One hundred and eighty-four linear feet of sea-wall in front of Little Bay battery, toward the wharf, have been completed, making a thorough finish of the whole wall between northwest curtain of stone fort and fort wharf; a considerable amount of riprapping has been done, partly by engineer troops. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. $80,000 A large appropriation is urgently needed, not only on account of the importance of the channel to be protected, but also because the condition of the work is such that rapid and costly deterioration results from leaving it exposed in its present unfinished condition. Fort Columbus, Governor's Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-During the past year repairs were made to the drawbridge and approach, and the engineer wharf was replanked. This work should be provided with sewers to connect with the latrines, which, by means of a force-pump, could be flushed with salt water, or, better still, should well-sinking prove to be a success, with fresh water. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. $5,500 New barbette battery at Fort Columbus, Governor's Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-No work was done here during the past fiscal year, and none contemplated during the present year. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. Castle Williams, Governor's Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-No work was done here during the last fiscal year. The casemates of this old work are used by the general recruiting-service as quarters, &c. The mastic pavement of the terreplein is in very bad order, permitting extensive leaks into the quarters. This pavement cannot stand exposure to the sun and frost, and requires continual repairs and renewal. A new roof is needed, for which an appropriation is asked. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. $3,000 South Battery, Governor's Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-No work was done here during the past fiscal year, and none contemplated during the present. Fort Wood, Bedloe's Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. 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 bombardment. No appropriation was made for this work for the year ending June 30, 1876. The small balance on hand at the beginning of the year was used on the exterior water-battery in grading terreplein and filling in parapet. Permanent doors were hung to magazines Nos. 3 and 4. The main drain or sewer in parade of the fort was depressed its entire length in order to give sufficient descent to carry off the sewage. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. No appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Fort Hamilton, and additional batteries, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-These works are situated at The Narrows of New York Harbor, upon the Long Island side. During the year, in Battery 1, the platforms and breast-height wall were completed. The parapet and end of traverses have been raised to the required height, and rear slopes of parapet sodded. In the 15-inch gun battery no work was done except slight repairs to the slopes. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. $10,000 Mortar Battery at Fort Hamilton, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-During the year repairs have been made to the silt basins, surface-drain cut to carry off water from around platform No. 1, terreplein graded, and soil spread on slopes. Fort Wadsworth, Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. 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. The operations during the last fiscal year have been mostly restricted to the preparation of the necessary appliances for the defense of the channel by torpedoes. This has been completed, with the exception of a small amount of concrete-work, which can be put in in a few days. The store-room roofs, over the two principal magazines, and the roof of the guard-house, have been repaired and painted. There has been no change in the armament of the work. The ditch requires cleaning out; some painting, lacquering, and pointing are necessary; and shot-beds are needed on the parade of the work. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. No appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Fort on site of Fort Tompkins, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. 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 these works, and, when completed, will throw a heavy fire from a high elevation upon vessels attempting to pass before it. During the past fiscal year a covered reservoir, for furnishing the garrison with fresh water, was constructed in the glacis, near the angle of the counterscarp of the south and southwest faces. It has a capacity of 50,000 gallons, supplied from a spring which flows into the ditch of Fort Wadsworth, near the southwest angle. The spring yields an ample supply of excellent water, which is collected in a supply-basin formed by the erection of two concrete walls across the ditch of the work, inclosing an area of 3,150 superficial feet. The water is forced from the supply-basin into the reservoir, through a 4-inch cast-iron pipe, by means of a steam force-pump located in one of the lower rooms of the guard-house of Fort Wadsworth. From the reservoir two 6-inch castiron pipes conduct the water away; one of them to the latrine in the south