DEFENSES OF WASHINGTON-continued.

Obstructions of the Potomac, in charge of Maj. Peter C. Hains, Corps of Engineers.-The material pertaining to these obstructions was continued in store at Fort Foote, Md., in charge of a watchman. The timber portion has become entirely worthless from decay. The irons are in good condition.

DEFENSES OF HAMPTON ROADS AND GOSPORT NAVY-YARD.

Fort Monroe, Old Point Comfort, Virginia, in charge of Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This extensive work, commenced in 1817, occupies an important position, covering, in co-operation with Fort Wool, on the opposite side of the channel, the only approach from the sea to Hampton Roads, the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, the Gosport navy-yard, and the James River.

These works, also, in offering a safe rendezvous for our own vessels of war, afford indirect protection to Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washington, and all the harbors and towns on the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River. The work covers an area of 86 acres, and the distance around it is 13 miles.

The modifications that have been planned and approved for adapting Fort Monroe to the requirements of efficient defense against war vessels of recent type contemplate arming the channel front of the advanced redoubt with heavy barbette guns, provided with suitable traverses and traverse magazines; mounting a similar armament in the re-entering place of arms, located on the right of the redoubt in advance of Front No. 5; constructing a new open battery for barbette guns to the right of the old casemated water battery; and placing a few heavy guns in the salients of the main work and covered way. There is plenty of room for mortar batteries both within and without the work.

The work of making the requisite modifications has been suspended for several years past for want of appropriations.

It is expected that the changes finally adopted will be of a much more radical character than those to which reference has been made. In the advanced earthen redoubt the two traverse magazines are finished, except the earth covering to one of them, and six gun platforms are nearly completed. Most of the earthwork of the redoubt is also finished. In the place of arms the concrete masonry of the service magazine is finished, but not covered with earth, and the concrete foundations for the gun platforms have been laid. The new ten-gun earthen battery has not been commenced.

The following operations have been carried on during the past fiscal year:

The automatic gates in the two sluice-ways were modified, as approved by the Department.

The breast-height wall and parapet in front of 15-inch gun platform No. 120, in the salient of bastion of Fronts Nos. 4 and 5, were repaired and completed, as well as those on the right face of this bastion, from platform No. 117 to No. 120.

From 15-inch-gun platform No. 178, in three-gun battery, east of the casemated water battery, the 5-inch pintle was removed and replaced by a 6-inch pintle.

Outer traverse rails were laid, completing thereby permanent platforms for 10-inch Rodman guns Nos. 51 and 52, on the barbette of the curtain of Front No. 2, main work.

DEFENSES OF HAMPTON ROADS AND GOSPORT NAVY-YARD-continued.

Twenty 4-inch pintles were fitted with pintle keys.

The rooms in casemates occupied by the officers' club were floored and ceiled and otherwise repaired.

The sustaining wall of the glacis of the covered way of Front No. 6 was pointed, and the earth embankment on top graded and sodded. The steps leading over the wall were renewed.

A granite cross-walk, connecting the road leading through, the main sallyport with the brick walk on the parade, was laid, and other crosswalks and the road around the parade repaired.

The grounds in rear of engineer break water, in advance of Front No. 5, were filled in and graded.

Extensive repairs were made at the foot of the exterior slope of the main work, of which 1,800 linear feet were put in good order.

The engineer boat-house and the bridge leading thereto were repaired.

Fences were repaired and renewed where most needed, and the pumps put in order at engineer quarters, shops, and stables.

Painting was done upon the sallyport gates, the gearing of the sev eral draw-bridges, 1,400 linear feet of bridge railing, two sets of engineer quarters, and the engineer office, fences, gates, and all the new wood-work which was not white or yellow washed.

Grass was cut on the parapets and exterior slopes of the fort and of the advanced works.

No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Artesian well at Fort Monroe, Virginia, in charge of Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-No work was done during the last fiscal year, and none is contemplated during the present fiscal year, for want of funds. The inadequate and uncertain supply of water at Fort Mon. roe is an evil which, it is conceded on all sides, may at any time arise to serious magnitude. The present depth of the well is about 900 feet. It is recommended that provision be made to increase this depth to 1,200 or even 1,500 feet before abandoning the project of obtaining a water supply by this method.

No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886.
No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Fort Wool, Hampton Roads, Virginia, in charge of Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This work unites with Fort Monroe in closing the sea approach to Hampton Roads, being located on the opposite side of the channel from that work, and therefore crossing its fire with it.

Fort Wool is an inclosed casemated fort. It was begun in 1818 by forming an artificial foundation with stone of random sizes, unloaded upon a 10-foot shoal, selected as the site of the work. When the scarpwall and piers had reached a height to include the lintels of the lower tier of embrasures settlement began, and work was stopped after piling a quantity of stone upon the walls sufficient to bring upon the foundation a pressure somewhat exceeding that of the finished work.

The work of construction was resumed in 1858, and when it was suspended fifty-two casemates of the lower tier, with iron-throated embra

DEFENSES OF HAMPTON ROADS AND GOSPORT NAVY-YARD-continued. sures, were finished and ready for the guns. On the second tier the scarpwall and piers of those portions of the work bearing on the channel had reached nearly to the height of the embrasure lintels, the embrasure irons had been set, and the floors of most of the casemates paved. On the gorge faces very little work had been done.

During the past fiscal year the engineer buildings were yellow washed, and the fort keeper's house was supplied with tin gutters and connecting pipe leading to the cistern.

It is designed to modify this important work so that it may receive the heaviest modern rifled guns, protected by impenetrable iron armor. The work to be done, which will require several years for its execution, cannot be left until the near approach of war.

No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

DEFENSES OF BEAUFORT HARBOR, NORTH CAROLINA.

Fort Macon, Beaufort Harbor, North Carolina, in charge of Capt. F. A. Hinman, Corps of Engineers, until August 12, 1884; since that date in charge of Capt. W. H. Bixby, Corps of Engineers.-This fort forms the sole military defense of Beaufort Harbor and its attendant interests. It commands with its fire all the inner waters of the harbor and the channels of approach thereto.

Although the old fort in itself has become almost useless as a defensive work, the site is still an important one, and its water-front should be occupied by a battery of modern heavy guns, mounted upon a sand parapet of the most approved model and provided with bomb-proof cover to ammunition and gunners.

The masonry of the fort is in places badly cracked, apparently due to unequal settlement of the foundations; but these cracks have not materially changed for several years past; and the foundations, which have apparently entirely stopped settling, are probably in good condition. All the wood-work and iron-work of the fort is rotting and rusting everywhere, and the plastering is falling from the walls and ceilings of the casemates. There are three small powder magazines inside the fort, all of which are in good order. The wooden buildings on the post, used for quarters and for storage, are of a temporary character, and they are in about as serviceable a condition as is necessary for their present uses. There being no appropriation for the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1885, operations have been confined to the general care and preservation of the work. These operations have consisted mainly in clearing out and putting in good order the drainage of the main ditch of the fort, the drainage of the roof of the casemates, and the ventilation of these casemates; in repairing and in putting in serviceable order all the platforms which were available for rifle guns bearing upon the channels of entrance to the harbor, and in repairing and putting in serviceable order the necessary magazines pertaining thereto."

The site of the fort has needed further protection against the ocean. As no funds were available for this, and as Fort Macon Point forms also one side of the entrance to Beaufort Harbor, its site has to a cer

DEFENSES OF BEAUFORT HARBOR, NORTH CAROLINA-continued.

tain extent, during the last year, been protected at the expense of the Beaufort Harbor appropriations.

