The Wilmington Gazette

              t h e w ilmington gazett e three dollars per annum | t ii u r si a \ , vi ,\ p ( j 2 j t g 00 vol iv — no 1 68 l l bi.ishi l • •' k 1 i by \ i i ' ! su tl a l l philadelphia f«-*b 19 lrtier from ihe se.rei fy "' vv ir to the chan man ol the co 11 un niittce appoin ed nn the 9 i.f december i'll o ' '" "*' »<: ' : the spi 1 -!'. of h • pr li l-i ", ; - i relates to " ' ly it t in •! 11 uio ia d,f nice com •'■'■ nlur.ue v th ■ u refource and ihe fi jji on o m coii'iir .' ." war department fun 21 1 15 . s 1 v i have the honor to tub iit *■ coiup'iia ict villi yonr re tin -., a few iupplenientmry ubleivatioi ., aid a vie.v ot ibe probable expence o the m titary schools rel'pecttuljy recommended "' confider . , i-i ai lepoi-t communicated tt t in grefs by a meftige dated the 1 1 h i'.tt fto.ii the pre!id«ut of the uai ted states the report contemplates cer'am military fchools js ju ell'.'iiiiil m 111 in conjunction witn a fmall miliary elt.ibiiih.iie t to prepare for and perpetuate to the united state ar a very modi rate cpc'iice a hi.lv ot fcieiitdic ollicers anil engineers a:i quate to any future exigency quail ned to difcipline for the field in the honeft time the moft extended ar mies am to rive the moft decdive & uletul effects to their operations 1 coictived ine united j.4ies wih ever think ic expedient to employ militia upon rheir frontiers • u line they will bedilpofed to place their reliance for defence agamlta foreign invading enemy upon uii 1,'ia alone ; but rnat they will at all i ues maintain 1 body of regular troops coiiiiiienl'iiraie with their . biluy 10 maintain thetn and the ne ceffity or policy that may demand fuch an eftablifhment j qualify and keep our citiiens in general of tunable tsotiiy ability prepared to i«ke the li id againft regular forces wuu!d demmd t e moft radcal changes in o ir miliin fyftem and fuch an iiniiiterrtipted leriea f training difcipluvi am iu ltruitioii to be applied as well to th officers as to the men as com ports wiih regular troops only — while in its relults rhe tneafure would be found en account of the lols ro the conimijiiity occafioned by the abftraction from labour or occu pation and direct colt greatly ex ceed in expence whdt would be re quited to fupport a moderate mili tary eftablifhment this pofu'mn which is thought te be a found one does not bring inro view the diets ot me mealure upon the morals in dultry and habits of the citizens prac!ticj)ly contidercd may we not as well calculaie to be commodioufly lodged and have the foc-nce of buil d.ug improved bv employing ev ry man in tbe community in die con struction of houles and hy explod ng from iociety as ufelc-fs architect mafons and carpenters is expect to be defended efficiently fiotn an ii.v.i ding eneniv by cai ling c v n , ,',, n to endt avour to - ke i.iinfel m.i.ti r of ttie feveral branches of ilie an of war and excluding engineers ciin tific officers and regular troops there is certainly however a fyftem as it relpects cm militia which if reforted io and pttfcrvtd iu may feci re the utility of their ervices in times of danger without much injury to the morals material ly affecting the general indi hi y oi thi nation when ttie prrfctff order and exic"t ' difcipline which are eflential 10 re gular iroops are contemplated ami m ith wha cle and decifion (.' ry ex ecuie the different msnoeuvres in difpenfible to ihe fuccefs of offenfive or delenfi e operations the convic tion cannot be refilled tint inch troops will always have a decided advantage over more numerous for ces compofed ol uninltruclcd nii!i , tia orundifciplined recruits i it cannot yet be forgotten tint in our revolutionary war it was not until after feveral years practice in arms and die extei,fi>n of lie peri ods for which our foldiers weie at firft enlifted ihat we fodnd them at all qualified to meet in he field of battle thofe to whom ihcy were op peifed the occafional brilliant and j'ifti celeb ii d jftts of tome of our niili'.ia during that evenifu pcii-j 1 '..,.'