the 17th ultimo it is stated that the charge made by General Johnston of want of efficiency in the management of the railroad is without foundation; that "Confederate officers have taken from the State road, and had lost or destroyed upon other roads, over 200 cars and eight ork ten engines belonging to the road," and it is demanded that two good engines and forty cars be immediately returned "by the Government whose officers have deprived it of over four times that number."

Your letter orf the 28th mentins that-

General A. S. Johnston befreo the battle of Shiloh ordered the cars and engines of the State road carried to Corinth, with troopsand supplies for his army. Before these engines and cars were returned the enemy occupied Huntsville and cut off all communication by railroad, and we lost several of our best engines and over 100 good cars. Our cars have been taken off under military direction, and lost in Virginia and in Middle Tennessee, and quite a number in Lieutenant-General Longstreet's service.

And further:

By the exercise of great energy the officers of the road are now able to supply the want of General Johnston's army, but I do not with you to be under the erroneous impression that this can be done with the present limitedmeans at command, and when it becomes necessary, as it must soon be, for you to re-enforce that army, if we do not get back part of our rolling-stock, or other stock in its place, it will not be possible to transport your supplies.

The following extracts are from a letter dated the 9th instant to the Quartermaster-General from the officer in charge of the Railroad Bureau at Richmond. He is speaking of the Western and Atlantic Railroad;

I have before me the annual reports of the officers of this road to Governor Brown for the years 1861, 1862, and 1863, in each of which is a table giving the maps and conditions of the engines owned by this road. A comparison of 1861 and 1863 exhibits the fact that no loss of engines has occurred, the inventory of 1861 naming forty-six machines, and that for 1863 reporting the same number and names, and in four instances where the names have evidently been altered. The fiscal year of this road ends September 30, so that the last report comes down toaperiod only four months ago. * * * The reports of 1862 and 1863, though both alluding to a loss of 180 cars, neither of them refer to the loss of an engine. It does not appear probable that an officer so vigilant in detecting the loss of cars would overlook the loss of so valuable a piece of property as an engine, and it is still more improbazble that for two years the loss of such machines shoyuld be totally ignored by the master of machinery, who reports them not only all present, but goes into detail statement of their condition. * * * General Bragg's army was at Chattanooga, thirty-eigh miles farther than General Johnston's at Dalton, and yet with the same wquipment the army was supplies. * * * To show you what the capacity ofthis road was on the 30th of September last, and it is to be presumed that no material change has taken place since, I would ask your attention to the following exhibit of the number and condition of its engines in 1861 and 1863:

September 30-

1861 1863

In good order 36 20

In running order .... 11

In repairing 2 8

Needing repairs 6 4

Rebuilding 2 .....

Condemned .... 3

Total 46 46

This road is being worked 100 miles, and to run two passenger trains daily would require six engines. Four more are necessary to do the work of the road, such as switching, repairing, &c. This leaves twenty-one of the thirty-one ready for work last September for freight service; and allowing three days to make a trip, which would be easy work, seven freight trains daily could be sent to Dalton. The trains