The New York Journal, And Weekly Register

EXTRACT FROM THE
JOURNAL of CONGRESS:
[Continued from our last.]
Rents of buildings and West-Point.
FOR the buildings occupied in Philadelphia 1758. 60.
Ditto in Virginia; 350
Ditto for the post of West-Point 700
-002,04
On the establishment of permanent arsenals, and the stores being collected together, the expenses arising at any other places will cease.
10th-Of West-Point, on Hudson's river, and its dependencies.
Congress, by their resolution of the 3d of Aug. 1786, directed that this post, together with so much land, contiguous thereto, as might be deemed necessary to be included within the limits of the garrison, should be purchased of the proprietor by the board of treasury, but this has not been effected, owing, as the committee has been informed, to the absence of said proprietor.
Fort Clinton, which is the principal work on the plain, having been slightly built for a temporary purpose, has decayed in such a manner, that unless it should be substantially repaired, it will soon become an heap of rubbish, as will also most of the redoubts which were built of timber.
To repair fort Clinton with Stone in a durable manner, would require the sum of six thousand dollars, and a further sum of four thousand dollars would be requisite to place other necessary fortifications and buildings in a proper state.
These circumstances are stated for the consideration of Congress.
11th-Of the Canadian refugees.
It appears by information from the secretary at war, who has directed the business since the year 1785, that the United States for several years must have been at a great expense in supporting many Canadian families who had taken refuge within the state of New-York, when the American troops abandoned Canada in the year 1776.
The remnants of the people of this description, were transported in 1786, by order of Congress, at the public expense, to certain lands on Lake Champlain, granted to them by the state of New-York, and there supported with rations of provisions at the expense of the United States until the 1st of September, 1787. That the number so supplied amounted to about one hundred and seventy rations per day.
That by the resolve of Congress of the 18th of October, 1787, one year's further allowance was directed to such of the aged and infirm among the said Canadians as should be unable to make provision for themselves. The rations issued under this resolve amount to forty-five per day.
12--Of the Indian departments.
The communications respecting the Indian departments were directed to be made to the secretary at war, by the ordinance of Congress of the 7th of August, 1786.
That it appears from the records of the office, that the said secretary has executed the duties arising in the department from time to time, and that he has arranged this branch of his duty by itself.
13-Of the invalids.
It appears by the information of the secretary at war, that the following states only have transmitted to the war office, descriptive lists of the invalids, required by the ordinance of Congress of June 7, 1785, to wit. New-Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New-York, New-Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia, a statement whereof, shewing the amount annually paid by each, is hereunto annexed for the information of Congress.
14th- Of the army lands.
Agreeably to the directions of Congress, of the 3d of October, 1787, the secretary at war has had ascertained the claims of the non-commissioned officers and soldiers in all the regular lines of the late army and of most of the independent corps. This has been accomplished by the actual inspection of the muster rolls, and the accounts which have been settled.
The remaining part of this voluminous business is in a train of being completed in a short time.
15 --Of the war-office.
The business of the war office is conducted by the secretary at war; and three clerks and a messenger, whose salaries are as follow;
The secretary at war, 2450
Three clerks, at 450 dollars per ann. each, 1350
Messenger per annum, 130
Dollars, 3930
The contingent expenses of the office for stationary, firing, candles, and necessary conveniences for the papers, are averaged on the three last years, to amount to about one hundred and seventy six dollars for each year.
The office of assistant secretary: whose salary was one thousand dollars per annum, has been discontinued in this office since the commencement of the year 1786.
The accounts of pay and subsistence of the troops are examined and certified at the pay office, and transmitted to the war office, on which the secretary at war issues his warrants for the amount on the pay master.
Regular registers are kept in the war office of all warrants so drawn, specifying the objects for which they were granted.
Upon the foregoing statement, your committee beg leave to observe, that having carefully examined every part of it, they are of opinion, that the arrangement of the business is judicious, and that the duties of the office are executed with ability and punctuality, which reflect great honor on the secretary at war