of unqualified, and consequently incompetent assistants, and is forced from this cause to increase its demands upon the army, that it may compensate partially by numbers for deficiencies in experience. These demands, if complied with, but increase the general evil before alluded to; they cannot be complied with but partially, as the line has duties for which these subordinates were intended, and which it would not do to neglect. We are placed thereby in a continued series of unpleasant bickerings with the line. The corps endeavors to retain its experienced assistants as long as possible, because they are essential to the well-doing of its duties. The line regrets these details, however temporary; it seeks to reduce them to short periodical tours, and is continually endeavoring to get back the older assistants. It is a system, therefore, in which the permanent interests of the line and of the corps are diametrically opposed, and which, as might well be supposed, by the occasional success of either, has left one or the other exposed to the reproach of negligence or favoritism.

There is no one more strongly impressed than myself with the efforts which the line now makes in order to aid us in our duties, and that it cannot do more without a sacrifice of its own; but, at the same time, I must acknowledge, that after many years of experience, I am satisfied that the duties of the topographical engineers can only be carried to that extent of perfection and intelligence which the country has a right to expect, by a system which shall permanently attach its assistants to the corps.

The effect of these details from the army for the duties of this corps may be expressed in a few words. If temporary or periodical, it is a sacrifice of the duties of the corps; if permanent, while they yet retain their rank and its privileges in the line, it is, to the extent of the number detailed, a sacrifice of the interests and duties of the line.

The civil engineers employed under the act of April 30, 1824, are officers without military commissions or military rank. The law recognizes no distinction of grade or of title between them, although the custom of service has divided them into the two classes of civil engineers and assistant civil engineers. The rules and articles of war, and the army regulations, cannot be extended over them. There is, therefore, an absence of legal authority in relation to their control, and also of defined right in relatation to their privileges, from which it will be seen that no subordination or authority can well be established in such a service. No serious evils have yet resulted from it, owing, however, more to the correct moral bearing of the gentlemen who hold these appointments, than to any well-defined power over them. Among the greatest inconveniences of this arrangement, is the difficulty of associating the two kinds of engineers on the same duty. The military engineer is unwilling to be placed under the civil, and probably cannot be by law, or in a way that would involve any legal responsibility. The civil engineer is equally unwilling to be viewed as subject only to be commanded, without the hope of ever enjoying the right of commanding in turn. It is a moral prostration of his branch of service to another, without the prospect of ever being relieved from it, and adapted to engender painful and unpleasant feelings, as well as being in itself unjust.

Another evil is, that this mixed arrangement of military and civil appointments is destructive of a proper esprit du corps, and of that united emulation which exerts the whole mass of mind to elevate the duties of that branch to which it belongs.

With a service so constituted, and beset with inconveniences so detrimental to its duties, this bureau has been struggling for years, sparing no efforts, however, to do the best which could be done with the means placed at its disposal.

The means have already been represented generally. I shall now speak of them numerically and economically, with a view of submitting a plan which will, if adopted, remedy all the evils, and without additional cost.

The military engineers consist, 1st, of the corps of topographical engineers, ten in number. Of these, one receives the pay of a lieutenant colonel, five have the pay of majors, and four the pay of captains. The annual compensation of the whole is $14,496.

2d. Of the temporary details from the army. These vary from 25 to 30. There are now 26 on this service. The annual compensation of these is $23,344.

The civil engineers consist of those employed under the act of the 30th April, 1824. Taking the average of the last three years, their number is 13, and their annual compensation is $16,700.

The entire annual cost of the whole number of officers on topographical duty is therefore $43,540.

In the above statement, it will be perceived that the officers detailed from the army are included in the sum of the total cost. All these details receive their pay out of the general appropriation for the army, and it does not therefore appear in any estimate for the corps of topographical engineers, or for surveys; yet, as this number is always employed on topographical duty, their pay is justly chargeable to that branch of service, and is therefore included in the sum of its annual cost.

The compensation for the civil engineers is taken from the customary annual appropriation for surveys.

From the foregoing, it will therefore be perceived that the present force and rank of officers for topographical duty consists, in its present mixed and complicated organization, of one lieutenant colonel commanding, five majors, four captains, twenty-six licutenants of artillery and infantry, thirteen civil engineers.