. ll'll i , .. ■ ul . 1 1 1 • r » : 1 1 ' i he i i : . li . • b ni.ii k d th le i!,i . ,. it .-. . : ire 1 and umv.rrf.itly f-lt thai ri ro ■ an i dilcip ned i ■ u ; :, , .: t'pmii do ami that it c . [ •■'.!.• u na .- lor u to iru t t • m j ' . iotic ire ll 7 i ; the wi .• • l'a i 0 1 1 o 1 1 t h e i f t ) r e i s i 1 i 1 1 ( l ra : i i , t ! l . ' [ ven in timfs ot t i nn-ea tell dan ei ve c f ■ '.'•■ • . o-.ir inain i ■ . i .. ii a die p ui or u llld l i ■.-. f i.'ii";'.l ni it irv iciaoe • ■ ' ; . .... ion a j i.,te n.i , a , i | i , ! u i y.i . t vi n who c mini ii . the •• r »' our revolution cva con .. nr ■ i i n , oiif.irni i co'ldllcl ta lilt . ii cu n.i unci . gr .*- j ! .... r i , i s experimental h-ll mtj jut mentioned vvnat was the f tr ot ids conduct mutt it be told it may and without exciting a bluiii or uue.dy fenfation in any ot his lirvivitiir companions in arms ile hat an army of men but he had few officers or foldiers in hat arm both were to be formed which c mid not lie effected in a finale cam p i i r while his regiments weie cuniii ally returnlna houi and like the waves ot tne feas each in ihel - turn lift in the abvls and lucceerted by new ones it was not till after he was furnifhed with a l flu tu.i tfiig and more liable kind of force thai he could commence witb a prof pe of advantage military iollrucf ions or enforce the ordinances of difcipline : and even then he felt ib.it time and i'ljirn-.liin wen requi red to render his labours uleful m l enable ins army to meet ihe eiierny up mi in tiling like epial terms are we to piotit by or is tiie expe rience to lie lofl to our country " the art of war which gives to a mail force ttie faculty to com'oat wiih advantage lupenor numbers indifferently injtruelei is fubject to ! mecnaiiic'l geomttical moral and pbyficial rul.jc ; it calls tor profound ll'.i.'v ; is thaury is imnsenfr ; the derails in iuite unci its principles ren dered ufelefs only by a happy adap tion of tftem to al the circumftances ot place md ground vai'ioufly com bined to which iey ma be piili cable is it piiflible for au olfi cr ol militia io obtain a competent i knowledge of thefe things in tbe ihort ipace iin ufu.il avocations veil permit lion tn devote to their acciuifi tion is that pet leci luliar bain a ad obedience ol men to their offi cers and ii each infeiiur to hi offi cers through all he grades ,.'' rank ' from ihe corpora up to the mm ! n.attder in chief which forms a vita piinciple eftciiiial to the energi and force if armies to be atquired by or coinrnuiiu icd to a tiu.fy oi militia organized and trained actor ding to our laws an i does it ct in ', j vc itn a humane and eiilighn m d po i ticy to march ecu lo unpei feclty in itrucled kiel difcipliiit-d unlefs in jcdfesofthe 1 ft exrremiry againft veteran troops where ih s principle ; in full acl vi ) commanded by fl i rut a d kieiiiific oflicers admitting however that militia offictrs during the ttw months the law permits rhe corps io be re lined in tflual i vices could render rheir men by ll.nu iiiltruction c..