barbette of the main work, involving the thickening of the parapets, construction of new breast height walls, and the necessary magazines and traverses and gun platforms for the heavy ordnance designed for this position. Fort at Clark's Point, New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Major G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers.-This is a casemated work which has been completed, with the exception of its barbette battery over the casemates. The Board of Engineers has recommended that at present nothing further should be done to it other than to preserve it from deterioration, and that an earthen barbette battery for twenty-six 15-inch smooth bore or equivalent rifled guns be erected on the hill in rear of the fort. No appropriation was made for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. No work has been done at this place during the past fiscal year. Fort Phoenix, New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Major G. K., Warren, Corps of Engineers.-No work has been done on this fort during the past fiscal year, none is now contemplated, and no appropriation is asked for. No appropriation was made for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. Fort Adams, Newport Harbor, Rhode Island, in charge of Major G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers.-The project of the Board of Engineers for this work has been approved, and the modifications proposed are confined almost exclusively to the exterior barbette batteries. The work upon those should be commenced at as early a day as practicable, and appropriations for that purpose are now asked. Funds are also asked for commencing the permanent quarters for officers at this post, the construction of which has been long delayed for want of necessary appropriations. No appropriation was made for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. Amount asked for next fiscal year, to be applied to the exterior batteries and quarters, $100,000. The work on this fort during the past year has consisted mainly as follows: Repairing temporary wharf on east front; filling and grading cellar of old permanent quarters, southeast glacis; removing brick therefrom; repairing rotten door frames in casemates of southeast interior front; refacing embrasures on west and north fronts with cement; repairing roads; altering redoubt in place-of-arms, east front, to better adapt it to its use as a post guard-house; refilling valleys of arches on terre plein of west front, they having been opened some time since to repair leaks; constructing roads and sea wall; connecting the temporary wharf on the east front and the permanent wharf on the north front, as well as repairing the former wharf and dredging about it, to give more vessel room; necessary repairs of officers' casemate quarters east front; general care of public property. Dumpling's Battery, Canonicut Island, Rhode Island.-On the site of the old Dumpling's Tower, where the Government owns about five acres of land, it is proposed to construct a barbette battery for ten 15-inch, smooth bore, or equivalent rifle guns, with magazine traverses between each pair. This battery will effectively cross its fire with the guns of Fort Adams. The estimated cost of this battery, owing to the heavy rock excavation, is $100,000. No appropriation has as yet been made for this battery. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year, $50,000. Defenses of Dutch Island, western entrance to Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, in charge of Major G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers.-These defenses are to consist of three detached barbette batteries, situated upon the summit of the island, and affording emplacements for forty 15-inch guns, or equivalent rifles. Amount reappropriated for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, $121,998. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year, $50,000. The work here during the year consisted mainly in preparations for commencing the batteries under the recent reappropriation; purchasing, receiving, and storing various materials; altering, repairing, building, and moving buildings, old and new; completing pavement of permanent wharf; repairing temporary wharf and vehicles and implements; repairing roads; building shot beds in upper barbette battery for 15-inch projectiles; digging down to the underlying rock of the island, for the purpose of obtaining information concerning the material to be met with, and the best means to adopt in constructing the new batteries, together with the usual work incident to the care of public property. Fort Trumbull, New London Harbor, Connecticut, in charge of Major G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers.-This work, upon the west bank of the Thames River, with Battery Griswold on the east bank, forms the defense of the harbor of New London. Plans have been approved for the modification of the exterior barbette batteries, to mount twelve 15-inch guns, or equivalent rifles. No appropriation was made for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. No work has been done at this fort during the past fiscal year. Fort Griswold, New London Harbor, Connecticut, in charge of Major G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers.-Plans for the modification of this barbette battery have been prepared in accordance with the system adopted for our sea-coast works of this description. It is proposed to arrange the work for nine 15-inch guns. No appropriation was made for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. No work has been done at this fort during the past fiscal year. Fort Hale, New Haven Harbor, Connecticut, in charge of Major G. K. Warren, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year but little work has been done at this fort. Negotiations have been and still are pending concerning the purchase of required additions to this site. This fort was built for temporary defense during the late war, and its object having been accomplished, it has been dismantled. Several of the buildings appertaining, and which had been somewhat injured during a heavy storm, were taken down and transferred to the public works at Dutch Island, Rhode Island. No appropriation was made for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. · No appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Fort Schuyler, East River, New York, in charge of Major H. L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers.-The reports of former years set forth the modifica tions proposed, on this important work for the defense of New York City from approach through East River. In brief, these modifications consist of the alterations necessary to adapt the batteries for the service of the heavy ordnance. Amount appropriated for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, $57,500. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year, $100,000. On the main work the modifications of the north front, to prepare the barbette tier to receive a modern armament, have progressed as far as the turning of the arches, except the raising of the bastion pier. The wooden bridge for the supply of materials across the ditches is about half completed. On the cover face, emplacements for four heavy guns have been essentially completed, and the parados on the south bastion has been begun. In the place-of-arms the parados covering two magazines and a large bomb proof has been essentially completed; two traverses have been built, and the requisite thickening of the parapet has been finished. The new battery for three modern guns at the north end of the covered way is essentially completed with the magazine. Necessary repairs have been made upon the sea-wall, temporary buildings, &c. Fort at Willet's Point, eastern entrance to New York Harbor, in charge of Major H. L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers.-This work unites with Fort Schuyler in the defense of the entrance to the harbor of New York City through the East River, and its site is favorable to the construction of earthen barbette batteries. The operations for the removal of natural obstructions to navigation at Hell Gate, render it even more important than heretofore that this channel of approach to New York City and the Brooklyn navy-yard should be put in a proper state of defense. Amount appropriated for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, $45,000. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year, $90,000. During the past year an underground passage from the new bluff batteries to the water battery, 270 feet long, has been completed; about three-quarters of the large storage magazine, designed to contain 250,000 pounds of powder, has been finished; six service magazines have been nearly finished and the foundations for another laid; the parapet, covering emplacements for twelve heavy guns, has been so far completed as to be ready for the guns if necessary. Fort Columbus, Governor's Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-In the new barbette battery eight traverse magazines have been built, the parapet has been partially constructed the whole length of the battery, excavations have been made for the terre plein, for road in rear of terre plein, and for foundations for the remaining eight magazines. No appropriation was made for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. Castle William, Governor's Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-Nothing has been done at this work during the past year. South Battery, Governor's Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-Nothing has been done at this work during the past year. Fort Wood, Bedloe's Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-This work, together with those upon Governor's Island, is designed to close the entrance to the East and Hudson rivers and to cover New York, part of Brooklyn, and Jersey City, from the bombardment of a hostile fleet in New York Bay. No appropriation was made for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872.. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year, $17,000. In the new water battery, five traverse magazines have been built; the parapet has been constructed the whole length of the battery; the terre plein has been raised to the proper height. Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-This work is situated at the Narrows of New York Harbor, upon the Long Island side. Until the question as to the use of iron to cover guns can be determined, no work is proposed upon it other than that necessary for its preservation. At present it is bost devoted to the purposes of a keep for the detached earthen bar bette batteries around it, for quarters and store-houses, and for the reception of mortars on its terre pleins. The work during the past year has been confined to repairs, and the alteration of some embrasures in the officers' quarters. Fort Hamilton and additional batteries, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel John Newton, Corps of Engineers. These batteries are earthen barbette batteries exterior to Fort Hamilton, and constitute powerful auxiliaries to the defense of the Narrows. Amount appropriated for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, $25,000. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year, $40,000. Operations were commenced on water battery No. 1, by building a coffer dam 484 feet long and 83 feet from the shore line; the foundation was commenced by driving piles and spiking timbers to them, forming a grillage bottom, which was leveled off with rubble stone and concrete. The sea wall was carried up five courses, (ref. 6 feet 9 inches.) Fort Wadsworth, New York Harbor, in charge of Major Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This fort is situated on the Staten Island side of the Narrows of New York Harbor, and is a large casemated work. No modifications are proposed at present in it, and no funds asked other than for its preservation. During the past year operations were confined to the repairs of the long earthen slopes in the rear of the work. Fort on site of Fort Tompkins, New York Harbor, in charge of Major Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This work crowns the hill in rear of the open batteries and other works on Staten Island, defending the entrance through the Narrows to New York Harbor, acts as a keep for those works, and when completed, will throw a heavy fire from a high elevation upon vessels attempting to pass before it. Amount appropriated for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, $52,000. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year, $32,000. The operations have been mostly confined to the construction of the bomb proofs of the channel front and the excavation of the earth from the parade, depositing the same to fill in the large slope and cover face in front of the fort. The piers and arches of the seventeen bomb proofs between the two sally ports, including the foundations of the casemate extensions, have been constructed. The scarp wall between the sally ports was finished, with the exception of an opening left in the center for temporary egress and ingress. The piers and skew backs of both the sally port arches have been built. The parade wall was carried two feet above the top of parade arches, and the concrete forming the roof surfaces of the casemate arches was nearly made ready for the mastic covering. The brick sewer running under the center of the channel front has been connected near the northwest gorge flank of Fort Wadsworth with the sewer running from the south soldiers' latrine. The connection was made with cement pipe measuring 2 feet interior diameter and 381 feet in length. The cisterns under the casemates of the channel front have been connected with each other by suitable pipe and made ready to receive the drainage from the casemate roofs. The portion of earth filling to form the cover face in front of the scarp has been connected with the casemate.roof surface by a temporary wooden bridge, so that the earth filling over the arches can be transported and deposited without being twice handled. The iron balcony for the parade of the channel front is in readiness to be put up. During the current fiscal year it is contemplated to complete the channel front of Fort Tompkins, and put it in readiness for its battery, according to the existing plan, (omitting the completion of the cover face and the construction of the parade and division walls of the casemate,) to place the iron balcony around the entire parade of the work, to excavate the parade to its proper grade, and to put up the gates and side loop-holed walls in the two sally ports. Glacis Mortar Battery, (south of Fort Tompkins,) in charge of Major Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-During the past fiscal year the earth work and sodding of this battery were completed, except a portion of the rear slope and the covering of the principal magazine, of which one-fourth of the concrete masonry is already laid. The two service magazines were also finished, except the doors and granite coping to be laid on the entrance retaining walls. The battery will be finished and ready for the platforms and armament during the present working season. No appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Battery Hudson, Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Major Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This work, together with those on the north and south cliffs, forms a system of open earthen barbette batteries, lying exterior to Forts Tompkins and Wadsworth, and brings a powerful fire to bear upon the channel, up to and through the Narrows. Amount appropriated for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872, $16, 000. Appropriations asked for next fiscal year, $17,000. That portion of the battery near the light-house and west of the 15-inch center pintle platform has been cleared to give room for platforms for 15-inch guns and two service magazines. The latter have been built during the year and are complete except the doors and a portion of the earth work and sodding and the coping of the wing walls. In the extension of the battery the masonry of the two service magazines and the principal magazine is complete, except the coping wing walls. The earth excavations to form the rear slopes, and the filling over the magazines, are all in a forward state and nearly ready for sodding. It is expected that the Battery Hudson extension, and the return at the light-house, will be completed and made ready for their new armaments during the present working season. North Cliff Battery, Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Major Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-No operations were carried on during the past fiscal year, except to clear the earth from the terreplein, where it had been washed from the unfinished slope at the north end of the battery. The earth was deposited to form the parapet. This battery may be finished according to existing plans during the present fiscal year. South Cliff Battery, Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Major Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-No operations were carried on during the past fiscal year, except to cut the grass and keep the gutters and cesspools open. The battery may be finished according to the existing plans during the present fiscal year. Fort at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-The condition of this work remains the same as at the date of the last annual report, the watchmen being the only force employed during the year. Operations were commenced in the latter part of the month of June, 1871, for constructing additional jettees for protecting the site of the fort, $13,500 having been allotted from appropriation for contingencies of fortifications. No appropriation was made for fiscal year ending June 30, 1872. |