Now, the remedy proposed is to incorporate the whole or a part in one regular corps, with the usual grades of military rank, and to subject the whole to the rules and articles of war.

The subject has been treated with much ability by the chairman of the Military Committee, in a report to Congress during the last session. Allow me respectfully to refer you to that report for some views which are not incorporated in this.

But taking the opinion of the distinguished chairman of that committee as the best basis for an improved organization, it results in the recommendation of a corps to consist of one colonel, one lieutenant colonel, four majors, ten captains, ten first lieutenants, ten second lieutenants: in all, thirty-six engineers, of which the total annual cost will be $40,454. Our present imperfect organization gives forty-nine engineers, of which the total annual cost is $43,540; making an annual difference in favor of the organization of $3.086.

The plan submitted presents two questions which require explanation: one referring to the numbers, the other to the cost.

The lesser numbers of the proposed plan are considered capable of doing more duty than the greater numbers of the existing plan; because

1st, of their better organization; 2d. And of always controlling the experience acquired, which, accumulating to the same individuals, gives that facility and aptness of execution and readiness in the application of theoretical knowledge, which will enable the lesser numbers in the one case to do more and better work than the greater numbers in the other. It is, in fact, but an application of the simple axiom, that he who is acquainted with the theory and practice of any profession, can do more of it, and better, than any number of those who have not this knowledge.

3d. The number is also based upon the consideration that these were now, and would for many years be, fully adequate to the wants of the General Government for topographical duties.

In reference to the cost, two considerations have been made: one to be found in the report of the Military Committee of the last session, which reduced the army proportionally to the number transferred from it to the corps. This, of course, would result in a positive reduction of the army estimates, or a transfer of a portion to the estimates of the corps, and would make a positive saving of the amount previously stated; but the army would probably suffer inconvenience from the reduction. It is divided into so many small posts, and extended over so vast a space of country, that it could not feel less the inconveniences of the reduction than it does those of the details. These are already oppressive to its duties. Although the reduction of the army estimate would be thereby a proportional reduction of army expenditure, the reduction would be at the expense of the organization of the army and of its duties, and might therefore, although a saving, not be considered a true economy.

The other, to leave the army as it is, and organize the corps as it should be. Under this consideration, the total amount of present appropriations absorbed by the proposed organization would be, for the corps of topographical and civil engineers, $31,200; but as the total cost of the proposed corps is stated to be $40,454, it would leave an annual deficiency over our present appropriations of $8,254.

Under either view, the authority to employ civil engineers under the act of the 30th April, 1824, is to be repealed; of course, the amount of their annual compensation ceases with the passing of the law for the new organization.

But as a plan which leaves the army in its present form is, under all circumstances, the better, that for the organization of the corps, which will be presently submitted to you, will be made in accordance to it.

The plan submitted last year, while it authorized a complete organization, embraced a feature of periodical promotions, until the organization should be complete. Such a course is not unfrequent in the extension of scientific corps, when the materials for supplying places have to be formed. But when, as in our circumstances, we have abundant officers, properly educated, experienced in its duties, and who, in fact, are now performing them, such a course cannot be advisable but on the supposition that a full organization is not now wanted. As we already are obliged to employ more than the organization contemplated, this supposition cannot be well sustained; and believing as I do that the whole number are wanted, I have considered it the better course at once to submit a correct plan to your consideration.

It has been previously observed that the present corps consists of one lieutenant colonel commanding, five majors, four captains; to which are

attached twenty-six lieutenants of artillery and infantry, thirteen civil engineers.

The plan proposed adds a colonel to the corps, takes away one major, and from the lieutenants and the civil engineers takes six captains, ten first, and ten second lieutenants.

I have hitherto confined myself to an exposition of the kind of organi zation which now exists for topographical duties, its defects and inconveniences. Although many of the advantages of the modifications proposed are to be inferred from these, yet it may be well to state a few of the important public services which this corps has to perform, but to which, from its present defective organization, its attention has been applied but imperfectly.

Heretofore its duties have been principally directed to surveys for the defences of the posts and harbors on the Atlantic, including the water approaches to the positions to be fortified.

These surveys generally embrace some extent of coast as well as of inlets, and from the facts which have to be collected, constitute also very valuable, but rather limited charts for navigation; but the land approaches to these positions remain yet to be surveyed.