|).ib'e of ul n the object ol ther defiination . is that advantage is bui mo lic.rv a thefe borrowed inftru ments inull be ijuickly returned rn rhe oepot which furnifhed them as new ones mull be retorted to and fucceffiv'ely inlti nctcd ; wh„t can be cxpeclttl irom lucti a f ttem but perpetual incoherence be ween rhe means and the cud ana certain hip iv rei k to the belt connected and combined mlitary project this io be lure is the old ftory — it cannot however he too often repeated becaufe it can never be refuted 1 he fecret of difcipline and the importance of military fcience were well known to thnfc ancient govern me ins whofe generals and troop have hlled the world with tne fplen dor of their victories according to sytp i nothing contributed to the fuccefs of ei.terprif s fo much as ik i in tbe individual officer the feveriry ofthe roman difcipline it well br-.derftood aed ihe eftimation in which it vas heiii by . a ar livy has obferved thil fcience does more ' jt '•'<*>} jwr vighius is that i is iii ither ■ . •> *, . ■ .■ lit .' ] i whit infarct v . • ■ r .' i i r : '- fi ! : . parity and i ... in j tr .'■!. aft , .-,', i ha ' ■ ' n j a ■' i " > hi i , phi-i • i ' 11 ■ '• ■ ' nc on an , 3 .: t l '■ '.''..•'.' j . . net , » tc kit ' ir.nn '•■ hit i re.ii gluei an ■- mit who vv tl i .....' . ir.-r ditl i ■ nee te gr ,.,- t itgs . f»ut :- thi ■ ur iii ice i is i,mi ■ . ny tu re ant in airii • era's an • riiers or i ,.■ ■■; i • .,,,„, i lie v the ' : .- . ; . i '...• e attache • . militai y lc r ice in i dif ipbne in all rr of ttie w.iii ft or refort to hiftory for evidence of fts effects — viyy l ka ii •• ra ,,: j w itf lie lifts and no 4**&>1t w j give them due weight in c li.lpring tne fubjeft now before theft there is however ar aurhnri'v fo much in point relative o tin r if n tiality of ihe iuftitutioti in queftion tnat 1 c i i l u raeir r i it iu i the marll.ftl de puifegur .| 1c , has lett au exc • em treat na on the art of war the retult ofhis expe rience obferves i " i ine been perhap«at is many liejies as my of thofe in lei rice ant in ill ions ul grades j as a lubaltern i have commanded troops and wor k'li i..ni"sin a fie.-e , rr major i hive conducted tu ibe trenches and : polls to wire ill ay v art defined j troops and labourers [ have been i m.i|i .• ol !', igade mar hal de camp ' and lieutenant gmerafj however i as 1 have not lei e fortification iny prad ie lias not enabled me to acquit myfelf in conducting attuckc i that i mould be obliged t fuffer myfelf to be ir.ltrucied in many thinirs by the lights of enizmecrs ir their practice being founded ipun principles which are ki"-..vn to the n an advantage i have not in tins branch o war this is the cai did acknowledg ment ol'a nun who hid lerved lix ty years in the army who had learn ed the military art it •' - s^fstber that in forty years fervice had been prefent at two hundred fn*g*s and who had hinileif pafled through all the military grades and having de ferved each fuccefiive promotion by fome diftinguifhedaftion a flight attention to drcumftan r c at , j id aftual pofition of our country mull lead to the conviction th i ,; t ell conncfted f < lies ot for tifications is ci ii object ol the higheft imporcancc o lie united stales not only as t de will be conducive to the ce r.l i cm by bu at a mean ... the iiftc-lht , and con . ii . he expence ot a l j ge mi ll cii iblilbmen li ilrnnttly fortifying our bar i sir and irontiers we may reafon j lily exp fr fit i er to keep at a dif a nee the ca ami ies of war or ren • der it els injurious when ii lhal ii.rp-n li it behind ilu y ponde i , ia in nl > . a , thai a in 11 num ber of men c.n maintain themfelves ■ tor a ho ii of rune rfjr linff fuperior j forces lmpofing therefore upon an enemy who mav have every thing to ti-rtnlpon acr fs the atlantic the tic-cc ilny ot undertaking long and hazardous he^rs er creates the chances ajfainil his undertaking them a all or if he does indifpjte of fuch ! circumftances infures to us tiie time he mull coulume in his operations rally our meant to a point and unite our iflor s to rcfift him we muft not concluda from thefe brief obfervationt that tbe fervices of ihe engineers is liuiitted to con ffriift'iig conneamg confolidaiing and keeping in