of an act similar to those of April 24 and August 1, 1888, by which land necessary for the permanent defenses of the country may be obtained by condemnation. The act of September 22, 1888, appropriated $200,000 "for torpedoes for harbor defenses," which included submarine mines and material; casemates and cable-galleries for operating them; continuing torpedo experiments; practical instruction of engineer troops; movable submarine torpedoes. This sum was allotted as follows: For casemates and mining galleries... For submarine mines and appliances for operating them For continuing torpedo experiments... For instruction of engineer troops For purchase of motors for movable torpedoes.... $102, 000 68,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 These sums have been expended or pledged for the purposes indicated. Casemates and cable-galleries at Forts Wadsworth, Schuyler, and Warren have been begun and are now well under way. The act of March 2, 1889, appropriated $250,000 for casemates and cable-galleries for operating submarine mines. This sum has been allotted to complete the above casemates and galleries and to begin work on casemates and galleries at Fort at Willets Point and Fort Lafayette, New York, Fort at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and at Alcatraz Island and Point San José, California, and will be expended or pledged by the close of the present fiscal year. The estimates presented under the head of casemates, cable-galleries, etc., are for completing the above works and constructing others in the more important of our defensive works. Attention is again invited to the advisability of providing for the repair and preservation of Fort Marion, one of the defensive works of St. Augustine, Fla. It is the oldest and most interesting of all of our fortifications, having been begun by the Spaniards about 1665 under the name of Fort San Marcos. It is a relic of the Spanish occupation and one of the few existing models of its type of fortification, and is well worthy of preservation. St. Augustine is visited every winter by thousands of people from all parts of the United States, and Fort Marion is one of the most attractive features of the place. An estimate is herewith submitted. The act of September 22, 1888, made an appropriation of $117,000 for the construction of sea-walls and for earth embankments. With the approval of the Secretary of War and the Board of Ordnance and Fortification, this was allotted as follows: For the preservation of site of Fort Niagara.. $20,000 For sea-wall and earth embankment at David's Island, New York harbor... 47,000 For sea-wall at Governor's Island, New York harbor... 50,000 Owing to the stage of water in the lake, the work at Fort Niagara had not been begun at the close of the last fiscal year. It is expected that the work will be soon undertaken and that the amount allotted will be sufficient to complete the repair of the damages to the site which obtained at the time the estimate was submitted. As the encroachment of the lake on the site has since been continuous, it is probable that a further appropriation will be necessary to secure the whole site. The work at David's Island has been begun and carried well towards completion. The amount allotted will be sufficient to finish the work. (See Appendix 1 A.) The work at Governor's Island has also been begun, and will be completed, as far as the funds will permit, during the present season, The original estimate for this work was $100,000, of which $50,000 has been allotted as recited above. An estimate for the completion of the work is submitted. (See Appendix 1 B.) ESTIMATES OF APPROPRIATIONS REQUIRED FOR 1890–91. For construction of gun and mortar batteries at Boston, New York, Hamp- For protection, preservation, and repair of fortifications.. For continuing torpedo experiments, and for practical instruction of En- For purchase of submarine mines and necessary appliances to operate For repair and preservation of Fort Marion, Florida, and for construction of sea-wall to preserve the site 5,000 15,000 250,000 250,000 30,000 50,000 REPORT OF THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS. At the date of the last report the Board consisted of the following officers of the Corps of Engineers: Col. Thomas Lincoln Casey, president; Col. Henry L. Abbot, Col. William P. Craighill, Col. C. B. Comstock, Lieut. Col. D. C. Houston, and Maj. William R. King. On July 6, 1888, Colonel Casey was appointed brigadier-general and Chief of Engineers, and on July 25, 1888, Colonel Abbot was designated president of the Board. By General Orders No. 2, Headquarters, Corps of Engineers, January 30, 1889, the Board was reconstituted and now consists of the following officers of the Corps of Engineers: Col. Henry L. Abbot, president; Col. C. B. Comstock, Col. D. C. Houston, and Lieut. Col. George L. Gillespie. The Board has considered the various subjects referred to it during the past year by the Chief of Engineers, and the following is a brief summary of the reports rendered thereon: 1888, July 10. Upon Senate bill 3250 and House bill 10642, for the construction of a bridge across Hudson River, between New York and New Jersey. July 20. Upon torpedo invention of William Brown, Edinburgh, Scotland. July 20. Upon proposed bill regulating the acquisition of lands for defensive purposes. September 26. Upon plan of George J. Murdock