Surveys of our harbors and of our rivers on the coast, with views to their improvement, and also to obtain more accurate charts of them than now exist. Although much has been done under this head, yet the greater part of our coast, and particularly from the Delaware south, has yet to be attended to. These surveys form valuable details to be introduced in the great survey of the coast now being made, and which, with a proper understanding with the principal of that survey, may be introduced into his charts with great facility.

Surveys of the harbors and shores of our western lakes. It is only some of the principal harbors of these lakes to which the attention of the corps has yet been directed-those affecting the present lake navigation, and requiring immediate improvement. The connecting links between these harbors, the inlets of a secondary class, and the rivers which empty into them, have hitherto received but little attention. Our imperfect organization and limited numbers were embarrassments to the activity and extent of our operations, which could not be overcome.

Surveys for common roads, rail-roads, and canals. Although these may be considered as purely of a civil character, yet a finer school of practice than they furnish for the topographical engineer cannot well be imagined. He obtains on these duties expertness in the use of instruments: the habit of investigating the resources of a country, commercially, morally, and physically: its supplies in provisions, timber, metals, and means of construction: its population, and the best means by which it can be commanded in cases of emergency: its military aspect, hilly, level, or mountainous, and the various roads which intersect the path of his survey. While he is therefore apparently engaged on an object ostensibly of mere profit to its undertakers, he is perfecting himself in the practice of his profession, acquiring exact and persevering habits of investigation, improving his coup d'œil, and gathering the most valuable information in relation to the capabilities of self defence, of the locality of the survey, and its ability to aid in the defence of other parts of the country.

Surveys of the inland frontiers of our Atlantic and Western States. Singular as may be the acknowledgment, yet it is nevertheless the fact,

that this highly important service has hitherto received but little attention. It embraces not merely a geographical knowledge of the frontiers named, but accurate topographical surveys of the vicinities of all our western posts; of the best routes for roads of communication between the posts and with the interior for supplies and assistance. We have hitherto been able to direct but very feeble efforts to these important objects. The fault is not that of this bureau, but of the inadequate means placed at its disposal. Although there is an annual appropriation of twenty-five and sometimes thirty thousand dollars for surveys, yet as considerably more than half of this is required for the salaries of the civil engineers, it leaves but a small portion for the expenses of surveys. This small portion is generally absorbed in the execution of those surveys directed to be made by resolutions of Congress, and of some parts of our seacoast; the latter being a continuation of the surveys directed some years since, in reference to a regularly digested system of seacoast defence. We are therefore left without the means of bestowing our efforts on the western frontier; and the position of appearing to neglect so important a duty, in which this bureau has been placed, is shown, by the foregoing remarks, to have been beyond its power to obviate.

Should the organization proposed be adopted, it will leave the whole appropriation for surveys free from the deductions for the salaries now paid out of it, and the bureau may then place a brigade of officers on the western frontier, to commence the execution of those important duties. Should it not be adopted, it will be seen that the bureau will be as unable as heretofore to attend to them, unless a separate appropriation is granted, and which is asked, in order to meet the contingencies of the oase, in the estimate now submitted.

The survey of the coast. It would be superfluous to speak of the neces sity of this survey, of its immense importance to our commerce and navy, and its extensive influence over any system of defence for the Atlantic frontier.

Of the methods by which alone such a duty ever has been executed by any nation, or ever can be correctly, the books are full; and from the same sources we may also draw the best conclusions of the time and means and qualifications which such a labor requires. Applications have been made to this bureau for aid in officers, but it has been unable to furnish but one. It was a cause of serious regret, but yet beyond the power of this bureau to remedy, and only in the hands of Congress by legislative action.

We have but one school in our country which may be considered as thoroughly mathematical in its corrse the military school at West Point; and it is to this school only to which we can look for individuals sufficiently qualified to enter upon the duties of this survey, and justly aspire to a knowledge of its highest practical operations. I do not mean by this to say that there may not be citizens who, of their own taste and own force of mind, are not equally qualified; but these are only rare exceptions to a rule, the correctness of which will stand the proof of a comparison of the course of mathematical instruction and habits of study pursued at West Point, with those of any other school or college in our country.

Now, then, if the desire is that this great work should not cease with the life of the present highly informed gentleman who superintends it, and that, in course of time, we should have numbers capable of conducting it, and of executing any of its parts, we must give them the opportunity