ditch of Fort Tompkins, the other to the parade of the work, with branch pipes into a casemate used as a bath and wash rooms. This pipe has been continued by the Quartermaster's Department to the officers' quarters and hospital, situated on a level upward of 50 feet below the floor of the reservoir. The new soldiers' latrine, at the east end of the south ditch, is 14 feet by 24 feet inside; is built of brick, with 12-inch walls above the floor, over a sink 7 feet wide and 8 feet deep, in which water constantly stands at the depth of 2 feet, with appliances for flushing it whenever necessary. The floor and risers of the seats are of cut blue-stone flagging, with yellow-pine coping for the seats. The other operations have consisted in hanging the sally-port doors, pointing the cut-granite masonry in the breast-height walls, barbette traverse magazines, and a portion of the the parade piers along the channel front, in repairing and preserving the slopes, and straightening the sewer leading from new latrine to the river at its point of junction with the old latrine. The expenditures not contemplated in the original projects for the year have amounted to about $10,000. The fort is in readiness to receive its armament of channel-bearing guns. No operations can be carried on during the present fiscal year for want of funds. The large slope between the fort and the south end of the north cliff battery is in a very bad condition, and provision ought to be made for grading it into terraces and completing it. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year to continue the work, and the north cliff and south cliff batteries..... $50,000 Glacis Gun Battery, (north of fort, on site of Fort Tompkins,) Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engi neers.-This battery has been in readiness to receive its armament for the last three years. Some little work yet remains to be done to the magazine doors and lamp-closets. No work was done during the last fiscal year except to cut the grass from the slopes and repair minor damages to the same. No appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Glacis Mortar Battery, (south of fort, on site of Fort Tompkins,) Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This battery and its armament are ready for service. During the past fiscal year portions of the slopes damaged by heavy rains have been repaired and resodded. A little work yet remains to be done upon the lamp closets, and the principal magazine requires to be furred off. No appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Battery Hudson, Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-This work, together with those on the north and south cliffs, forms a system of open barbette batteries lying exterior to Forts Tompkins and Wadsworth, and bringing a pow erful fire to bear upon the channel up to and through The Narrows. The operations on the east face of the battery consisted in constructing the granite masonry of the permanent breast-height wall and low traverse platforms Nos. 2 and 3, built with the additional height required for the new ordnance carriage. The platforms are completed, with the exception of the iron traverse rails and a portion of the earthen parapet. Granite was also prepared for three permanent platforms, Nos. 7, 8, and 9, intended to be constructed on the site now occupied by the six 300pounder Parrot rifles; but these rifles have not yet been removed, as was contemplated at the beginning of the fiscal year, it being thought best not to reduce the existing armament. In the extension of the battery, a permanent breast-height, wall with bomb-proof shelter, and retaining wall at the west end of the battery, have been constructed. The five wooden platforms have had the rear traverse rails cut off, and, in connection with permanent outer traverse stones, have been relaid for the new ordnance carriage. These platforms are complete except the outer traverse rails, which will be put down with the balance on hand; all the finished masonry in the battery has been pointed, and some extensive damages to the earth-slopes re paired. No platforms have been made ready for the guns since the last annual report, but two will be completed during the present month. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year to continue the work........ $31,000 South Mortar Battery, (in rear of Battery Hudson extension,) Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-The work necessary for the completion of this battery consists in constructing and laying eight timber mortar platforms upon concrete foundations, now in place, in fitting up the inner magazine doors and two lamp closets. No platforms are finished. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. North Cliff Battery, Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-No operations were carried on during the fiscal year except repairing a portion of the slopes, and cutting grass. This battery is ready for four guns, in addition to those already mounted. No separate appropriation is asked for the next fiscal year. South Cliff Battery, Staten Island, New York Harbor, in charge of Lieut. Col. Q. A. Gillmore, Corps of Engineers.