Further protection against the neighboring river and ocean is needed. The main jetty at the end of the point will be extended 100 or 200 feet to the rear by funds already asssigned, and a new jetty should be constructed at the old railroad wharf to prevent further erosion by the Newport River current on the north of the fort at a further estimated expense of $3,000. The jetties on the south of the fort, constructed in 1844, have produced good results, but have been gradually sinking; before long they should be raised and crowned with a concrete capping. The present wharf is in poor condition. Fort Macon has no land connection with any harbor wharves except its own, and the substructure of this wharf is so eaten up by worms as hardly to be worth repair. It should be replaced by a new wharf extending out to about 18 feet at low tide, at an estimated expense of $2,200.

A project for adapting this work to the requirements of modern defense is under consideration.

No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886.
No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

DEFENSES OF WILMINGTON.

Fort Caswell, mouth of Cape Fear River, North Carolina, in charge of Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This barbette work, commenced in 1826, covers the entrance into Cape Fear River, and hence the water approach to the city of Wilmington, and constitutes the only defense of that locality.

Upon its evacuation by the Confederate forces in January, 1865, an attempt was made to blow it up. All the scarp wall of the southeast face was overturned by a mine exploded in the scarp gallery of that face; a portion of the scarp-wall of the north and west fronts was so badly shattered by the explosion of a magazine on the covered way near northwest salient that it will have to be rebuilt, and the citadel on the parade of the work was burned. There is now neither armament nor quarters for a garrison at the place.

The subject of its modification is now under consideration.

No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886.
No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

DEFENSES OF CHARLESTON.

Fort Moultrie, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, in charge of Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This work is located on Sullivan's Island, and co-operates with Fort Sumter in defending the water approach from the sea to the city and harbor of Charleston. It is an earthen barbette work, and was commenced in 1841.

The completion of the work comprises the construction of eleven permanent gun-platforms and breast-height walls, bonnets on the traverses, a portion of the masonry and all the earth covering of the bomb-proof shelter, the postern gallery, a part of the earth covering of the maga zines, and an earthen cover-face on the channel front.

Nothing was done here during the past fiscal year except making

DEFENSES OF CHARLESTON-continued.

minor repairs to the fence of the parade in rear of the fort, and cutting grass and weeds on the parapet and slopes.

No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Fort Sumter, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, in charge of Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This casemated work is located on a shoal on the south side of the entrance into the harbor, and its guns, crossing their fire with those of Fort Moultrie, on Sullivan's Island, command the only channel of approach thereto practicable for vessels of war.

Its construction was begun in 1829, and was nearly finished, although still wanting most of its armament, when, in April, 1861, it was captured by the Confederate forces.

The reconstruction of the work, with the view of adapting it to the conditions of modern defense, was begun in 1870, and is now well advanced. Of the barbette gun-platforms required eight have been laid. Three of these eight are permanent and five are of timber. Eight casemates on the northwest face are ready for the guns, except the traverse rails, and the nine casemates on the northeast face, one in the pan coupé between the northeast and north faces, and one adjacent thereto on the north face (eleven in all) are armed.

The completion of this work comprises the construction of seven permanent gun-platforms and their breast-height walls, placing bonnets on the traverses, most of the earthwork on the gorge face and the parados and magazines adjacent thereto, the arrangement of a room for torpedo defense, and the repair and extension of the wharf and other matters of detail.

During the past fiscal year the repairs of the frame building formerly used as laborers' quarters in the fort, and now occupied by the ordnance sergeant, were completed. Some minor repairs were made to the fortkeeper's house. The upper part of the outer crib of the wharf was removed down to the stone filling, and two bents of piles set in place to support the superstructure. Piles were also driven where most needed, to strengthen the wharf. Grass and weeds were cut on the slopes of the fort, and the parade cleaned.

No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the present fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Fort Johnson, Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, in charge of Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This old work, situated on James Island, a little more than 14 miles west of Fort Sumter, should constitute one of the inner works in the system of defense for this locality. It is a fort only in name, having neither armament nor magazines, but only some irregular mounds of earth, representing what remains of the battery found there at the close of the civil war.

The project for reconstructing this old work contemplates making it