on is conducive to economy. There is an extra number to serve as engi

neers.

The pay of this corps is generally higher than of any other because there is much preparatory ftudy and labour to qualify an officer, and promotion is much less rapid."

C. There are a great number of officers in proportion to the men; because the artillery are chiefly in detachments, and are of fo much confequence in military operations, that the pieces ought rarely to be trufted to non commiffioned officers.

D. These five profeffors are indifpenfable for the inftruction of the officers; the pay is confiderable, to induce able men to engage.

E. There are fewer noncommiffioned flaff than in the infantry, because when the corps is united, fewer will answer, and when divided it is fo much divided that ferjeants muft do their duties on the detachments.

The allowance of cloathing is lefs than it has heretofore been, a fuit of uniform being allowed only once in two years; but this is as much as is

3

done in the European armies in general, and is fufficient.

The expence may be fill further diminished, by raifing only two regiments, and those full, which will give the fame number of men as this reduction of the four; but the United States will by this means have too fmali a number of officers; and should a war take place, they will be entirely at a lofs to officer properly the additional forces.

It is to be remarked, that in the calculation of expence in every cafe, there ought to be a deduction of the half-pay of the officers retained in fervice; which ought to be confidered as lowering the expence of the military eftablishment during the lives of the prefent fet of officers, which, upon an average, may be estimated at twenty-five years.

This makes the difference between the expence of four regiments of officers, or of two, much less confiderable than it appears at first fight, and is an additional reason for that confi deration not being put in competi tion with the national utility of keeping them in fervice.

CORPO

6 goths of a dol. No regiment to be allowed to draw rations for more than four women, to ferve as nurfes in the regimental hofpitals; and to receive four dollars per month, in addition to a ration per day.

Officers, if they prefer it, to be at liberty to receive

the value of the ration in money.

All the troops to be obliged to receive fith two days in the week. A weekly allowance of foap to be made at the rate of for each

commiffioned offi

provisions, to be entitled to foap at the fame rate.

The ration of forage to confift of the following articles, to be estimated at the rates ennexed to each: 12lbs of hay 7-90ths of a dol. 8 qts of oats, or 15 other grain equiv.]

12.90ths of a dol. When officers entitled to forage are abfent from their corps on duty and cannot draw it,they fhall be paid for it, at the rates above mentioned, which fhall also be done as to any ar'ticles not furnished when with their corps.

The articles of cloathing already enumerated to be furnished to the non commiffioned officers, foldiers and others to be estimated at the following rates; and when not furnish ed to be paid for accordingly, alfo when more than the ftipulated allow Sance fhall be furnished, there shall be a deduction from the pay at the fame rates. Dol. goths.

1 Coat,

1 Jacket,

1 Pair of Overalls,

1 Linen Frock

2 Do. Overalls, each 1 dol. 2 2 ditto Shirts, each 1 dol. 2 Leath.ftocks,each 12.90ths o 4 Pair Shoes, each a dollar, z Hat,

4

о

60

The idea of the confederation being adhered to, the number of troops to be raised must be diftributed to the feveral States, according to the proportion of their respective populations; and each muft appoint regimental officers in proportion to the number of men it furnishes; but as go State will have to furnish a complete regiment, this apportionment of the officers will become extremely difficult, if not impracticable, on any fatisfactory footing, and the filling up of vacancies as they arife, will create endless perplexity It would be much to be preferred that the States could be induced to transfer this right to Congrefs; and indeed without it there can be no regularity in the military fyftem. It would alfo be much the beft that the men fhould be enlifted under continental direction, which will be a more certain and more fru

Rrr

gal mode; for if it is to be done by the particular States, they will raife. the price of the men by competition, and the United States will be obliged to pay for any mifmanagement or extravagance which may happen, though without their participation or control.

The officers however to command the different corps in the firft inftance may with propriety be referved out of thofe now in fervice, who are willing to continue in the military line; provided that fuch as are retained fhall not be entitled to the half-pay for their fervices during the war.

All promotions to be made regimentally, to the rank of Major inclufively, according to feniority; and from that rank upwards, in the line of the army, according to the fame rule, the officers of dragoons and infantry rolling together, without diftination of corps.

