troops suddenly called into the field. The first class of arms has been apportioned among the troops of the respective States, and just equality of distribution has been the rule of the Department. A great diversity of opinion prevails in respect to arms, and often with little reason. The Department has aimed, as far as possible, to gratify the choice of every one, and where that could not be done the troops have in general readily acquiesced in the necessity of the case, relying on the Department for exchange when it should be able to make one. You will perceive, by the report as to the production of our armories, that the time is not far distant when the Government will be able to place, from its own manufactories, the best arm in the hands of every soldier. The report also shows what provision has been made for supplies of gunpowder, saltpeter, materials, and munitions of war of every description.

Every means the country affords has been put forth to complete the armaments of our forts and fortifications for the defense of harbors and coasts, as is shown by the report of this Bureau. These details are, for obvious reasons, not now stated, and the legislation required by this branch of the service will, by your direction, be communicated to the appropriate committees.

In general terms, it may be stated that the issues by the Ordnance Department include 1,926 field and siege and 1,206 fortification cannon; 7,294 gun carriages, caissons, mortar beds, traveling forges, and battery wagons; 1,276,686 small-arms; 987,291 sets of equipments and accouterments, and 213,991,127 rounds of ammunition for artillery and small-arms - still leaving large supplies of ordnance stores at the arsenals and depots. The breaking out of the rebellion found us with insufficient supplies for the forces thereby rendered necessary, and without the means of their immediate procurement from our public arsenals and the private manufactories fitted and ready for such work. The policy of the Department to procure all such supplies of home manufacture could not be rigidly followed, and recourse was had to purchases and importations from abroad in order to meet pressing requirements. The vast demand suddenly springing up, without any immediate increase of the supply, led to speculations and exorbitant prices. On a report from the Ordnance Bureau in respect to outstanding contracts for arms, I appointed a commission to investigate these matters, and their report is herewith submitted.* The measures which have been adopted to procure such supplies, by increasing the capacity of our public arsenals and developing the private sources of home manufacture, will soon enable this Department to obtain supplies of this description independently of importations from abroad and at fair and reasonable rates.

The subject of arming the fortifications, particularly those defending the harbors of our principal Atlantic ports, has received special attention, and all the means at the disposal of the Department have been applied to that end, so far as was possible and consistent with meeting other imperative requirements. In consequence of the introduction into naval warfare of iron-clad vessels, comparatively safe from the effects of such batteries as had hitherto been sufficient to guard effectually against the passage of hostile vessels, it became necessary to provide heavier and more powerful ordnance. The whole system of such armament was carefully revised and amended by a board of the most experienced and competent officers, and measures have been taken to carry their recommendations into effect.

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* Omitted.

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