the modern heavy ordnance. Nearly all have been handed down from former periods, when small guns and wooden ships only were to be contended with, and the present operations at these works consist in enlarging and strengthening the earthen portions to resist the heavy rifled shot. The eathern parts of modern fortifications have assumed such extensive proportions that they are no longer capable of being thrown up and constructed in short and limited periods, while the guns and armaments are of so great dimensions, and so massive, that special machinery, skilled labor, and considerable time are required to place them in posi tion. Unlike the armaments used in them, no two sea-coast works are of the same model, plan, or tracé. Every work is a special one, which must be adapted to the peculiarities of the site,.of the harbor, the channel-ways, and of the interests involved in the defense. The preparation of the plan for each site requires careful surveys, investigation, and study; and the time required for construction renders it now imperative that our sea-coast works should be planned and built before the sudden and decisive wars of modern times are either imminent, or actually in progress. The appropriations for mortar-batteries have been judiciously distributed for the erection of these valuable auxiliaries against iron-clads in five of our principal harbors, and a further appropriation is asked for their continuance. The trials with torpedoes, which have been in progress at Willet's Point for some years past, have developed a practical and efficient system for the location and operation of this most valuable obstruction to the entrances of our harbors, giving us a means whereby we can hold the enemy's vessels under the fire of our guns, and prevent their running past our batteries. The system is described more in detail in the body of this report, and consists, as all systems for the defense of harbors should, of stationary torpedoes, both ground and buoyant, exploded either by the medium of the contact of the vessel or by the judgment of the operator. Moving torpedoes, alone, will not answer the purpose of barring the entrances to harbors. To operate this class of torpedo they must either be seen, or the enemy must be in view, and so, just in those periods of fogs or darkness when a daring commander would seek to penetrate a harbor, this class of torpedo would be of no avail against him. To continue the purchase and storing of such portions of our torpedo apparatus as could not, in event of war, be speedily obtained, the sum of $150,000 is asked. No plans of iron shields for casemated defenses have as yet been perfected. In several of our important harbors this class of works will be needed, but the cost of such structures renders it important that they should be designed only for the most powerful rifled ordnance practicable. And until this class of guns, with their carriages, shall have been determined upon by the proper Department, the plans must be delayed. The progress made and anticipated upon the several works on the coasts is given in detail in the following portions of the report. The estimates submitted, based upon the estimates of the several officers in charge, which have been carefully revised, present those amounts which, in the judgment of this Department, are necessary for the completion, continuance, or commencement of projects for the coming fiscal year. FORTIFICATIONS. Fort Wayne, Michigan, in charge of Maj. F. Harwood, Corps of Engi neers.-This work was in good condition at the close of the fiscal year. No operations were in progress during the year, and none beyond minor repairs are contemplated during the present year. The perishable. equipment and material on hand were sold at public auction, and the watchman discharged. No preparations have been made or are intended for any change in the armament of the work. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. Fort Porter, Black Rock, near Buffalo, New York, in charge of Maj. F. Harwood, Corps of Engineers.-This work remains as last reported, excepting additional adornment of the grounds by the city of Buffalo, under act of Congress approved July 11, 1870. Nothing has been done upon the fort during the past year, and nothing is proposed for the present fiscal year. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. Fort Niagara, mouth of Niagara River, New York, in charge of Maj. John M. Wilson, Corps of Engineers.-This work is situated at the mouth of the Niagara River, commanding its debouch into Lake Ontario. During the past fiscal year the operations in progress have been confined to those necessary for the proper care and preservation of the work and materials on hand. During the present fiscal year it is proposed to relay the brick, where necessary, in the coping of the scarp-wall, to repair the slope-wall protection of the sea-wall at the salient angle of the north bastion, and to make the temporary repairs to the old shore-protection near the northwest angle. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. Fort Ontario, mouth of Oswego River, New York, in charge of Maj. John M. Wilson, Corps of Engineers.-This work protects the city of Oswego from a sudden attack or coup de main, or the levy of a contribution by a small force of an enemy on shipboard. The work in progress upon the fort is the replacing of the old timber-scarp by more durable materials and the modification of the barbette for the heavy modern ordnance. During the past year the operations in progress have been confined to those necessary for the proper care and preservation of the work and materials on hand. No operations are proposed for the present fiscal year other than are necessary for the preservation of the work. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. No appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Fort Montgomery, outlet of Lake Champlain, New York, in charge of Lieut. Col. John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-This work occupies an important strategic point, and commands the entrance to Lake Champlain from Richelieu, or Saint John River. No operations were carried on during the past fiscal year. Projects for the modification of this work to suit its armament to heavy guns have been prepared by the board of engineers for fortifications, and should be carried out. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. Fort Knox, Bucksport, Penobscot River, Maine, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year no work other than that necessary for the care of the property having been performed, the condition of this work remains the same as at the close of the fiscal year previous. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. Fort Popham, Kennebec River, Maine, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year no operations were carried on, except for the care and preservation of the property, so that the condition of this work remains the same as at the close of the fiscal year previous. