1:32] ■» 
No. 1. 
Engineer Department, 
Washington, May 31, 1824. 
Gentlemen: 1 am directeil, by the Secretary of War to inform 
you, that the President has, under the authority of the act of Congress, 
dated the thirtietli of April, 18€4, appropriating S 30,000 for the pur- 
pose of procuring the necessary surveys, plans, and estimates, upon 
the subject of roads and canals, appointed you as a Board of Internal 
Improvement, to superintend the execution of tiie provisions of the 
said act. There will be attached to the Board for the present. Ma- 
jor Abertt of the Topographical Engineers, with five assistant lieu- 
tenants; Capt. M'Niell, of the same corps, with an equal number; 
and Mr. Shriver, who is well acquainted with the localities of the 
country, and who is authorized to employ, under your directions, five 
citizen surveyors. Captain Poussin, of the Topographical Engineers, 
and Lieutenants Courtcnay and Button, of the corps of Engineers, 
Avill be immediately attached to the Board in its operations. The of- 
ficers detailed for service and the citizens employed, will report to 
the Board for orders. The rules and regulations established in the 
prosecution of the survey of the coast, will apply in tlie disbursement 
of the appropriation, and the compensation to be allowed the officers 
of the army, who may be detailed for scivice under the act. The 
Board will observe tlic same rules in reporting, fi-om time to time, the 
progress made in the execution of the duties assigned to them. 
The Board will proceed to make an immediate reconnoissancc of 
the country between the tide ^^ aters of the river Potomac, and the 
head of steam boat navigation of t1»e Ohio, and between the Ohio and 
Lake Erie, for the purpose of ascertaining the i)racticahiiity of a com- 
munication between those ])oints, of designating the most suitable 
route for the same, and of forming plans and estimates in detail, of 
the expense of execution. 
It is very desirable that the report should be received on this im' 
portant line of communication, in time to be submitted to Congress at 
their next session. The Board will accordingly use every possible 
exertion to effect that object. 
I have, &:c. 
ALEX. MACOMB, 
Maj. Gen. Chief Engineer. 
To General Bernard, Jlssistant Engineer, 
Lieut. Col. Totten, of the corps of Engineers f 
John L. Sullivan, Esq. Civil Engineer. 