for a hydraulic mask for batteries. September 26. Project for the expenditure of $200,000 appropriated for submarine mines, torpedoes, cable-galleries, etc. September 28. Upon the defense of Hampton Roads, Virginia. October 9. Upon Maj. M. B. Adams's project for expenditure of ap propriation of $35,000 for Burlington Breakwater. October 9. Upon project of Lieutenant Hunker, U. S. Navy, for establishing rules and the expenditure of $30,000 under act of June 29, 1888, for the port of New York. October 9. Estimate of expenditures for The Board of Engineers for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889. October 27. Upon request of Treasury Department for quarantine station at Garden, Bird, and Loggerhead Keys, Florida, October 27. Upon House resolution 176, Fiftieth Congress, first session, for the use of Governor's Island as public park. November 13. Upon communication of Massachusetts State Board of Health relative to fortifications projected on Deer Island, Massachu setts. November 23. Upon letter of Pneumatic Dynamite Gun Company relative to number and location of dynamite guns for coast defense. November 23. Upon plan of military bridges invented by Schneider & Co., of Le Creuzot, France. December 24. Upon project of Lieut. Col. J. A. Smith for improvement of Kennebec River, Maine. December 24. Upon letter from Interior Department relative to the boundaries of the San Juan Reservation for military purposes. December 24. Upon changes necessary or desirable to adapt to our proposed system of fortification the disappearing carriage for a 10-inch breech loading gun submitted by the Pneumatic Gun Carriage and Power Company. 1889. January 5. Project for expenditure of appropriation for torpedoes for harbor defense under act of September 22, 1888. February 5. Upon project of Lieut. Col. J. A. Smith for improvement of Saco River, Maine. March 1. Upon project of Lieut. Col. J. A. Smith for improvement of Penobscot River, Maine. March 6. Upon Lieutenant-Colonel King's report of operations for 1888 and probable operations for 1889 at Willets Point, New York. April 8. Upon application of Treasury Department to remove build. ings of life-saving station to new location at Sandy Hook, New Jersey. April 20. Upon subject of location of dynamite guns on the Pacific coast. April 22. Upon location for counterpoise battery to be erected at Fort Hamilton by Mr. Beverly Kennon. April 22. Relative to location of dynamite guns at Sandy Hook, New Jersey. April 22. Upon project of Maj. William Ludlow for the use of sand in lien of stone filling for cribs. May 4. Upon certain harbors in the Gulf of Mexico and on the South Atlantic coasts, for the information of the Navy-Yard Commission. May 22. Upon project of Lieutenant-Colonel Barlow for testing new method of maneuvering valves for locks on Muscle Shoals Canal. May 22. Project for allotment of $250,000 for torpedoes for harbor defense. (Act of March 2, 1889.) May 25. Upon location of dynamite guns at Sandy Hook, New Jersey. June 4. Submitting estimate for the expenses of The Board of Engineers for fiscal year ending June 30, 1890. June 15. Upon the system of ballooning invented by Mr. Eugene Goddard, of Brussels, Belgium. June 17. Upon communication of Lieut. Col. J. A. Smith of June 10, 1889, relative to Frost Point Breakwater. June 17. Upon location of dynamite guns at Forts Schuyler and Warren. June 21. Upon Maj. M. B. Adams's proposed modifications of project for Gordon's Landing Breakwater. June 21. Upon the defense of the southern entrance of New York Harbor. June 27. Upon Colonel Mendell's project of September 17, 1885, for a torpedo-shed for San Francisco Harbor, June 27. Upon detailed plans for casemates and cable-galleries at Alcatraz Island and Point San José, California. June 27. Upon plans for a torpedo and torpedo-boat submitted by Mr. John Bowles to the Board of Ordnance and Fortification. June 27. Upon letter from the Secretary of the Interior to the Secretary of War of June 13, 1889, relative to Point Roberts Military Reservation for defensive purposes. June 27. Upon the communication of June 10, 1889, from Lieut. H. D. Borup, Ordnance Department, Military Attaché at Paris, France, relative to obtaining information respecting torpedoes. In the performance of the duties of the Board the following personal examinations were made: 1889, May 23. Visited Sandy Hook, New Jersey, to examine sites for location of batteries. June 14. Visited Fort Wadsworth, N. Y., to examine sites for location of batteries. In addition, Colonel Abbot, as a committee of the Board, visited Burlington, Vt., October 5, 1888, and inspected the breakwater at that point. In addition to their duties with The Board of Engineers, the individual members have been otherwise engaged as follows: 1 Col. Henry L. Abbot, the president of the Board, has continued in charge of certain experiments with torpedoes; was charged, April 1, 1888, with closing the office and accounts and transferring the works lately in charge of Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers, deceased; was continued a member of the Board of Visitors to Engineer School of Application until January 30, 1889; was detailed as a member of the Board of Ordnance and Fortification on October 25, 1888; served as president of a board for examination of officers of the Corps of Engineers with a view to promotion; was detailed as