are within the range of a 32 pound cannon shot of each other, and not more than eight miles from a landing place, where an enemy, strong in land forces, can disembark at pleasure, and within four hours' march of their columns when landed. It is necessary to consider well the means of resistance, natural, artificial, personal, material and stores, for the defence of such rich and tempting prizes of booty and beauty, as these, our two atlantic cities display, to the disciplined legions and skilful combinations for attack, of a powerful opponent, with well appointed armies, under all the military rigor and martial science of Europe. Science has reduced and is still reducing, the security, which distance and the ocean, had placed between us and the powers of Europe. An eye to the protection of the land side of these cities, from a sudden and well combined assault, is therefore, the more necessary on that account. Our pacific institutions, alone, have not proved available for our protection; they must be backed with ability and will to enforce our rights, by resisting the aggressor. And this will, in the progress of time, must occasionally be called into exertion. such an exigency, this State should not be entirely unprovided, nor wholly dependent on a power, that may fail it, at its utmost need, with necessary appropriations for defence. The city of New-York must be fought for and defended on Long-Island. Less than an 18 pounder in the lines here intimated, should only be used in cases of necessity, for with this caliber, and those under it, an enemy of experience, will in part be armed, who shall assay to put our cities under contribution, or knock them about our ears. 32 pounders, 24 pounders and 18 pounders in our works and lines, should be our dependence, and the calibers not manned as field. batteries, should be in reserve, in depot, or in the entrenched camp. No piece should be placed in position, without a full supply of fixed ammunition, ready for its service, one hundred rounds. of strapped shot, and one hundred of grape and canister, at least for each piece. With our positions well taken and armed, and so supplied, and well served, a military visit from abroad will not want the requisites for a warm reception.

The quantity of fixed ammunition for muskets, on hand, is 235,000 rounds, of 16, 18 and 20 balls to the pound. This number, at sixty rounds per man, will not supply 4000 men for one engage-. ment. The quantity of fixed ammunition for artillery, on hand, in order, for all calibers, from 3 to 12 pounders, is fourteen hundred and nine-seven rounds. There is no fixed ammunition complete, [Assem. No. 17.]

2

for any caliber larger than the 12 pounder, nor any materials of consequence, except balls, with which to construct it. The whole number of cannon shot, on hand, above the 12 pounder, is as follows: For 18 pounders, perfect and imperfect ball, 844; and of this caliber of cannon, the State has four of iron and two of brass, on field carriages ready for service. Of 24 pounder, round shot, 3,782, and of cannon of this caliber, 45 very old guns. There are garrison earriages also, old, for forty-two of these cannon. Of these carriages a third may be made fit for service by repair. Of 32 pounder balls, perfect and imperfect, there are 4,780, and of cannon of this caliber, 26, which are all in Fort Richmond; 25 of these last named cannon, are mounted on old carriages, which, as before stated, are utterly unserviceable. The quantity of powder on hand in casks, is only 92 quarter casks. These are all the available material and stores of the State, now at this post on hand, above the caliber of the 12 pounder. For the number of cannon of the caliber of 12 pounder and stores, and those below it, the Commissary-General would respectfully refer to the detail

in the tables annexed.

"The proportions of ammunition in the field are, with every piece of artillery, 200 rounds; for every infantry or light infantry man, 60 rounds, besides his cartridge box being filled."

"The fire of artillery may begin to be relied on at distances as follows:

18 pounders with cannon ball, at 1,200 yds. with grape, 800 yds. at 1,000 yds. with grape, from 500

12

6 inch howitzers at 22° elevation, 1,200 yards: this angle does not permit ricochets."

Of the organization of the artillery of this State as now obtaining, the Commissary-General took leave to offer some remarks to the Commander-in-Chief, in his report of last year. He would again respectfully revert to the subject, and in order to explain,

more fully, the principles on which artillery is organized in modern armies, he would present a few extracts and transactions, from texts of acknowledged authorities, on the subject, and then state our practice and system.

The military art, (says a military fragment,) in its most illimitable acceptation, is the art to organize the defence of a country at all points, not only to place it beyond the danger of insult, but to concentrate its power to be employed in an attack or defence according to the demands of war.

An army is composed of one, or more great corps of infantry and of cavalry, and of an equipage of artillery comprising several batteries, several parks of reserve, and a great park to which is added an equipage of pontoons.

Each corps d'armée is, itself, composed of one or more divisions, and each division is formed of several brigades, each of two regiments.

