472 HISTORY OE CALIFORNIA. 



present wheat is plenty and cheap at San Francisco. 

 Beef % is also plenty. Beans can be purchased at the 

 southern ports, and sugar imported from the Sand- 

 wich Islands ; but for all other subsistence stores we 

 are dependent upon the South American ports or 

 those of the United States. I have directed Captain 

 Marcy, acting commissary of subsistence at this post, 

 to supply the chief of his department with the market 

 price of all kinds of provisions, with such other facts 

 as may enable his department to act with the proper 

 economy. The want of good clothing for the regulars 

 and volunteers is already felt in California ; and unless 

 a supply has already been despatched, many of the 

 garrisons will be without shoes and proper clothing 

 this winter. The price of such articles here is so 

 exorbitant as to place them beyond the reach of the 

 soldiers. The volunteer clothing brought by Sutler 

 Haight has already been disposed of to citizens and 

 soldiers, and there are no means of his renewing the 

 supply except by sending to the United States. Justice 

 to the soldier demands that he either be comfortably 

 clad by the government, or that it should be within 

 his power to clothe himself on the allowance provided 

 for that purpose by law. 



I respectfully recommend, if it has not already been 

 done, that a large supply of infantry undress winter 

 clothing be sent immediately to this country, to be 

 distributed, so as to enable each volunteer to purchase 

 for his own immediate use at cost prices. No summer 

 clothing is needed, as the climate is too severe, sum- 

 mer and winter. Such articles as good blankets, cloth 

 overcoats, caps, jackets, overalls, stockings, and shoes, 

 with stout shirts and drawers, are the only ones that 

 will ever be needed here. 



