It would not be natural that there should be no adverse reports. These, however, would not be so apt to reach this office. They would seem to have originated those of which there is information, either because there were not opportunities for the service of the parties, because they were not properly under the control of the officer commanding, were not properly equipped, or because the officers did not know how to use them.

When it is considered that these officers whose duties are of a character which requires some scientific education and some actual military experience, have been taken by detail from forces hastily collected, and, with no experience, have been put in the field after brief instruction; some of them when there was not a dollar appropriated for their equipments, others so situated that their first practice in the open air was when engaging the enemy-when it is considered that, thus unprepared they have gone into battles and through long campaigns under commanding officers who knew at first nothing of this particular duty, and whose minds were burdened with the management of great and new armies, it will be admitted, I think, that in such success as they have achieved they have done fully their share of duty and have rendered their proportion of service.

INSTRUCTION IN SIGNALS AT NAVAL AND MILITARY ACADEMIES.

The successful action of the navy at Port Royal Ferry, where, for the first time in battle, their co-operation with the army was assured by signals, together with the employment of this communication subsequently by signal officers of the Army, stationed on vessels in various expeditions, caused the attention of the Navy Department to be given to the subject.

On February 19, 1862, a letter was addressed to the Secretary of War by the Secretary of the Navy stating that "it is the wish of this Department (Navy) that the system of signals now in use in the Army of the United States be adopted in the Navy, and that instructions in their use be made a part of the regular course of instructions for the senior class of acting midshipmen at the U. S. Naval Academy."

It was further requested that "the signal officer of the Army be authorized to make in conjunction with officers of the Navy, such arrangements as may be necessary for this purpose."

In compliance with this request Lieutenant S. B. Luce, U. S. Navy one of the instructors of the Naval Academy detailed for this duty, was instructed in a few brief lessons.

I am not informed to what extent the instruction has been carried at the Naval Academy.

I renew here my recommendation of last year, that the study of field signals and of improved modes of telegraphic be made a part of the regular course of instruction at the Military Academy at West Point.

This procedure would tend to rapidly diffuse the knowledge and the use of signals throughout the service.

I am of the opinion that at the commencement of such a course at either the Naval or Military Academy there will be needed for a time the services of a thoroughly practiced signal officer, who can devote his attention to this branch of instruction. I recommend that such officer be detailed from the Signal Corps of the Army.

EXPERIMENTS WITH SIGNALS AND SIGNAL APPARATUS.

A number of plans for improvement in signals and signal apparatus have been during the last year submitted at this office. It has been