DEFENSES OF NEW YORK AND THE NAVY-YARD AT BROOKLYN-Continued. Narrows from the lower bay. Since 1873 no appropriation has been made for it. The work necessary for its completion consists in constructing and laying eight timber mortar-platforms, and in fitting up the inner magazines with doors and lamp closets. Estimated cost of completing the work, $9,000. No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year in the estimates under the general head of sea-coast mortar-batteries. North Cliff Battery, Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This earthen gun-battery, which was commenced in 1862, is located north of Fort Wadsworth, on the slope of the hill between Fort Tompkins and the water. It is designed to throw a direct fire upon vessels attempting to pass through the Narrows. It was intended for an armament of 15-inch smooth-bore guns or corresponding rifles, and was provided with two storage magazines, one large bomb-proof shelter, and five traverses between guns, two of them containing service magazines. Under a modification approved December 8, 1869, the bomb-proof shelter was suppressed and some traverses and service magazines between the guns were added, the number of guns being necessarily reduced thereby. The four timber gun-platforms appear to be in good condition. The cost of finishing this battery, by substituting six stone gun-platforms for those of timber, constructing six breast-height walls, two bonnets on the traverses, lining the two principal magazines with wood, thickening the parapet, and constructing a rough sea-wall at the foot of the exterior slope, amounting in the aggregate to $35,000, is included in the estimate for fort on site of Fort Tompkins. No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason. South Cliff Battery, Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This earthen gun-battery, occu pying the slope of the hill between Fort Tompkins and the water directly south of Fort Wadsworth, was built in 1858 to 1861 for 15-inch guns or corresponding rifles, and was provided with two storage and two service magazines. In December, 1869, modifications were ordered, adding four new traverses, including two traverse magazines, by which the number of guns was necessarily reduced. All the gun-platforms required by the new plan are in serviceable condition, although only two of them are supplied with 6-inch pintles. All the other pintles are 5 inches in diameter. Much work remains to be done on the magazines and traverses. The cost of finishing the battery, comprising the completion of four traverses, the construction of one new traverse magazine, adding to the thickness of the parapet, building a rough sea-wall at the foot of the exterior slope, lining the two principal magazines, and putting in new 6-inch pintles, amounting in the aggregate to $37,000, is included in the estimate for fort on site of Fort Tompkins. DEFENSES OF NEW YORK AND THE NAVY-YARD AT BROOKLYN-Con tinued. At the south end of this work, near the entrance to the principal magazine, a retaining wall has been built. The large slope in rear of the battery was repaired and regraded. No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason. Fort at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, in charge of Col. Henry W. Benham, Corps of Engineers.-This casemated work, commenced in 1857, commands the southern approaches by sea to the harbor and city of New York, and is also designed to prevent the occupation of the Lower New York Bay as an anchorage by an enemy's fleet. No operations have been carried on for several years past, and the work remains in essentially the same condition as at the date of last annual report. No regular appropriation having been made for the completion or alteration of this work, the allotment from the general appropriation for the preservation and repair of fortifications has been mainly expended in the care and oversight of the military reservation and the property stored there, and such small repairs to buildings and shore protections as could be made by the watchmen employed, without the hire of extra labor. The condition of the fort itself remains essentially the same as for years past, with the exception, of course, of such injuries as are due to the never-ceasing influence of the atmosphere, storms, &c. As to the shore-line east and north of the fort no great changes are apparent, excepting, perhaps, the removal of the bluff-line, just north of the ordnance instrument house, by some 30 feet nearer to the fort (the former sites of the Western Union telegraph tower and of the Signal Service building having been washed away), and an abrasion on that part of the beach formerly occupied by the east beacon, where all the jetties and protections built by the Light-House Department have been washed away. The point of the shore west or northwest of the fort seems to have a tendency to prolong