WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 12, 1848. SIR: You will with this letter receive additional despatches, directed to Commodore Jones, who is in command of the United States squadron in the Pacific. They direct him to send ships, arms, ammunition, and provisions to Oregon, which, it is apprehended, may be in a critical condition on account of Indian disturbances. It is therefore of the greatest importance that the naval commander should receive them at the earliest practicable period. You will, therefore, use all the means in your power to have them expeditiously conveyed to him. If you can forward by the vessel or vessels which will be sent from the squadron to Oregon, or by any other safe means, $10,000, to be paid over to Governor Lane, you are desired to do it, and this department will repay you in the same manner as the Navy Department has agreed to do in cases where you advance funds to it. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, JOHN PARROTT, Esq., W. L. MARCY, Secretary of War. Navy Agent, &c. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 13, 1848. SIR: It is presumed that the volunteers at Santa Fe and in other parts of New Mexico will have left for their homes in the United States before this will be received by you. The late return of the regular troops from Mexico rendered it impossible to send to that Territory this autumn the force destined to be stationed in it. They will be sent out as early in the spring as practicable, but cannot probably leave the United States until the beginning of May. You will make the best disposition of the small force under your command to hold the Territory, restrain the Indians, and preserve tranquillity, until other troops shall arrive. They will not reach Santa Fe probably until some time in June. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. L. MARCY, Secretary of War. Major J. M. WASHINGTON, Commanding officer in New Mexico. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 13, 1848. SIR: In compliance with your request of the 10th instant, I have the honor to forward you the following books for the use of the commander of the land forces in California, viz: Kent's Commentaries, 4 volumes. Blackstone's Commentaries, 2 volumes. Senate document No. 52, containing copy of the recent treaty with Wheaton's Elements of International Law, 1 volume. Fremont's First and Second Expeditions, in 1 volume. Copies of the Constitution of the United States and of the several General BENNET RILEY, New York city. W. L. MARCY, Secretary of War. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, October 13, 1848. SIR: After a consultation with the Attorney General, as to the trueconstruction of the act of Congress in relation to regimental quartermasters, it has been determined that they are not affected by the 5th section of the act of the 11th February, 1847, and that each regiment may have one as well since as before the termination of the war with Mexico. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Brevet Brig. Gen. BENNET RILEY. W. L. MARC War. Secretary of WAR DEPARTMENT, October 28, 1848. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 25th instant, informing me, as being of interest, in relation to the national defences; that the necessary steps have been taken by the Treasury Department for carrying out the duties enjoined upon it by law, relating to facilities to commerce and navigation, by setting apart a collection district upon the western coast of the United States, appointing a collector, who will also act as superintendent of light-houses, and the placing of buoys; also, that the immediate commencement of the survey of that coast, and the examination by parties of the coast survey, and report by the superintendent thereof on the subject of light houses, buoys, beacons, and landmarks necessary thereon, had been directed; also, that the surveys of the public lands will be commenced in part of that Territory; and stating further, that if there be any particular portion of the coast or harbors, the survey of which at an early day is deemed desirable by this department, you will give the necessary directions, so far as they will not interfere with what is deemed essential by the Treasury Department. I have to thank you for this information and offer, and to state, in reply, that the board of officers about to proceed to the examination of the western coast will, in consequence, be instructed to avail themselves in the course of their examination, and afterwards in preparing their report, of any information applicable to their objects that the persons acting under the authority of your department may have collected, in surveys or otherwise, and may make accessible to the board. Valuable information may be thus derived, as has been experienced by this department on several occasions of like aid being afforded by the coast survey, to the system of defence on the Atlantic board. Should the first labors of your surveying parties upon the Pacific embrace the more important harbors--namely, those affording the best resort and shelter to navigation-there is no doubt material assistance might thereby be given to the subject of defence in every case where these surveys shall have been somewhat advanced before the arrival of the board. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. R. J. WALKER, Secretary of the Treasury. W. L. MARCY, WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, November 15, 1848. SIR: By direction of the President, you are hereby assigned, under and by virtue of your rank of brevet brigadier general of the army of the United States, to the command of the third geographical or Pacific division, and will proceed by way of New Orleans, thenee to Chagres and across the isthmus of Panama, to California, and assume the command of the said division. You will establish your headquarters either in California or Oregon, and change them from time to time, as the exigencies of the public service may require. Besides the general duties of defending the Territories of California and Oregon, and of preserving peace and protecting the inhabitants from Indian depredations, you will carry out the orders and instructions contained in the letter from this department to Colonel R. B. Mason, a copy of which you are herewith furnished, and such other orders and instructions as you may receive from your government. On arriving in California, you will lose no time in ascertaining the condition of Oregon; and, if not well assured that the Indian disturbances therein have ceased, you will take the earliest and most efficient measures to render the people of Oregon the necessary assistance, so far as is in your power, to repress Indian hostilities, and afford them complete protection and security. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, W. L. MARCY, Brevet Maj. Gen. PERSIFOR F. SMITH, United States Army. ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, November 29, 1848. COLONEL Since the date of my last letter of acknowledgment, July 11, the following communications, &c., &c., have been received from your headquarters, and duly submitted to the Secretary of War, viz: Doc. No. 17. A letter dated April 10, 1848, reporting the arrival of recruits and government stores; two letters of the 12th of April-one reporting the state of affairs in California, the other transmitting reports of the defence made at La Paz and San José, in Lower California; one of April 17, transmitting copies of military correspondence from February 1st to April 18; one of April 18, enclosing copies of civil correspondence from January 28 to April 17; one of April 19, transmitting mail by Christopher Carson, and referring to clothing of volunteers, &c.; one of May 10, transmitting returns of elections for officers in the New York volunteer regiment, to be sent to the governor of New York; one of May 19, reporting the disposition of your forces, and inability to raise troops in Oregon, and transmitting your official correspondence from April 12 to May 19, and files of your orders from 24 to 33, and special order No. 15; a copy of A. Ten Eyck's letter, dated 22d of August, 1848, at San Francisco, on the subject of English vessels trading to the coast of California under the Hawaiian flag, referred to the War Department by you September 12, 1848; one of September 12, reporting arrival of the ship Huntress, and the partial discharge of the New York volunteers, and enclosing duplicates of your letters Nos. 37, 39, and 42, of the dates of August 17, 19, and 28, respectively, sent by Lieutenant Loeser, 3d artillery. Lieutenant Loeser has notified the department, by telegraph, of his arrival at New Orleans, and is expected to arrive in a few days. Your highly interesting letter of the 17th of August, in relation to the gold mines of California, has been laid before the President by the Secretary of War, and will be submitted by him, with his message, to Congress. Orders No. 11 and special orders No. 15 are wanting, to complete the series of your orders on file in this office. All printed orders have been sent to you, and have been acknowledged by you on the returns, with a few excepuons. The deficiency has been supplied by the last mail. Very respectfully, Col. R. B. MASON, R. JONES, Adj't General. 1st Dragoons, com'g, &c., in California. By direction of the President of the United States, a joint commission of navy and engineer officers has been constituted for the purpose of making an examination of the coast of the United States lying upon the Pacific ocean, with reference to points of defence and occupation for the security and accommodation of trade and commerce, and for military and naval purposes. The commission, composed of Major J. L. Smith, (colonel by brevet,) Major Cornelius A. Ogden, and Lieutenant Danville Leadbetter, of the corps of engineers, on the part of the army; and Commander Lewis M. Goldsborough, Commander G. J. Van Brunt, and Lieutenant Simon F. Blunt, on the part the navy, will proceed as they may be ordered, and without delay explore the whole extent thereof within the limits of the United States, with a view 1. To ascertain what harbors, roadsteads, rivers, sounds, &c., will need defence by fortifications and other means." In relation to this subject, the commissioners will specify in their report the several positions which they deem it necessary to occupy by military defences in each of the harbors, roadsteads, &c., designating such fortifications, if any, as may be of a temporary nature. They will maturely consider the order in which the several parts of the system of defence should be brought to completion-giving a statement of the proposed works, arranged in three classes, according to the order of importance or need the first class consisting of fortifications, to be erected with the least delay practicable; the second class, of works necessary to a good defence, but of less urgency; the third class, of defences that may be deferred, without serious danger, till the objects to be covered shall have expanded into an importance likely to provoke the cupidity of an enemy. Within each class, moreover, the respective works will be arranged among themselves in the order of importance as to time. It is not expected that the commission will be able, in their first report, to offer plans for the military defences they may deem necessary, much less that they can make detailed estimates of the probable cost of each or any; still it is hoped they may be able to give, as to the first class of works, approximate estimates, which would be of equal service to the government. The circumstances of the locality and the value of the point to be covered, will generally enable them to decide that a fort must be large and strong; or that it need be only of moderate size and strength; or that it may be small and of simple and cheap construction; and it is expected that considerations of this nature may enable the report to convey information sufficiently definite as to the expense to which the government must go in the first instance, and for the first few years. The commission will also take into consideration, and report particularly upon, the means of constructing the proposed defensive works, particularly those of the first class; that is to say, they will endeavor to ascertain whether suitable materials can be procured in the neighborhood of the works, respectively, and what will be the best sources of supply of such means as are not to be found at hand. They will, moreover, look particularly into the various modes of sup plying labor to these constructions, and will make it part of their duty to present, for the information and consideration of the government, such a project for the prosecution of labor on the fortifications recommended to be first undertaken, as they shall deem best adapted to the circumstances. Within the means would fall any idea of transporting from the United States mechanics and laborers, organized as a military body, to be returned to this part of the country on the expiration of the term of enlistment, or to be discharged upon that coast with grants of land, in order to their becoming settlers. Should means of this nature be regarded by the board as necessary or expedient, they will give particular attention to the details of the process. 2. The commission will take into view, in the second place, the subject of immediate or early occupation of harbors and military posts, for the purpose of fixing the authority of the government over the newly acquired territory and along the coast, maintaining tranquillity, and secur ing a free and safe interior and coastwise communication. They will go into all details necessary to elucidate their views, as to the places to be thus occupied; the strength and composition of the garrisons; the nature and position of any temporary defence that may be thought |