Two batteries, each of six pieces of artillery, served by two companies of foot artillery, are attached to each division of infantry, a single battery of the same strength, served by a company of horse artillery, is attached to each division of heavy cavalry.

There is always, to each corps d'armée of infantry, a reserve of artillery, comprising several batteries, and a park served by the foot artillery: sometimes one of the batteries in reserve is served by horse artillery.

A battery of horse artillery is composed of four officers and 196 non-commissioned officers and privates;-of foot artillery four officers and 196 non-commissioned officers and privates mounted, (they ride on the carriages of the new construction,) and 100 not mounted; the number of horses is 228 for the first, and 196 for the second.

To furnish a type, (say the Manuel de l'Aartilleur,) after which the personal of the artillery of the National Guards can be organized, we will give the actual composition of a regiment of artillery.

Each regiment of artillery is composed of a field and staff, of three batteries of horse artillery, and thirteen batteries of foot artillery, and in time of war only a skeleton in depot.

Of these thirteen batteries of foot artillery, six are attached to the service of thirty-six pieces of field artillery, and the personal are those mounted on the ammunition boxes of the limbers of the pieces, and on the caissons.

The other seven batteries are called siege batteries, and are in effect attached to the siege and coast pieces. All receive nevertheless the same instructions and wear the same uniform.

In Prussia the artillery is organized into brigades of fifteen companies each, of which three are horse artillery. These brigades are commanded by a colonel with the title of brigadier; they are in fact regiments, and similar in their construction to those of France.

The brigade is divided into three divisions, each consisting of one troop of horse artillery, and four of foot artillery, each division commanded by a field officer. The field batteries are of eight guns each.

A brigade of artillery so constituted, is attached to each corps. d'armée, of which there are nine in number.

There are 135 companies of 250 men each, of which 108 have batteries, of eight guns each. The 27 remaining companies are attached to the parks and depots of instruction.

The field artillery of Prussia is composed of six and twelve. pounders, and twenty-four pounder howitzers. Their batteries have six guns and two howitzers.

The field artillery of Austria consists of five regiments of 18 companies each, on the peace establishment, and 20 in war. A battery or company is of four guns and two howitzers. When the companies are large, from 180 to 200 men, privates, they man two or three batteries. The difference between a foot and mounted battery is, that in one case the artillery men march with the guns on foot, in the other, they are seated on a frame work attached to the gun carriage and wurst wagons. The fortifications are manned from the same companies of field artillery.

The artillery of Russia consists of 12 companies of the Guard of 12 pieces each; 38 batteries of horse artillery, 105 batteries of foot artillery and some batteries in reserve, making a total of 1,854 pieces of field artillery.

This branch of the military department in Russia, has been placed upon the subsequent footing, by virtue of an order of the Day issued under the Emperor's sign manual, on the 1st March, 1834. The "Horse Artillery of Guard," is to consist of one battery of heavy and two of light guns, and the "Horse Artillery of the Line," of seven batteries, one to each regiment of light cavalry; besides three divisions of three batteries each, are to be attached to the three corps of cavalry of reserve, and a separate corps of reserve. The "Foot Artillery of the Guard," to be composed of three batteries, and that of the "Line" to consist of a corps of grenadier artillery of six divisions of artillery, each composed of three batteries, from the division of the Caucasus, and nineteen batteries to be attached to the present division quartered in Finland.

The artillery of Great Britain is organized into the royal horse artillery, and the royal foot artillery; the number of guns acting together as a unit, is, in other services, called a battery; in the British service, this unit is termed a brigade of guns, and is generally six pieces. Such brigades are served by a troop of horse artillery, or a company of foot artillery. In the Wellington army of the Peninsula, the disposition of artillery was made as follows:

To each division of infantry consisting of two or more brigades of infantry, a brigade of artillery (battery) was attached; the officer commanding which was under the immediate order of the general officer commanding the division, although under-the general superintendence of the commanding officer of artillery at the head-quarters of the army.

When two or more divisions were placed under the second in command, or other officer of high rank, one or more brigades (batteries) of artillery, were in general attached to the corps in addition to the artillery of the divisions.

To each brigade of hussars, or light cavalry, a troop of horse artillery (battery) was usually attached, when in the advance of the army, or before the enemy, under the immediate orders of the general commanding the brigade.

In addition to the foregoing, what is called the material was attached to the army, independent of the army in divisions, viz: