WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, January 24, 1855. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith a communication from the colonel of ordnance recommending an increase of the salaries of certain officers of his department at the national armories and arsenals, and concur therein only so far as regards the principal clerk at each of the armories, whose salaries I recommend to be raised to $1,200 per annum.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. R. M. T. HUNTER,

JEFF'N DAVIS,

Chairman Committee on Finance, Senate.

Secretary of War.

ORDNANCE OFFICE,

Washington, January 13, 1855. SIR: In the belief that the compensation allowed by law to the military storekeepers, master-armorers, and clerks, at the national armories, is at this time insufficient, in consequence of an advance in the cost of living; and as an increase of wages and salaries has been the consequence of such advance in regard to many other employés of the government, I would recommend an increase in the compensation for the above-named officers.

The compensation of each of these armory officers is prescribed by the act of 23d August, 1842, as follows: For the paymaster-who is also storekeeper-$1,250 per annum; for the master-armorer, $1,200 per annum; and for the clerks, $800 per annum, each. I regard these rates as an inadequate compensation for the services and responsibilities attached to the respective offices. The paymaster and storekeeper receives, disburses, and accounts for all the money which is expended for public purposes at the armory. He is also accountable for all the finished arms and material for their fabrication, and for all other public property not in use in the workshops. For the proper performance of his duties, and a faithful accountability for the public money and property intrusted to his charge, he is required to furnish good and sufficient bond to the amount of $50,000. The average disbursements of the paymaster and storekeeper, at each armory, for the last five years, have been about $223,000 per annum, and the value of the public property, at the two armories, for which these officers are accountable, is about three and a half million of dollars.

The master-armorer has the general charge and supervision of all the workshops, and keeps accounts, with the foremen, for all tools and materials, rough and finished work, delivered to and received from them respectively. He is also the chief inspector of all materials and tools, and of all finished arms to be delivered into the public storehouse, and is responsible that they shall have undergone the prescribed proofs, and are complete for service.

The duties of the clerks at the armories include correspondence, the keeping of time-rolls, the preparation of pay-rolls, and of accounts

and returns of money and property; accounts of all materials issued for fabrication, and of the disposal made of them, and the copying and recording of all public letters, papers, and returns. These duties require the employment of three permanent clerks at each armory.

The foregoing is a general statement of the duties and responsibilities, at the armories, of the officers referred to in this letter. To understand their character and amount, and thus to form a proper appreciation of their value, it is necessary to know all the details of the system of management and accountability at the armories. From my knowledge and experience in this respect, I can confidently recommend the following as a fair compensation in each case, viz: For the paymaster and storekeeper and for the master-armorer, at each armory, a salary of $1,500 per annum; for the principal clerk $1,200, and for each of the other clerks at the armories $1,000 per annum ; the respective clerks to be designated by the Secretary of War.

The proposed salaries add about 25 per cent. to those now received by the paymasters and master-armorers, and from 50 to 25 per cent., according to the character of their duties, to those now received by the clerks.

In this connexion, it seems proper that I should also refer to the inadequacy of the compensation of the paymasters and storekeepers at the arsenals. Their salaries were fixed by the same act-that of 23d August, 1842-at $1,250 per annum for those at arsenals of construction, and $800 per annum for those at other arsenals. They are underpaid, considering the extent and character of their responsibilities and duties, and an increase of about 25 per cent. would not give them more than a fair compensation.

I therefore recommend that the military storekeepers, whose salaries are now $1,250, shall be allowed hereafter $1,500; and those whose salaries are $800, shall be allowed $1,000 per annum. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. K. CRAIG,

Hon. JEFFERSON DAVIS,

Secretary of War.

Colonel of Ordnance.

WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, January 29, 1855.

SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the consideration of the Committee on Finance, a letter from the chief of the topographical engineers, submitting an estimate of the amount required to pay arrearages for allowances for fuel, quarters, transportation, and per diem to officers of his corps, for which there is no appropriation available, to the 31st ultimo; also an estimate of the amount which will be due for the same objects on the 30th June next, and one for the fiscal year ending the 30th June, 1856. I recommend that the army

bill may be amended so as to provide for the objects stated, up to the 30th June, 1855.

SIR In accordance with the endorsement upon my letter of the 7th December last, presenting a statement of the cases in which the payment of allowances for fuel, quarters, &c., have been refused by the Quartermaster's department, I transmit herewith an estimate to cover arrearages for allowances to officers for which there is no appropriation available, showing the amounts due on the 31st December, 1854, and the amounts which will probably be due on the 30th June next. Also an estimate of the amount which will probably be required for the payment of similar allowances during the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1856.

Respectfully, sir, your obedient servant,

J. J. ABERT,
Colonel Corps Topographical Engineers.

Hon. JEFFERSON DAVIS,
Secretary of War.

Amount due December 31, 1854.

Additional amount which will probably be due June 30, 1855.

BUREAU OF TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, January 25, 1855.

J. J. ABERT, Colonel Corps Topographical Engineers.

Estimate of funds that will probably be required during the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1856, for the payment of commutation of transportation of baggage, and of quarters and fuel of officers, in cases not provided for by the Quartermaster's department, and for allowances to meet extra expenses under the special direction of the Secretary of War.

For fuel and quarters.............

$2,500

For transportation...

1,500

For allowances to meet extra expenses under the special di

rection of the Secretary of War.

2,500

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, January 10, 1855.

SIR: I have the honor to recommend that an appropriation of thirty thousand dollars be made in the army appropriation bill, now pending in the Senate, "for printing a new system of light infantry and rifle tactics, to be stereotyped, with engraved plates, and for procuring, for distribution to the militia of the United States, books of tactical instruction, including the system of regulations now in course of preparation."

With regard to the first of these objects, I have to refer the committee to the report herewith transmitted, of the board of officers by which the system of light infantry and rifle tactics was prepared and adapted to our service, and to the enclosed copies of communications from other experienced officers, respecting the value of the system.

The distribution of works of tactical instruction to the militia has been heretofore recommended in the annual reports from this department and the commanding general, and I deem it unnecessary to repeat the considerations therein set forth as to the propriety of this

measure.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. R. M. T. HUNTER,

JEFF'N DAVIS,
Secretary of War.

Chairman of Committee on Finance, Senate.