The foregoing table will show at a glance the high rank enjoyed by the greater proportion of the officers of engineers in the armies of the great powers of Europe, and how much their number exceed ours.

The proposed organization of our engineers contemplates but 108 officers, notwithstanding our present greater military force and larger extent of sea-coast to be protected by fortifications, &c., than European powers. Besides, the engineers required for the construction of public works, surveys, Military Academy, &c., we have to supply them for sever large armies in the field, comprising twenty-one army corps, which number many increase. Certainly the chief engineer of an army of 50,000 to 150,000 has as high responsibilities as the commander of a regiment, and should have at least equal rank, and as the law gives to chiefs of the staff departments of army corps the rank of lieutenant- colonels, there is no justice in withholding equal rank from the chief engineers of army corps, and engineers of division have quite as important functions as captains of companies, though at present the chief engineer of our largest army-that of the Potomac-holds but the rank of first lieutenant.

This bill will give to chief engineers of our large armies the rank of colonels; to army corps that of lieutenant-colonels and majors, and to division that of captains and lieutenants.

I have taken the liberty to submit these remarks, and I understand that the Chief Engineer, from motives of delicacy, declines to express any opinion upon a bill which gives him additional rank.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

H. W. HALLECK,

General-in-Chief.

ANTIPOLES, IND., January 31, 1863-9.30 p. m.

(Received 12 p. m.)

His Excellency that I should see you a few hours, but I cannot leave long enough to go to Washington. Can you meet at Harrisburg?

O. P. MORTON,

Governor.

WAR DEPARTMENT,

Washington, D. C., February 1, 1863.

Governor O. P. MORTON,

Antipoles, Ind.:

I think it would not do for me to meet you at Harrisburg. It would be know and would be misconstructed a thousand ways. Of course, if the whole truth could be told and accept as truth it would do no harm, but that is impossible.

A. LINCOLN.

HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF NEW MEXICO,
Santa Fe, N. Mex., February 1, 1863.

Brigadier General LORENZO THOMAS,

Adjutant-General U. S. Army, Washington, D. C.:

GENERAL: I have the honor to herewith inclose the report of Major David Fergusson, First Cavalry California Volunteers, whom I ordered to make a survey of Port Lobos and Libertad, on the Gulf