IV EXTRACT FROM ANNUAL REPORT OF SECRETARY OF WAR. Fortifications and torpedoes, or submarine mines, have, in recent years, become the twin defenses of maritime countries, the latter being necessary to hold the enemy's vessels under the fire of the former in the approaches to our harbors; and I believe it is simply a matter of common prudence and good judgment that the appropriations asked for by the Chief of Engineers for providing torpedoes to be stored in our fortifications, from which they can be planted in time of war in the channels and fair-ways of our harbors, and for preparing our most important forts for operating them by providing the necessary bomb. proof covers for the electrical apparatus, galleries of approach, &c., be granted; also that, for the reasons stated by the Chief of Engineers, the means should be provided for increasing the Battalion of Engineers from the number now fixed at two hundred enlisted men, under the recent law reducing the Army, to five hundred and twenty enlisted men. The construction, repair, preservation, and completion of certain public works on rivers and harbors, and the surveys and examinations connected therewith, have been prosecuted during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1879, with the means provided by the river and harbor act approved June 18, 1878, and the balances of previous appropriations remaining unexpended on July 1, 1878. The execution of all works provided for in the river and harbor act approved March 3, 1879, for which the plans and projects have been approved, is being proceeded with. In the case of new works unavoidable delays have in some instances arisen from the necessity of considering legal questions touching the occupancy of their sites. For further information respecting these improvements and surveys reference may be made to the report of the Chief of Engineers, which contains a detailed account of the steps taken to carry out the provisions of the river and harbor acts and of the satisfactory progress and condition of these works. Although many of them are only partially completed, they have afforded an increased security and facility to navigation far exceeding in value the sums expended upon them, adding annually to the wealth and resources of the country by an increase of commerce, due to the greater depth of channels, greater security in their navigation, and the saving of time in their use. I again ask attention to the necessity of legislation to protect the channels of rivers and fair-ways of harbors from injuries arising from wanton deposits by passing vessels of ballast, ashes from steamers, and of all substances which would tend to the formation of shoals therein, and also to protect the breakwaters, piers, and other public works constructed by the United States from trespass upon as well as injury thereto. To comply with the requirements of the joint resolution of Congress of June 20, 1879, a Board of Officers of the Corps of Engineers has been convened to inquire into and report upon the practicability of bridging or tunneling the Detroit River at or near the city of Detroit, without material or undue injury to the navigation of the river. The report of the board has not as yet been received. The Mississippi River Commission, constituted by act of June 28, 1879, for the improvement of that river from the Head of the Passes, near its mouth, to its headwaters, has been organized and has entered upon its duties. The survey of the Mississippi River has been extended from Scanlon's Landing to Helena, Ark. The longitude and latitude of Louisiana, Mo., Rock Island, Ill., and Red Wing, Minn., have been determined. Charts Nos. 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the Mississippi River south of Memphis have been completed. On the survey of the Northern and Northwestern lakes, the main triangulation connecting Lake Erie with Lake Michigan has been nearly completed. Coast charts Nos. 3, 4, and 5, of Lake Ontario and Nos. 2 3, and 4 of Lake Erie have been finished. The survey of the territory west of the one hundredth meridian has been continued in the States of Colorado, Texas, Nevada, California, and Oregon, and in the Territories of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington, and in connection with this work a special survey of Great Salt Lake has been completed. No funds were available for the prosecution of the field-work on this survey after June 30, 1879, and all parties were withdrawn from the field on or before that date. There are eight engineer officers now employed in the Western military divisions and departments in making surveys and in collecting and mapping the geographical and topographical information obtained in scouts and campaigns against hostile Indians. Maps prepared in this way are of great value to the War Department and to the Army. It is very desirable that the unexplored areas in the country liable to be traversed by the troops and hostile Indians be mapped as rapidly as possible, and an appropriation of $50,000 is earnestly recommended for this purpose. Improvement of the South Pass of the Mississippi River.-Mr. James B. Eads and associates began the construction of jetties and other works at the South Pass of the Mississippi River June 2, 1875. The object was to open and permanently maintain a navigable channel, 26 feet deep, through then existing extensive shoals and bars which were underlying about 7 feet of water, and which, as obstacles to navigation, rendered this pass useless to commerce. Under an act of March 3, 1875, authorizing the undertaking, Mr. Eads and associates were to receive certain payments as the improvement progressed toward the creation of the channel sought and required to be secured within a specified time, and they were to receive periodical payments for twenty years for its maintenance, with a view to insuring permanency of the improvement. The progress of the work has been the subject-matter of several reports during each year from an engineer officer on duty at Port Eads, and has been duly communicated to Congress. VI EXTRACT FROM ANNUAL REPORT OF SECRETARY OF WAR. In accordance with the provisions of the act of March 3, 1875, and amendatory acts, payments for the work have been made on requisitions dated as follows: January 20, 1877, $500,000; January 10, 1878, $500,000; June 21, 1878, $500,000; between October 5, 1878, and February 17, 1879, $216,882.06; March 7, 1879, $750,000; between March 14 and May 15, 1879, $214,251.27; May 29, 1879, $500,000; June 26, 1879, $68,886.67; July 3, 1879, $500,000, and July 23, 1879, $500,000; total, $4,250,000. The half million of dollars last allowed concluded the payments authorized for creating the channel required by law. The first grand stage of this important work was reached July 8, 1879, and from that date began a second undertaking relative to maintenance of the channel, which, if accomplished, entitles Mr. Eads and associates to $100,000 per annum, payable in equal quarterly installments. The first quarterly payment has been demanded, and is under consideration on a certificate recently received from the engineer officer setting forth "that the maintenance by James B. Eads and his associates, of a channel through the jetties at the mouth of South Pass, Mississippi River, twenty-six feet in depth, and not less than two hundred feet in width at the bottom, and having through it a central depth of thirty feet, without regard to width, has been accomplished from July 8 to October 8, 1879, with the exception of twenty days, when a failure in some part to maintain such a channel occurred. The failure was on the 14th, 15th, 16th, and 17th of August for the first period, and from August 27th to September 11th, inclusive, for the second period. During the whole of the interval from July 8 to October 8, 1879, a navigable channel having a greater depth than twenty-six feet has been maintained at the head of South Pass, and throughout that interval of time the twenty-six feet channel has been, at all times and in all places, here, at least one hundred and ninety feet wide." The Attorney-General has been requested to render an opinion on several questions as to the proper construction of certain provisions of the law materially bearing upon the claim for payment. If the opinion. pending shall be favorable to Mr. Eads and associates, then the first quarterly payment for maintenance may be made. Should the full channel be maintained within the meaning of the law for a period of six months from July 8 last, then Mr. Eads and associates will doubtless demand a first semi-annual payment of interest at five per centum per annum on the $1,000,000 referred to in the acts of March 3, 1875 and 1879. The demand on this account will be duly considered as of course when presented for adjustment. Besides other works connected with the creation and maintenance of the channel during the past year, the jetties at the mouth of South Pass have been capped with stone over their lower ends; additions have been made to the submerged dam in the pass, and over 4,000 feet of mattress walls, substantially new, have been constructed. The works established at the head of the pass, in order to increase the flow of water through South Pass, have been considerably extended and enlarged. The year has been signalized by a greater measure of success in the attainment of results than any other year since the inauguration of the works. The only problems in connection with the improvements, from an engineering point of view, remaining to be answered in the future, are those involved with the successful and continuous maintenance of the channel already obtained. |