-The project submitted at the beginning of the fiscal year was modified in order to construct the supply basin, reservoir, and latrine, and repair damages to slopes, referred to in the report on Fort Tompkins. In accordance with the plans for the modification of the battery, the new traverse magazine, with covered passage, near the north end of the battery, has been finished, except a portion of the earthwork and the doors. The front wall of the covered passage opposite the north principal magazine has been carried to the springing-line of the arch, and the granite skewback laid. The covered passage to be added to the old traverse magazine, north of the above-named principal magazine has had the rear wall of the passage built to the skewback and the skewback laid. The center pintle platform, No. 17, was removed and sent to Fort Sumter, and the front pintle platforms, Nos. 4, 5, 11, and 12, (old numbers,) were removed in the execution of approved modifications. Excavations have been made in two places through the parapet and 8-inch drain-pipe laid to near high-water mark, to afford additional drainage for the battery. Eight guns are in position in this battery, and the platforms are ready for all the others. No separate appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Fort at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, in charge of Lieut. Col. John Newton, Corps of Engineers.-One of the great objects of this work is to prevent the occupation of the lower bay as an anchorage by an enemy's fleets. No operations have been conducted during the year except occasional repairs to the jetties and taking down and storing away derricks. The southern boundary-line has been laid out and marked by granite blocks. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. No appropriation asked for next fiscal year. Fort Mifflin, Delaware River, Pennsylvania, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. D. Kurtz, Corps of Engineers.-This fort constitutes one of the inner line of works for the defense of Philadelphia and the naval establishment at League Island. During the past fiscal year a torpedo casemate of concrete masonry, with sodded covering traverse, has been completed, excepting a portion of the gallery extending beyond the scarp-wall. The traverse rails of gun-platforms 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35, main work, were laid. In the exterior battery, nine wooden gun-platforms have been laid; the brick breast-height wall, with concrete backing, in front of gun-platforms 43, 44, 45, 46, 47 and 48 has been completed; magazine 44-45 finished, except sand traverse, and the concrete masonry of magazine 46-47 completed with mastic covering. All this concrete masonry is protected by a covering of sand, the terreplein and parapet of gun-platforms 43 and 44 have been partly graded ready for seeding, and sods have been placed on the steep slopes along the edge of the breast-height wall. About 700 cubic yards of sand have been received and embanked in the battery. In addition to the above, and the necessary grading of the slopes, the steep profile slope of the down-river branch was sodded; repairs have been made to the sodded slopes of main work and demilune; repairs to the dike at several places on Delaware front made, aud an accumulation of mud in the moat has been removed. No appropriation having been made for the present fiscal year, the work will be placed in the care of a fort-keeper and watchman. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. Appropriation asked for next fiscal year $75,000 During the next fiscal year it is proposed, if funds are provided, to complete the exterior battery, the modification of south 15-inch-gun battery, of the demilune, the battery on the south face of the main work for two 15-inch guns, and construct the storage magazine of the demilune. Mortar Battery at Fort Mifflin, Delaware River, Pennsylvania, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. D. Kurtz, Corps of Engineers.-No work has been done at this battery during the past year for the want of funds, and none is proposed for the present fiscal year, for the same reason. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. Site for the defenses at Red Bank, New Jersey, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. D. Kurtz, Corps of Engineers.-During the past year necessary small repairs have been made to the dikes, buildings, and fences, and general care and supervision have been maintained over the property. The funds for these purposes were allotted from the appropriation for contingencies of fortifications. No appropriation has yet been made for a battery on this site. Fort Delaware, Delaware River, Delaware, in charge of Lieut. Col. J. D. Kurtz, Corps of Engineers.-This work, situated on the Pea Patch Island, forms one of the chain of works constituting the outer line of defense for the Delaware River. The small amount available during the past fiscal year has been ap. plied to such repairs as were most necessary, and to the preservation of public property. The timber foundation of upper eastern wharf has been protected from the ice by iron-plating, and injury to the stone superstructure has been repaired, and the top of the wharf has been finished for 10 feet back from the head. Some repairs have been made to the southern wharf, and the bridge leading to it has been rebuilt. A portion of the flagging of the parade-walk has been relaid. Slight repairs have been made to temporary buildings and fences, and the sodded slopes and grounds have been kept in good condition. No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. $40,000 |