itself in that direction, having increased during the last three or four years by some 300 feet above high-water line. Of the jetties on the eastern shore, with the exception of No. 1, built of canal-boats, and filled with concrete, nothing remains now of much value as a shore protection. The sand-box bulkhead, some 500 feet, remaining in position in front and south of the ordnance instrumenthouse, as reported already in 1881, appears to have been little affected by last year's storms. The question of the necessity and the means of protecting the Hook, which has recently been seriously encroached upon by the sea near the fort, was in August last referred to the Board of Engineers for Fortifications and River and Harbor Improvements, and its interesting and valuable report, which contains an historical account of the varying movement of the shores of the Hook since 1819, will be found in Appendix No. 1, page 403. No attempt has yet been made to carry into effect the recommendations of the Board for want of adequate funds, but it is hoped that a Commencement at least may be made during this fiscal year by means DEFENSES OF NEW YORK AND THE NAVY-YARD AT BROOKLYN-Continued. of the current appropriation for protection, preservation, and repair of fortifications. This work is the most advanced of all the defenses of the southern approaches by sea to the harbor and city of New York. The channel of entrance opposite the Hook is more than a mile wide, and of depth sufficient for the largest and most powerful armored vessels yet built or designed. The occupation by an enemy's fleet of the capacious bay just within the Hook would prevent all egress from the harbor southward to the sea, and effectually seal up the main outlet from the city. The modification and completion of this important work for the reception of the heaviest modern rifled guns, protected by impenetrable iron armor, and the protection of the site against encroachments by the sea, are of very great importance, and an appropriation therefor is urgently recommended. No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year: For modification of the work ... $150, 000 00 50,000 00 200, 000 00 DEFENSES OF PHILADELPHIA, AND LEAGUE ISLAND NAVY-YARD. Fort Mifflin, Delaware River, Pennslyvania, in charge of Col. J. N. Macomb, Corps of Engineers, until June 29, 1882; since that date in charge of Maj. William Ludlow, Corps of Engineers.-This barbette work, originally established in 1779, is situated on the west bank of the Delaware River, within the territorial boundaries of the city of Philadelphia, and constitutes a part of the inner line of works for the defense of the city and the League Island naval station. No specific appropriation has been made for this fort since 1875, when the operations which were in progress in the construction of exterior earthworks for the mounting of heavy guns, under the approved plans of the Board of Engineers for Fortifications, terminated. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882, with the funds allotted for the maintenance of this work, the following repairs, &c., were made: Four hundred linear feet of the main dike fronting the Delaware River adjacent to the fort were put in good order. The height was increased about 1 foot, to ref. (11.00) above low-water, and the exterior stone revetment, which had slipped from its original position along the base, was taken up, the slope regulated, and the stones replaced. About 80 linear feet of the front wall of the dike north of the fort, in the immediate vicinity of the United States Naval Reservation, were also well repaired. The plank apron at the outer end of the main sluice was extended along the sluice-race about 12 feet; slight repairs were made to the earth parapet along the interior crest, and to the covering of the main magazine. The foot-bridges were also repaired. Necessary repairs were made to the wall on the river-front of north face of demilune, also to the banquette in front of breast-height wall DEFENSES OF PHILADELPHIA, AND LEAGUE ISLAND NAVY-YARDContinued. of the same face; the temporary wooden coverings over the 12 gun-platforms were painted; a portion of the inner slope of Delaware River dike north of fort was dressed off to form a proper slope; the Engineer Department stable was repaired and raised about 15 inches above its original position; a portion of the buildings was cleaned and whitewashed, and the grass in main work and demilune was cut and cured. During September, 1881, the Light-House Establishment erected a fog-bell tower at the west end of the bridge leading to the fort wharf. During the current fiscal year it is proposed to make repairs to outer pier at the fort landing; to construct a bridge over the moat, so as to connect the main works with the demilune; repair commandant's quarters and soldiers' barracks; repair breast-height wall on the east, west, and south fronts, main works; make needed repairs over the main entrance to fort; to shed adjoining the Engineer Department stable; and to the hospital building, occupied by the fort-keeper. Should adequate appropriation be made for 1883-'84, the plans already prepared would be pursued as follows: Constructing torpedo casemate gallery; completing exterior earthen battery; constructing earthen battery on north face of demilune; constructing an earthen battery on south face, with two traverses; commencing storage magazine for exterior earthen battery. No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year............ $75,000 00 Mortar-Battery at Fort Mifflin, Pennsylvania, in charge of Col. J. N. Macomb, Corps of Engineers, until June 29, 1882; since that date in charge of Maj. William Ludlow, Corps of Engineers.-This work is situated west of the main work and in rear of the unfinished gun-battery. It was commenced in 1871, under the approved plans of the Board of Engineers for Fortifications, and has remained in its present unfinished state since 1874, no appropriation having been made for continuing its construction. No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year in the estimates under the general head of sea-coast mortar-batteries. Site for defenses at Red Bank, New Jersey, in charge of Col. J. N. Macomb, Corps of Engineers, until June 29, 1882; since that date in charge of Maj. William Ludlow, Corps of Engineers.-This site is on a bluff on the east (New Jersey) shore of the Delaware River, and covers about 100 acres. It was purchased in 1872, with the view of erecting thereon an earthen barbette work for heavy guns, which, with the works at Fort Mifflin, nearly opposite, would constitute the inner line of defenses of the Delaware River. No appropriation has been made for this work. The site is an important one, the occupation of the bluff by a suitable armament, which would command the channel at short range, being indispensable to any DEFENSES OF PHILADELPHIA, AND LEAGUE ISLAND NAVY-YARD— Continued. attempt to defend the port of Philadelphia and the League Island navyyard. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883. Fort Delaware, Delaware River, Delaware, in charge of Col. J. N. Macomb, Corps of Engineers, until June 29, 1882; since that date in charge of Maj. William Ludlow, Corps of Engineers.-Fort Delaware is on Pea Patch Island, and with the batteries on the opposite shores of Delaware and New Jersey, forms the outer line of defenses of Delaware River. It is about 42 miles below Philadelphia, Pa., and 12 below Wilmington, Del. The main ship channel is to the eastward of the island, and passes within 1,000 yards of the fort. The masonry of this work, which is a casemated fort, was begun in 1852. No appropriations have been made for it since 1876, and the modications then in progress to adapt it to the greater size and power of modern ordnance remain suspended. The dikes around the island have proved inadequate for its protec tion against severe storms, and should be raised at least 2 feet and proportionately strengthened. During the past year the removal of the mud from the moat has been completed, the ditches cleaned, and minor repairs made to the temporary buildings. The necessity for extensive repairs to the fort and buildings still exists, the work and island remaining in the same condition reported last year. Fort Delaware was designed to be, and is, the main defense of the Delaware River, but it is in no condition to cope with modern ships of war. Extensive modifications are imperatively necessary, and an appropriation therefor is urgently recommended. No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year... .... $55,000 00 Battery at Finn's Point, Delaware River, New Jersey, in charge of Col. J. N. Macomb, Corps of Engineers, until June 29, 1882; since that date in charge of Maj. William Ludlow, Corps of Engineers-This is an earthen barbette battery, and forms the left of the lower line of defense of the Delaware River. Its construction, which was commenced in 1872, under the approved plans of the Board of Engineers for Fortifications has been suspended since 1876 for want of appropriations, and it remains in an unfinished condition. For this reason, and in consequence of the damage done to the sea wall by the storm of October, 1878, the unprotected embankments have suffered much from abrasion during storms and high tides. Owing to the absence of severe storms during the past year the deterioration has been less than usual, but the need of adequate protection is as great as ever. The condition of this battery is the same as last year. During the year a new sluice has been put in the dike north of the battery, the crane on the wharf and the fort-keeper's dwelling have been painted, and the other temporary buildings have been whitewashed. The appropriation asked for the next fiscal year would be applied to |