, OF eight officers Of equa
rank, (mSjors) with provision that The
limit OF the corps shall remain at four
when reduced by casualty or resignation
10 that number. The consolidation OF the
Bureau OF Military Justice, and the corps
Of Judge advocates, upon the same basis
with the other staff corps OF the army
would remove an unjust discrimination
against deserving officers, and subserVe
the best interests OF tile service.
CHIEF ISGlHEER's REPORT.
Especial attention Is asked to the report
OF the Chief OF Engineers upon the coudi'
ton OF our National defences. From q
personal inspection OF many oil the tortif'
cations referred to, the Secretary Is able 70
emphasize the recommendations made
and 10 state that their incomplete and
defenceless condition is dscreditable ID
the country. While other nations have
been increasing their means Tor carrying
on offensive warfare and attacking mari
time cities, we Have been dormant IN pre-
paration for defence; nothing Of impor'
lance has been done towards strengthen
ing and finishing our casemated works
since our late civil war, during which the
great guns OF modern warfare and the
heavy armor OF modern Notifications and
ships came into use among the nations,
and our earthworks, left, by q sudden fall
ure OF appropriations some years since, in
all stages OF incompletion, are now being
rapidly destroyed by the elements.
INTERNAL WATER WAYS.
The two great rivers OF the North Amer
can Continent, the Mississippi and the
Columbia, have their navigable waters
wholly within the limits OF the United
States, and are OF vast importance TO our
internal and foreign commerce. The per.
maneucy OF the important work on the
South Pass OF the Mississippi river seems
now to be assured. There has been no
failure whatever In the maintenance Of
the maximum channel during the Elk
months ended August 9th, last. This ex.
pertinent has opened broad deep high
way to the ocean, and Is an improvement,
upon the permanent success OF which,
congratulations may be exchanged among
people abroad and at home, and especially
among the communities of the Mississippi
valley, whose commercial exchanges float
In an unobstructed channel safely to and
from the sea.
A comprehensive improvement OF the
Mississippi and its tributaries Is matter
OF transcendent Importance. These great
Waterways comprise system OF inland
transportation spread like network over a
large portion OF the United States, and nav.
igable to the extent OF many thousands Of
miles. Producers and consumers alike,
have common interest in such unequalled
facilities for cheap transportation. Geo
graphically, commercially and politically,
they are thestrongest tie between the vari.
oussections OF the country. These channels
OF communication and interchange are the
property OF the Nation. It's jurisdiction is
paramount over their waters, and the
plainest principles OF public interest re-
quire their intelligent and careful super
vision, with a view to their protection, i'm
provement, and the enhancement OF their
usefulness.
The channel OF the Columbia river, for a
distance Of about one hundred miles from
it's mouth, Is obstruCted by succession oil
bars, which occasion serious delays in nav.
iga.ion, aud heavy expense for lighterage
and towage. A depth OF at least twenty
feet at low tide should be secured aud
maintained, to meet the requirements Of
the extensive and growing inland snd
ocean commerce it subserves. The most
urgent need. however, for this great water.
way is permanent improvement OF the
channel at the mouth OF the river.
From Columbia river to San Francisco,
a distance OF over six hundred miles, there
10 no harbor on our Pacific coast which
can be approached during stormy weather.
AnappropriatiUn Of $3.50 600 was made by
the Forty.tifth Congress for the commence.
ment OF break water and harbor OF refuge,
TO be located at some point between the
Straits OF Fuca and San Francisco, at which
the necessities OF commerce, local and gen.
eral, will be be best accommodated. The
amount appropriated IL thought to be quite
inadequate for the purpose intended. The
cost OF the work, when finished. will be
very great, owing to the want Of natural
advantages for site at any point on the
coast between the designated limits, snd II
has not been thought to be advisable to
undertake the work without larger ap.
preparation. commend the matter to the
attention Of Congress.
nIa nj ION of tha rnty HutIfirU for
the War Department Is urgently needed,
and the estimates for continuing it's con-
struction are especially recommended.
THE Array MEDICAL MUSEUM.
The collections OF books, specimens, and
records constituting the Army Medical
Museum and Library are OF national i'm
portance. The library now contains about
tilty.one thousand five hundred (5l, 5O0)
volumes and filty.seven thousand (57, 0O0)
pamphlets relating to medicine, surgery,
and allied topics. The contents OF the
Army Medical Museum consist Of twenty
two thousand (22, 000) specimens, and are
unique in the completeness with which
both military surgery and the diseases OF
armies are illustrated. Their destruction
v would be an irreparable loss, not only to
the United States, but to the world. There
are filed In the record and pension diyis.
ion, over sixteen thousand $4,000 bound
volumes OF hospital records, together with
a great quantity Of papers, embracing the
original records OF the hospitals OF our
armies during the civil war. Aside from
their historical value, these records are
daily searched for evidence needed in the
settlement Of large numbers Of pension
and other claims, for the protection OF
the Government against attempted frauds,
as we'll as for the benefit OF honest claim.
ants. These valuable collections are now
in building which is peculiarly exposed
to the danger OF destruction by fire. 1t ia
therefore earnestly recommended that an
appropriation be made for new flre.proof
building, adequate for the present needs
and reasonable future expansion OF these
valuable collections. Such a building
should be absolutely fire.proof; no expen.
diture for mere architectural display is re.
quired. 1t Is believed that Q suitable
-, rrOInra oa,, ,ha aran,a1 a. a aou, mt IN