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. Fort Gorges, Portland Harbor, Maine, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Fort Preble, Portland Harbor, Maine, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year two permanent platforms in the redoubt, one in the north battery, and one temporary wooden platform in the south battery, were made ready for guns; the traverses and parapets, exclusive of the breast-height walls of the south battery, were completed, and the concrete-magazine, parados, bombproofs, breast-height walls, the greater part of the embankments, and the roadway of the north battery were built. Amount appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875 $20,000 40,000 During the present fiscal year it is proposed to construct all the breast-height walls of the south battery, and complete six additional gun-platforms. Fort Scammel, Portland Harbor, Maine, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year the concrete bomb-proof covering, three-fourths of the superimposed embankments, the breast-height walls, and the long concrete communications of the east and west bastions were completed. In the upper level of the main work nearly all the slopes of traverses and parados upon fronts I, IV, and VI were sodded, and all but one of the remaining positions made ready for gun-platforms. Amount appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875.. $30,000 50,000 During the present fiscal year it is expected to complete all but the barbette gun-platforms of the east and west bastions, together with the works in their rear, and to construct breast height walls and platforms for three guns in the main work. Battery on Portland Head, Portland Harbor, Maine, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Corps of Engineers.-This is a new work, upon the most commanding site at the entrance to the main ship-channel to the harbor, three miles below the city. Operations were commenced early in the past fiscal year. The parapet embankment for seventeen guns was mainly filled in, and four of the concrete traverse-magazines, with a greater part of their embankment, were built. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. $50,000 During the present fiscal year it is expected to complete two breastheight walls and gun-platforms. Fort McClary, Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year three temporary wooden platforms for heavy guns, with a sufficient parapet, on the site of the old circular battery, were nearly completed. Other wise the condition of the work remains the same as at the date of the last annual report. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. Fort Constitution, Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year a temporary position was prepared for one heavy gun in the southwest angle of the old fort, and the platform partially laid. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. Battery on Gerrish's Island, Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year the parapet was raised nearly to its full height, and rock excavations for a part of the roadway in rear of the terrepleins and for two of the six traverse-magazines were completed. Amount appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875 Appropriation asked for next fiscal year $15,000 35,000 During the present fiscal year it is proposed to prepare the foundations for all the traverse-magazines and to build three of them. Battery on Jerry's Point, Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. C. Duane, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year two-thirds of the parapet embankment has been raised to its full height, and the earth and rock excavations for the foundations of all the traverse-magazines completed. Amount appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875..... $15,000 35,000 During the present fiscal year it is expected to complete the concrete work of all the magazines and breast-height walls, and make ready all the positions for gun-platforms. Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Col. Henry W. Benham, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year operations in bastion A consisted in the completion of the five new 15-inch gunplatforms and their breast-height walls, the completion of the masonry of the two traverse magazines with the connecting-parados arch, and the necessary doorways, staircases, &c.; about one-half of the earthcover has been put in place, and the new sand-parapet essentially com pleted from the salient of bastion A to include three-quarters of the curtain front I. In bastion B, two of the four new 15-inch gun-platforms have been completed, and a third finished except the setting of the pintle and the traverse rails. In the parade of this bastion the foundations of the new arch-piers have been completed. In bastion E, the parados arch has been built, connecting the two traverse-magazines, with entrances, drains, &c., and from each extremity an arched covered stairway has been constructed leading to the flank casemates. An inclined way, (with stationary engine,) from the wharf to the terreplein of this bastion, has been built, to aid in the moving of material. In the demilune, of the five new gun-platforms, one is ready for its armament and two others are ready except iron-work. The breast-height wall for the whole battery has been built, and considerable progress made with the new sand-parapet. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. $50,000 Battery at Long Island Head, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Col. Henry W. Benham, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year, owing to the exhaustion of funds, work was confined to the latter part of the season, and resulted in the completion of the center pintle 15-inch gun-platform at the east salient of the battery, as also of the masonry of the adjacent magazine and parados, excepting the doorways connecting with the batteries and covered way. Amount appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875.. $40,000 50,000 Fort Winthrop, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Col. Henry W. Benham, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year fourteen front-pintle platforms, with their breast-height walls, in the east and south batteries, were finished; two others, with their breast-height walls, were completed, except iron-work, and four more finished except ironwork and about half of the breast-height wall, thus completing the platforms for forty-four 15-inch guns upon these works. The new sandparapet of the east battery was also completed, and much of the excavation necessary for that of the south battery was executed. Two new traverse-magazines in the south battery were entirely finished, and a third advanced to the completion of its masonry aud about one-half of its earth cover. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. $50,000 Fort Independence, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Col. Henry W. Benham, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year one new 15-inch platform for the enceinte, and the iron-work of fourteen others were completed, thus finishing, ready for armament, the whole of the new barbette-battery. The new sand-parapet, the traversemagazines, and parados of fronts I and II, and the two traverse-magazines on front III, were completed, as also the excavations for the sandparapet. In the east exterior battery, the most eastern gun-platform, with its breast-height and sustaining walls, was completed as to its masonry. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. $45,000 Fort at Clark's Point, New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Maj. G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers.-Nothing was done at this work during the past fiscal year, except some needed repairs to the buildings to protect them from decay. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. No appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Fort Phoenix, New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Maj. G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers.-No work was done during the past fiscal year. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1875. Fort Adams, Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, in charge of Maj. G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year the concrete of six magazine-traverses, with their partitions, was completed. The parapet, in front of a space to contain fourteen guns, was carried up to |