repair fortifications 1 his is but a ingle branch of their prot'flion though indeed a moft impoitant one — their utility ex tends to almod every department of war and every description of gene ral officers befides embracing what ever rclpefts public buildings roads bridges caualsand all luih works of a civil nature 1 confider it there lore of vaft confequence to the united states that it fliould form in its own bo.om arid out of its own j native materials men qualified ro place the comnry in a proper pof ture of defence io inf-jle lciente in our aimy and give to our innifica lloiltthai degreecf force connection and perfection which can alo e coimierbalai.ee the luperiarity of at tack over defence ! villi thele advantages in prul'p fi not incumbent up n u to h.it i all reafonatnle diligence the mencemeni and c mpletiou of an ui n ( lential i rta'.i'.r ihcm t nn expendi'urcs fclucli give i viluable relnlts tobeothewife ied than as real oeconomy ii wc 1 linown fact that f gland neither native artillerifts ni ne t bt fore the tun of the e of cumberland and lilt after ftablifhcd m'l aiy fchools hall now having rcfpectfutly nitird ilnle olilitv.-.tiniis pre an effimaie of tne expence of miliary fchools which it appears ie ought to be immediately infli d a ireeabljr to the plan of the mi!i j tary icadcinv the directors thereof are to he pflkcro tiken from the ar my ; confequeutly no expence « iui . icurrred by fuch appointmenis the plan alto contemplate that officers of the army cadets and non commiflloiied ( flicers fhall receive mflructions in tbe academy as the rations and fuel which thefe are en uled to'tn il.e armv will fuffice for them in ihe acd.-uiy no additional expence wiil be required for thele objects of maintenance while there the expences ol servants and ctrtain incidental chaises relative io the po ce and adniiniftration may b defrayed bv thole who fhall be id nitted out of their pay and emol uments according to the plan contem plated fifty e filers coders or wo commilfioned officer may be annual iv inltrmted in the fundamental ' moo am an equal number in the ichool of artllleiifts and engineers ; the only fchools which it is deemed j expedient to bring info operation to inftruct thefe nay rtqure ! when both fchools are in lull activity i the following piofeflbrs viz in the fundamental school dols ctsa 1 profeftor of m thema \ tics at 80 dots per an ' num aud 2 rations per day 1 3.(1 ao 2 ditto of geography and natural philofuphy 18 is 2 i onto of cherniftrv 924 lo 1 deligning ami draw ing mafter 724 x 5i3d4 <">■' 1 the school of ar tiller ifls and ln gineers i profefi'.irot m.ithem.i tics af 8)0 dols per annum and 2 rations per day 924 10 1 d no of geography and natural pnilolophy 924 1 1 ditto ot chemiltry 924 in 1 dit'o ol architecture 924 lo 2 defigning mid draa ing milters at 600 dols per annum and 2 ra tions per day 144 20 5,14 60 tut a 10,489 io the enft ot the buildings tor thefe two fchools astir one or the o:her of the annexed plans hull bei adopted will be t»u plan by john foncin engineer for tne fundamental school 191423 the sihool of anillerifts ui engineers fuppofed lo colt an equal turn 19 423 j j 3m46 i plan by b ii latrnhe civil architect and engineer for the fundamen'al scliool 40,000 i he school of artillerilis and engineers fuppnltd to coil an equal lum 40,000 80,0 10 it may be proper to remind the commiltee that no appropriation for i the fcho of engineers and artiller ifls will lie required perhaps thele two vears or till after the comple tion ofthe fundameni.il school the secretary takes occsfien alio to mention that the laws have al ready made prov ifi m for four reach 1 ib or profeilurs 10 t:ie artiltenfts and engineers at a lalary of tiplny dollars per month and two rations ; per day which may