The promotion in the engineers to be diftin&, and according to seniority in that corps; provided that no offi. cer whatsoever shall confider it as a violation of his rights, if another receives an extra promotion in the corps on account of brilliant fervices or peculiar talents.

And in order that fuch extra promotion may not depend on mifreprefentation, it fhall not be made but on the recommendation of the comman→ der of the army, accompanied by the facts and reafons upon which it is founded, and with the opinion of the officer commanding the corps,in which the promotion is to be made; 'all which fhall be reported to Congress by the Secretary at war, with his opi ion concerning the fame.

All non-commiflioned officers and privates to be engaged for fix years, with this condition that if a war fhould break out during the time, they fhall be obliged to ferve to the end of it.

FORTIFICATIONS.

The Fortifications neceffary to be kept up are of two kinds, land and naval; the firft for internal fecurity, the laft for the protection of the fleets of the United States.

As to the first kind, there are many important pofis ajready exifting, feveral of which it will be effential to occupy and guard tl more perma nent provision can be made on a ge

neral

neral plan. For this Congrefs have already made temporary provifion, by their refolution of the If the tune therein limited thould be likely to expire before a general fyftem can be adopted, it can be prolonged.

The Committee are of opinion that the principles laid down by Major General Du Portail, Chief Engineer,in the memorial annexed to this report, fo far as they refpect merely the arti cles of fortifications, are in general found and juft; and that it will be expedient for Congrefs fo foon as they have determined on the estab lithiment of the corps of engineers, to inftruct the head of that corps to make a furvey of the points proper to be fortified; and to digeft a general plan, proportioned to the military eftablishment of the United States, to be laid before Congress for their confideration.

ARSENALS and MAGAZINES.

The committee are of opinion that it will be proper for Congress to keep conftantly on foot Arfenals and Magazines of fuch articles as are not of a perthable nature, in different parts of the United States, equal to the compiete equipment of thirty thoufand men, for the field or for a fiege, calculated on a three years fupply; and that in this view it will be proper to felect the following places of depofit:

Springfield, in the State of Mailachusetts, West Point, and its dependencies, State of New York. Carlife, State of Pennfylvania. Some convenient pofition on James River, to be reconnoitered for that purpose. Cambden, State of South Carolina.

All the artillery and military fieres in the poffeffion of the United States to be diftributed to thefe depofits in equal proportions; and as foon as may be, deficiencies in the propofed quan tity to be made up, fo that each depoft may foffice for fix thoufand men.

MILITARY ACADEMIES.

The committee are of opinion, that the henefit of fuch initutions rarely Compenfate for the expence--that military knowledge is beft acquired in fervice--that with refpect to thofe branches of fervice which are of a more fcientific nature, the profeffors proposed to be attached to the corps of engineers, will produce fub

Rantially all the utility to be expected from academies. At all events inflitutions of this kind can only be an object of future consideration. FOUNDRIES and MANUFAC TORIES.

The committee are of opinion, that as foon as the fituation of public affairs will permit, it ought to be a ferious object of our policy, to be able to fupply ourselves with all articles of the Arft neceffity in war, and in this view to eftablifh foundries of cannon, manufactories of arins, &c.

There are two reasons which appear to them conclufive for this: The Arft, that every country ought to endeavour to have within itself all the means effential to its own prefervation; as to depend on the casualties of foreign fupplies, is to render its own fecurity precarious. The fecond, that as it will be indispensable to keep up a corps of artillery and fome other troops, the labour of a part of these beftowed upon the manufa&tories, will enable the public to fupply itself on better and cheaper terms than by importation. The committee propofe that the fecretary at war be dire&ed to lay before Congrels a plan in detail for this purpose, defignating the places where thofe foundries and manufactories can be erected with advantage, the means to be employed, and the expence to be incurred in the execution.

GENERAL STAFF.

The committee are of opinion, that a general ftaff in the time of peace (except a general officer to command the troops, another to command the corps of engineers and artillery, and an infpector general) ought to be difpenfed with; as all the purpofes may be answered by the war department, by contracts, and by the regi. mental staff.

The pay of the officers here men tioned, and other emoluments, to be as follows:

General commanding the troops 300 dollars per month, rations inde. foice. General commanding engi. neers, and inspector general each 250 dollars per month, for pay and fubfifience.

In time of war, two regiments to compofe a brigade, and a brigadier

general