Examination of historic grounds, locations, and military works in the Maumee Valley, 2869; burial place on Put-in-bay Island, 2870; Fort Industry, Fort Miami, Fort Meigs, 2871; battlefield of Fallen Timber, Fort Defiance, Fort Wayne, Ind., 2872. EXPLORATIONS AND SURVEYS IN DIVISIONS AND DEPARTMENTS. REPORT OF CAPT. WILLIAM L. MARSHALL, CORPS OF ENGINEERS. 2875 REPORT OF LIEUT. FAYETTE W. ROE, THIRD INFANTRY. Explorations and surveys in the Department of the Platte 2877 REPORT OF LIEUT. LEONARD A. LOVERING, FOURTH INFANTRY. 2878 2879 REPORT OF LIBRARY THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY. OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY, SIR: I have the honor to present for your information the following report upon the duties and operations of the Engineer Department for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889: OFFICERS OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS. The number of officers holding commissions in the Corps of Engineers, U. S. Army, at the end of the fiscal year was 109. Six additional second lieutenants have been added to the Corps by appointment from the Military Academy, to date from June 12, 1889, but they did not become available for duty until after the close of the fiscal year, and are, therefore, not included in the strength of the Corps. On the 30th of June, 1889, the officers were distributed as follows: Office Chief of Engineers Office Chief of Engineers, fortifications, and river and harbor works 3 1 16 Fortifications, river and harbor works, and division engineer.. 1 Fortifications, river and harbor works, and Board of Engineers. 37 Division engineer and Board of Engineers Division engineer, Board of Engineers, Board of Visitors, and Mississippi River 1 Mississippi River Commission 1 Mississippi River Commission and Missouri River Commission Washington Aqueduct 1 Post of Willets Point, Engineer School of Application, and Battalion of Engineers 1 Incapacitated for active service and on indefinite leave of absence 1 20 3 The officers detached were on duty as follows: Col. John G. Parke, Superintendent Military Academy until June 24, 1889. Maj. Charles W. Raymond, Engineer Commissioner of the District of Columbia. 1 1 1 1 1 1 Capts. Thomas W. Symons and James L. Lusk, assistants to the Engineer Commissioner of the District of Columbia... 2 Capt. George McC. Derby and Lieut. John Biddle, on duty with Company E, 2 Lieut. Theodore A. Bingham, secretary and disbursing officer of the Missouri Lieut. Hiram M. Chittenden, on duty with the Missouri River Commission.. Lieut. John Millis, assistant to engineer third light-house district... 1 1 4 1 SEA-COAST DEFENSES. 20 The permanent defenses of the country remain in the same inefficient condition that has obtained since the close of the civil war. No appropriation for new construction has been made since that of February 10, 1875. The act of September 22, 1888, appropriated $100,000 for the protection, preservation, and repair of existing works. This has been expended or pledged for such minor repairs as have appeared most necessary and for the care of the defenses. The act of March 2, 1889, appropriated $100,000 for the same purpose for the current fiscal year, and this appropriation will be exhausted at its close. These two appro priations have been carefully allotted among the several works according to their needs, and only the repairs most urgently required have been considered. Many of these works are still of value in connection with new works projected, and the estimate submitted is for their protection, preservation, and repair. Our country, great in population, wealth, and natural resources, prominent among the nations of the earth in intelligence, ingenuity, and energy, and with an overflowing treasury, is absolutely helpless against the attack of any third-rate power possessing modern iron-clad vessels armed with heavy rifled cannon. It would appear unnecessary to present arguments to show the folly of continuing such a condition of affairs, or to prove the necessity of protecting our most important sea-ports and harbors by all the appliances known to the present state of the science and art of war. The reports of my predecessors have fully and ably set forth our deplorable condition, and the reasons and means for bettering it. I call special attention to the annual reports of the Chief of Engineers for 1881, 1882, and 1884, and earnestly suggest a careful study of the facts and recommendations therein set forth. The following extract from the Report of The Board of Engineers is presented here as bearing on this matter: 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 |