president of the board to fix the harbor lines of the harbor of New York and adjacent waters on October 5, 1888; was detailed as president of board to fix the harbor lines for the port of Boston on August 13, 1888; was assigned division engineer, Northeast Division, on December 3, 1888; served as president of board to report on plan and location of bridge across Mississippi River at Dubuque, Iowa; has served as president of board to examine and report upon plans for the further improvement of the harbors of St. Augustine and Key West, Fla.; has served as a member of board to report on the purchase of the Kinsley estate near West Point, N. Y.; was detailed to deliver a course of lectures on coast defense at the Naval War College during the term beginning in August, 1888; and is charged with the duty of preparing working drawings and estimates for gun lifts after the design proposed by General J. C. Duane, 2. Col. C. B. Comstock has served as division engineer of the Southwest Division since December 3, 1888; as member of the Board of Visitors to the Engineer School of Application; as president of the Mississippi River Commission; as member of the board to fix harbor lines of New York and adjacent waters; as senior member of board on improvement of Winyali Bay, South Carolina; as member of board to fix harbor lines of Philadelphia; as president of board to report on proposed bridge at Louisville, Ky.; as member of two boards for examination of officers for promotion; as member of general court-martial convened at Washington under Special Orders No. 51, A. G. O.. 1889. 3. Col. D. C. Houston has been the disbursing officer of The Board of Engineers. He has conducted the various works of river and harbor improvement and of fortifications under his charge, and has served as a member of Board of Visitors to Engineer School of Application; as member of board to fix the harbor lines for the harbor of New York and adjacent waters, and as member of board to consider and report upon the improvement of Winyah Bay, South Carolina. 4. Lieut. Col. George L. Gillespie, in addition to conducting the va rious works of river and harbor improvement and of fortifications with which he was charged during the year, has served as a member of the Board of Visitors to the Engineer School of Application; of the boards on harbor lines of the port of Boston and of New York Harbor and adjacent waters; of the board to examine and report upon revised project for improvement of Charleston Harbor, South Carolina, and upon project for improving Cumberland Sound and Savannah River below Savannah, Ga.; of the board to carry out the provisions of the act of Congress approved March 2, 1889, in the matter of surveys for deep-water harbor, Gulf of Mexico; of board for the examination of officers of the Corps of Engineers with view to their promotion; and as member of general court-martial, Washington, D. C., March 25, 1889. The necessity for immediately beginning the work of reconstructing our sea-coast defenses has been so fully demonstrated heretofore in the annual reports of the Chief of Engineers that no repetition of the arguments is called for here. The only valid reason for delay has been the lack of guns and the impossibility of fabricating in this country the types demanded by modern progress. Thanks to the recent action of Congress in granting liberal appropriations to prepare the needful factory and to enable our steel manufacturers to procure the needful plant, this inability no longer exists. By existing contracts the new gun factory buildings at Watervliet Arsenal, capable of turning out 12-inch and smaller guns, will be completed by December, 1889, and by December, 1890, plant capable of fabricating annually ten 8-inch, six 10-inch, and four 12-inch guns will be in place. The development of steel industries of the country in the line of heavy orduance construction has made satisfactory progress, and contracts are now let for supplying the steel for fabricating twentyfour 8-inch, twenty-four 10-inch, and fifteen 12-inch guns, that required for forty-four guns, including all three calibers, to be delivered by August, 1892. Evidently emplacements should be ready to receive this armament as soon as completed. No funds have been appropriated for this purpose, and even if granted at the coming session of Congress they will probably not become available before July 1, 1890. At the estimated rate of fabrication at Watervliet Arsenal, ten 8-inch guns will be well advanced toward completion by May, 1891, and three 10-inch guns by May, 1892, while by January, 1893, twenty-four 8-inch, seven 10-inch, and four 12-inch guns should be ready for service. The Corps of Engineers will thus have only nine months to prepare emplacements for ten 8 inch guns, twenty-one months for three 10-inch guns, and thirty months for twenty-four 8-inch, seven 10-inch, and four 12-inch guns. Fully this time will be required, and no further argument can be needed to prove that the requisite funds should be granted at the next session of Congress. The necessity for immediate action is hardly less in the case of mortars. Contracts for the material and for finishing and assembling thirty cast-iron steel-hooped rifled 12-inch mortars are now let, the whole to be delivered by August, 1892, and they will thus be on hand for mounting by the time the batteries are ready to receive their armament. |