One company of engineers 865 do------do 100 men-1 ration per day. 100 1,710 865 3,008 6,114 84 do.-1 ration per day----170 do.-1 ration per day-- 126 170 1,000 700 do-do 700 500 do---do 500 Four regiments of artillery ---3,008 do------do Ordnance men- Ordnance men- 52 do--do Employees Quarterm's dep't--1,000 do------do -- Number of persons------ -14,303 Number of rations per day--14,345 14,345 rations per day, for 365 days, at 20 cents per ration, is $1,047,185 Regular troops authorized by act of March 3, 1835-vol. 9, p. 244, ch. 326; engineers, by act of May 15, 1846-pamphlet laws, ch. 21, p. 19; riflemen, by act of May 19, 1846-pamphlet laws, ch. 22, p. 20; increase of the rank and file of the army, by act of June 17, 1850; issues to Indians, act of June 30, 1834-vol. 9, p. 137, ch. 162, sec. 16; ordnance sergeants, act of April 5, 1832; one and a half ration to ordnance men, act of February 8, 1815. NOTE. In estimating the ration at 20 cents, the following expenses are included. Expenses of preserving provisions and erecting and repairing bake-ovens; increased price of the ration by contracts made in California, New Mexico, and on the upper Rio Grande, for articles of subsistence to save transportation; large wastage and deterioration of stores in reaching California, New Mexico, &c. This being the first occasion on which an estimate has been made for Indians, it has been deemed proper to state that for many years, under the act of June 30, 1834, issues have been made by this department to Indians. visiting military posts on the western frontiers. The addition of Oregon, California, Texas and New Mexico to our territories, has brought us in contact with many additional tribes; and the experience of the last year has shown that this expense, incident to these issues, has been so great, that it is now deemed necessary to enter this item in the estimate. GEO. GIBSON, Commissary General of Subsistence. OFFICE COMMissary GeneRAL SUBSISTENCE, Washington, March 26, 1852. SIR: I have the honor to report that, of the appropriations of 28th and 30th September, 1850, of ten thousand dollars each, made by Congress, for the locating of life-boats on the coast of the United States, the sum of $10,000 has been expended in pursuance of the law, under the direction of the Life-saving Benevolent Association of New York, by authority of this department, in the building of boat-houses, purchase of boats and life-cars, and other articles, for saving of life and property from shipwreck, on the coast of Long Island, Fisher's Island, and at Watch Hill, in Rhode Island; and that of the remaining ten thousand dollars, the sum of $8,534 has been expended on portions of the coast of North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Texas. The balance of the appropriation, amounting to $1,466, will be consumed in the erection of houses for the preservation of the boats and appurtenances already located. The reports received by the department show that many hundred persons have been rescued from imminent peril, from shipwrecked vessels, by means of these boats, located at different points, a large portion, if not all of whom would probably have perished, but for the means of safety thus placed at command, under the authority of Congress. Much property, that otherwise would have been lost, has also been saved through the instrumentality of these boats, and the duties accruing thereon paid to the gov ernment. There are numerous applications, from different points, for the location of similar boats, and many places along our extensive sea-coast where they would be advantageously placed, and would, in all probability, be the means of saving many valuable lives and much property; and the department would, therefore, strongly urge upon the attention of Congress the propriety of making, during the present session, a further appropriation of twenty thousand dollars for this purpose. The department has adopted the plan of having all these boats made o galvanized iron, which possesses not only the advantage of much greate durability than wood, and consequently much less expensive in point of re pairs, but also that they are always in a proper state for immediate service which would not be the case with wooden boats, after lying for weeks o months in a boat-house, by which their timber and sheathing become warped or cracked, and their seams open. I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. LINN BOYD, THO. CORWIN, Secretary of the Treasury. Speaker of the House of Representatives. 1st Session. No. 109. FINANCES POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT. LETTER FROM THE POSTMASTER GENERAL, TRANSMITTING A statement of the finances of the Post Office Department. MAY 3, 1852. Laid upon the table, and ordered to be printed. POST OFFICE DEPARTMENT, March 30, 1852. S1g: In obedience to the requirements of the fourth subdivision of the twenty-second section of the "Act to change the organization of the Post Office Department, and to provide more effectually for the settlement of the accounts thereof," I have the honor to transmit, herewith, a statement of the finances of the Post Office Department for the year ending on the 30th day of June, 1851, duly certified by the Auditor of the Treasury for the said department. I have the honor to be, with great respect, your most obedient servant, N. K. HALL, Postmaster General. The Hon. LINN BOYD, Speaker of the House of Representatives U. S. |