REPORT OF LIEUT. GEORGE W. GOETHALS, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. C. B. COMSTOCK, Lieut. Col. of Engineers, Bvt. Brig. Gen., U. S. A., President. Q. A. GILLMORE, Colonel of Engineers, Bvt. Maj. Gen., U. S. A., CHARLES R. SUTER, Major of Engineers, U. S. A., Mr. HENRY MITCHELL, Coast and Geodetic Survey, Mr. B. M. HARROD, Civil Engineer, Message of the President, 2407; letter of the Secretary of War, 2408; report of [EXTRACT FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF WAR.] The Chief of Engineers presents in his annual report a review of the modern requirements for the defense of our important sea-coast cities, and in his comprehensive, but brief, discussion shows not only the urgent necessity of beginning the defensive works which cannot be improvised, but their small cost in comparison with our national resources. Steel forts and turrets to resist guns which can send a projectile weighing a ton through sixty feet of sand, and which must themselves have like guns, with steam machinery to load and manipulate them, cannot be built in the short time which would be given us by an enemy for preparation after the cessation of diplomatic intercourse; and, as is said by the Chief of Engineers, "the contribution which could be levied from New York alone would probably pay four or five fold the cost of all the fortifications of the important harbors of the country." I trust that the earnest attention of Congress may be invited to this subject, and that adequate appropriations may be made to carry out the views of the Chief of Engineers. The danger to the efficiency of the torpedo system without the construction of electrical rooms and cable galleries has been dwelt upon in my previous reports, and I cannot urge too strongly the immediate con, struction of such works. I invite special attention to the estimate submitted for the commencement of the system of works designed for the defense of the harbors of Portland, Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Hampton Roads, and San Francisco; for the modification and continuation of construction of existing forts and batteries, and for the continuation of the purchase of submarine mines. *The power of modern guns is illustrated by experiments made in Italy October 1, 1884. An Armstrong 100-ton breech-loading gun, having a caliber of 17 inches, was fired, with charges of 772 pounds of powder and forged steel projectiles weighing 1,841 pounds, against targets distant about 100 yards, one of which was a solid steel plate 19 inches thick backed by 20 inches of teak. The other targets varied only in material. Each target was perforated at the first round, the projectile passing through with a considerable surplus of power. ΧΧΙ The funds with which the works for the improvement of rivers and harbors were prosecuted during the past year were derived from the appropriations of the act of August 2, 1882, together with such few balances as were on hand from previous appropriations. The balance in the Treasury subject to requisition July 1, 1883, for improving harbors and rivers was $10,021,649.55. The amount appropriated during the fiscal year 1884 was $1,319,634.62, and the amount drawn from the Treasury during the fiscal year was $8,228,703.54, leaving a balance of $3,112,580.63 in the Treasury subject to requisition July 1, 1884. A full statement of unexpended balances June 30, 1884, is appended to the report, and a detailed account of the steps taken to carry out the provisions of law and of the progress and condition of these works will be found in the report of the Chief of Engineers, to which I beg leave to refer. A report of the progress made between December 1, 1882, and December 21, 1883, by the Mississippi River Commission in carrying out the work intrusted to it was transmitted to Congress January 8, 1884. The subsequent progress of that important work will be made the subject of a special communication to Congress at an early period of the ensuing session. The examinations and surveys required and provided for in the river and harbor act of August 2, 1882, have been completed. Reports of their results were transmitted from time to time to Congress during its last session. Of the 147 localities enumerated for examination or survey in the act, 76 were reported as not worthy of improvement, and the results of their preliminary examination were such as to prevent their survey under the act. The examinations and surveys required and provided for in the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, have been undertaken and are in progress. The reports thereon will be submitted to Congress from time to time, during the ensuing session, as they are received. Action was taken during the year upon such plans and locations as were submitted by parties interested of bridges proposed to be built under the authority of Congress, subject to the approval of the Secretary of War. It has been the rule in cases where Congress has not authorized the construction of a bridge, or has not required the Secretary of War to approve the plan, &c., of a bridge as a condition to its being built, that he neither authorizes nor forbids its construction; but, if satisfied that any intended structure of that kind, or any other, will seriously impair the navigation of the channels of navigable waters of the United States, he endeavors through the Department of Justice to prevent its erection. A statement is given in the report of the Chief of Engineers of the work accomplished during the year in the removal of wrecks endan gering or obstructing navigation, general provision for which is made in the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880. EXTRACT FROM ANNUAL REPORT OF SECRETARY OF WAR. XXIII The arrangements which have been in progress under the direction and supervision, as required by law, of the inventor, Mr. M. J. Adams, for making a practical test of a flume for increasing the depth of water of the Mississippi, for which the sum of $20,000 was provided by the river and harbor act of March 3, 1879, and a further sum of $8,000 by act of August 2, 1882, have been suspended by him before completion, for want of funds, the unexpended balance being on June 30, 1884, $139.80. The office of Survey of Territory of the United States west of the 100th meridian was closed February 29, 1884. The 13 atlas sheets referred to in my last annual report have been published, making in all 161 maps and atlas sheets, covering an area of 326,891 square miles. There was transmitted to Congress at its last session a detailed report by the Commissioner of the Third International Geographical Exhibition and Congress, at Venice, Italy, with the recommendation that the report and accompanying illustrations be ordered to be printed in quarto form, with the view to its wide distribution. (See Senate Ex. Doc. No. 9, Forth-eighth Cong., first sess.) This report contains a description and discussion of the geographical exhibits from twentytwo countries, and those acts of the congress most interesting to the United States, as well as the scope and progress of the discussion and action concerning the determination of a single initial meridian. The small appropriation asked for the next fiscal year for surveys required for military purposes, and for the publication of maps for the use of the War Department, is earnestly recommended. Improvement of the South Pass of the Mississippi River. In my last annual report the history of this work was continued to include September 9, 1883. During the four quarters ending September 9, 1884, the channel of the pass has been uninterruptedly maintained, with the required dimensions. From September 10, 1883, to September 9, 1884, both dates inclusive, four quarterly payments for maintenance, amounting to $100,000, and two semi-annual payments of interest on the $1,000,000 retained, amounting to $50,000, were made to Mr. Eads, making the total expenditure for the improvement to the latter date $5,000,000. |