WASHINGTON, March 31 [1862].

HOUSE. – Mr. Washburn, of Ill., presented a memorial from the Illinois constitutional convention, in favor of the early enlargement of the Ill. and Mich. Canal.  The memorial was referred to the committee on military affairs.

The consideration of the Pacific RR. Bill was further postponed until Tuesday.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, April 2, 1862, p. 1

From Washington

(Tribune’s Correspondence.)

NEW YORK, Feb. 12.

Mr. Arnold, from the committee on lake and river defences, will report to-morrow. The committee recommends extensive repairs of the fortifications at Mackinaw, St. Clair river, Buffalo and Oswego; the establishment of a national foundry at Chicago, for the casting of heavy ordnance; depots for naval stores on Lakes Michigan, Erie and Ontario; and the enlargement of the Ill. And Mich. Canal. The report embraces statistics relative to the commerce of the lakes.

It says, there is no present danger of a rupture with Great Britain, but that power has an advantage over us in the St. Lawrence and Welland Canal, capable of admitting gun boats from the Atlantic, which we ought to counterbalance, in order to be prepared for all possible emergencies.

The Naval committee of the House, will recommend an appropriation of $15,000,000, to build gun boats.

Advices from Hatteras state that the loyal blacks from N.C. help to man the fleet of flag officer Goldsboro, and to serve the guns which have sunk the rebel gun boats and compelled the surrender of Roanoke Island.

Gen. C. P. Smith [sic], lately at Paducah has not been rejected by the Senate. Objections to him being made by the Kentucky Senators, the nomination was laid over for the present.

The Secretary of War calls from proposals from shippers, ship owners and express lines by telegraph, mail or personal application, for establishing a regular daily communication between Fort Monroe and Port Royal, Hatteras and Roanoke Island. No proposition of a speculative nature will be entertained, nor will the contract be given to any person not in the line of business proposed.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Thursday Morning, February 13, 1862, p. 1

Enlargement of the Illinois Canal

WASHINGTON, April 28. – Mr. Arnold, from the Committee on Roads and Canals, reported in favor of the bill for the enlargement of the Illinois and Michigan canal. The report states that the work has been more than half completed by the State of Illinois. She having expended thereon over six millions. The canal has been in operation since 1848, and now yields an annual revenue of about 2,000,000 dollars. This will be greatly increased by the enlargement of the Illinois river as proposed. The State of Illinois offers this canal and its revenue to the United States on condition that the Congress will provide the means of enlarging it, so as to pass gunboats from the Lakes to the Mississippi. – This will place us on equality with Great Britain, that power being able by her canals to pass by war vessels from the Ocean to the lakes.

The report, in view of the fact, that by the treaty of the United States is prohibited from building or maintaining armed vessels on the Lakes, urges the necessity and importance of the immediate enlargement of this canal by which the gunboat fleet in the Mississippi could be passed through to the lakes. Had this medium of communication been open at the beginning of the rebellion, the 1200 vessels and 15,000 sailors now shut up on the lakes would have been at the disposal of the Government. The saving to the Treasury during the past year would have been vastly more than the cost of the complete work.

The committee believe its income will more than pay the interest on its cost, and ultimately pay the entire investment.

The Senate Executive Session to-day, confirmed a large number of military nominations including the following named to be Brigadier Generals of Volunteers:

Col. Max Weber, 8th New York, Thomas P. Crittenden, of Illinois, Col. Wm. H. Benton, Jeremiah C. Sullivan, James C. Neator, and P. A. Hackleman, of Indiana.

The bill reported by Mr. Colfax, from the P. O. Committee, provides that all persons carrying the U. S. mails, shall enter into a contract with the Post Office Department, and if they disagree as to the price, it shall be referred to the Committee on Claims.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday May 3, 1862, p. 4