by railroad will supply their wants before there can be any real, reasonable ground for complaint.

Before being advised of the draft of 300,000 militia, but after the call for volunteers, I had ordered advertisements to be published for contracts for the following articles to replenish the stock:

Articles. Quantity. Place of delivery. Time of

delivery

Hats. 100,000 New York, Philadelphia, Days.

Cincinnati, Saint Louis

60

Shirts 400,000 Cincinnati 90

Bootees 300,000 New York, Cincinnati 90

Stockings 400,000 New York, Philadelphia, 90

Cincinnati, Saint Louis

Blankets 100,000 Philadelphia, Cincinnati 90

Knapsacks 40,000 Cincinnati 60

Haversacks 100,000 New York, Cincinnati, 60

Saint Louis

Blouses 150,000 Cincinnati 90

Canteens 300,000 New York, Philadelphia, 60

Cincinnati, Saint Louis

Advertisements were also ordered for 75,000 shelter tents, and advertisements for smaller quantities of minor articles have been issued from time to time.

I desired to procure a reasonable increase of supply without too much exciting the market. The late sudden movement, however, will make known the fact that there must be a sudden and great demand for all military goods, and this demand will require very large contracts to supply it. I have therefore prepared and am transmitting to the officers in charge of the three principal depots - New York, Philadelphia, and Cincinnati - instructions to publish an advertisement inviting offers for the various articles of equipment needed, instructing them to enter into contract for the delivery at their respective depots of the articles immediately wanted, with the lowest responsible bidders presenting themselves within ten days, and from time to time thereafter, as they may be needed and favorable offers are received, to make contracts to accumulate in each depot the full equipment for 100,000 men and the supplies necessary to meet the wear and tear and ordinary demands of an army in active service of 200,000 men, supposing that number of men to draw their supplies from each depot.

The 300,000 volunteers will be equipped principally from the articles made up and in store.

The first suit of cloth uniform for the 300,000 drafted militia, coats and trousers, will be made from cloth which I have ordered to be sent from the Schuylkill Arsenal to each State, where the garments will be made by the people of the States themselves, under contracts entered into either by U. S. quartermasters of experience, stationed within the States, or by the government of the States. This arrangement has been proposed to the several State authorities and accepted by them. It will in some degree distribute the vast expenditure made necessary by these levies among the families of those who go forth to serve the country. The work will be done, too, more quickly than so large a work would be done with the means at hand at the principal depots.

Of tents the supply is deficient, and there is not in the country enough of the material out of which to make them. Cotton, which was selling last week at 50 cents per pound in Philadelphia, would go to 75 cents were it announced that cotton-duck tents were to be supplied to the Army.