be confidered e quivalent to four thouiand ihr t e liu ailnd and thirty fix dollar and f rty fix ecus per annum and that the act provid nt tor railini and or ganizing a cups of artitlerifls and ti.jiinecrs palled ttie yth may 94 makes it '* the duty of the secre rj>v of war to provide at ihe pub tic < xpffnee under luch regulations is flnll be directed by ibe prefident ofthe united states the neceflary books iuflrumetiis ar apparatus for the ufe and benelic ot the laid corps according to rhephn & eflimare of the buildings by r foncin ttie two icliools will coft thirty-eight thoufand eight hundred and tony fix dollars according to the plan and eili mate by mr latrotie ttie nvo fihools will coft eighty thouf.nd dollars the mollification of ihe two regi ments of arti llerifts and engineers will liberate weniy thoufand nine bundled k tifty-ftve dollars annual iy 1 he eflablifliment of the t*o lehot'ls will libe-a-e the lalaries of iour teachers before mentioned or four thoufand three hundred and thiny-tix dollars annually the book apparatus and^inftru mini's directed to be provided for the ule of the artillerilu and engineers are confidered as an adequate offset for the bo ks apparatus an.l inftru ments reqrrei for the ufe of the ichools ; confequently no charge haa been ft.itei in the ettiinatc tor thefe ooj''rts if therefore we oppofe the fum thus annually liberated to the annual falary of the pmfeflort and origm-.l cult of ihe buildings whichever of the plans is adopted we flnll find ihe mealure propofed viewed mere iv in the light of an operation nf fi nance to relult in a confiderable favingto the united states au individual would think ir a good bargain to receive twenty five thovitaud two hundred am 1 ]■ rty nine dollar annually the fum i l.e raied and to give in in-n m . i-ot en thoufand four hundred nnd fixty lit dollars annually the falary ct the prntdlois and a principal lum equal o the colt of the buildings in . ibvi words i.e .' 01 id receive four teen thoufand levin hundred aid tweiiiy-five dollars annually which is equivalent ai fix percent ro a ca piral or pi inn pal of two hundred and tarty ti - ' e thoufand four hundred and fixteen dollars 1 a fum gieatly exceeding the tllimated coft of tiie budding upon either eltimare the committee while they per ceive that the feed which it is now propofed to low is to yirld a f 11 lire baiveft will at the f ime time julilv appreciate the various beneficial con ft que 1 cet which mull relult from the immediate adoption and the linking inconveniences ai d danger 10 be aoprebended from a pnf*poiic nient of th me.f r whether our country is to be plunged into a war or enjoy for a leiigrh of time the bit flings of pence and interior tranquility ; whether the portentous ph no « w'ch !•••■# afflicted europe aid in ilieir pro grefs threatened the united states are to fubflde imo a e;tltd flaie ti things ; whether the bleflings of peaee and tbe cuftoniary relations among ibe trai f.ilai.tic poweis are to take place or hoftilities fhall lie continued protracted and extended beyond their prefent limits in eitt er view it is equ lly a fuggeftion ot po licy and wifilom to improve our means ol defence and give as much perfection a pi fhble to inch rflah i fhments as may be conceived ell'en tiaito the maintenance of our rights ami lecurity trom inlult the unavoidable colliiions grow it ig out ot trade and the reciprocal r'ttictioiisof ercaleoii'i rcia fta e the apprebenfionsand jealoulies na tural 10 powers poffe fling contiguous territory ; the inefficacy of religion and molality to confront ibe paflions ul msn or the intereft and am hi ion of nations ; the inipollibility ai timet lor government toadjull heir il.iitr 1..1 es orreferve then rights ""'""'' making facrltices more to be diode d