completing the modifications of the drainage; to re-enforcing with granite arches the scarp walls of the gorge magazines, and lining the same; to building the stairway towers in the angles of fronts one, two, four, and five, the foundations of which have been laid, and the superstructure of one of them one-third laid; and to building foundation for bomb-proof traverse on front five; to the preparation of cut stone for the stairway towers, bomb-proof traverses, centre pintlegun platforms, re-enforcing magazines and other parts of the work. The gun casemates and embrasures have been all completed, in all their details, and are ready for their armament. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $25,000. New Fort Preble, Portland harbor, Maine, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel B. S. Alexander, brevet brigadier general United States army, Lieutenant Colonel George Thom, brevet brigadier general United States army, and Major Thomas Lincoln Casey, brevet colonel United States army.-During the past year all the grillage and capping for the foundations of the scarps was completed, and the foundations of all the scarps, excepting the north flank, brought to about reference (12'). Sufficient work was also done upon the superstructure of the scarps to complete eight more embrasures, and to bring to the level of the soles eight other embrasures. The rock excavation for the scarps of the old work was about one-half completed, and the masonry of fronts B and C commenced. During the present year it is proposed to complete all the additions to, and modifications of, the older portions of this fortification. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $25,000. Fort Scammell, Portland harbor, Maine, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel B. S. Alexander, brevet brigadier general United States army, and Major Thomas Lincoln Casey, brevet colonel United States army.-During the past year five embrasures were built in the scarps of the second tier of the west bastion, while in the east bastion four casemates for guns and one for flank howitzers were completed, and the two magazines in the gorge of this work nearly finisheu. During the coming year it is proposed to complete the four magazines in the gorges of the east and west bastions, and the magazine traverses A, B, and C in the main work. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $60,000. Fort Constitution, Portsmouth harbor, N. H., in charge of Lieutenant Colonel Z. B. Tower, brevet major general United States army, and Lieutenant Colonel J. G. Foster, brevet major general United States army.-The work performed during the year comprised the laying of one course of the scarp wall of the north front, the building of the scarp of the northeast front to the reference of (15'), the construction of two embrasures and commencement and almost completion of two others on that front, the laying of the flagging between four main piers upon the southeast front, and the construction of two embrasures on the south front. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Fort McClary, Portsmouth harbor, Kittery Point, Me., in charge of Lieutenant Colonel Z. B. Tower, brevet major general United States army, and Lieutenant Colonel J. G. Foster, brevet major general United States army.The work executed comprises the excavation for ditch, by blasting out the rock on the north and west fronts, which has been nearly completed; the preparations for laying the first courses of the scarp wall upon those fronts; the taking down of a portion of the scarp of the southwest front, and the commencement of its reconstruction. It is proposed during the present year to complete the rock excavation of the ditch on the north and west fronts, to build the entire scarp wall of those fronts, including the two flanking caponnieres, with their entrances and the adjacent magazines, to complete the alteration of the west end of the scarp on the south front, and to continue this wall to form the revetment of the foot of the ditch of the west front. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $100,000. Fort Warren, Boston harbor, Mass., in charge of Colonel H. W. Benham, brevet major general United States army.-The small amount of funds available was expended in completing fittings of casemates and relaying the traverse circles with longer radii on the parapet front number one. The fittings of the officers' quarters were arranged and a hospital completely prepared, the cutting of the main gateway stones executed, the ravelin magazine was embanked and sodded, and other parts of the slopes and embankments repaired and sodded, It is expected that with the funds available for this year the main gateway will be completed; the two traverse magazines of the coverface, and the main one upon the ravelin, and one or two on the front number five, in rear of the ravelin, will be completed. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $90,000. Fort Winthrop and batteries, Boston harbor, Mass., in charge of Colonel H W. Benham, brevet major general United States army-During the year the earth covering and sodding of the west magazine of south battery was completed, the covering and sodding of the other magazines; and the parapet of the south battery was repaired and grassed, as well as those of the east and northwest batteries; the broken ground of the bluff below the south battery was regulated and dressed with mould and grass seed. The northeast and northwest bastions of the earth-work to surround the tower were commenced, the tunnel covered way to south battery was excavated, the concreted foundation of its walls laid and those walls commenced. It is expected that the arched covered way to connect the ditch of the tower with the south battery will be completed and covered over this autumn, and that a great portion of the earthen embankment of the glacis at the tower, with part of its parapets, will, also, be in position in season to secure the consolidating action of the winter season upon it. On the opening of the next season this earth-work will be carried toward completion as far as the funds available will permit. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $100,000. Fort Independence, Boston harbor, Mass., in charge of Colonel H. W. Benham, brevet major general United States army.-No work was executed during the fiscal year for want of funds, but it is expected that the work of building the traverse magazines, and those in the northwest and southwest exterior batteries, with the modifications proposed for the parapet of the latter, with the double traverse magazine on the northeast bastion B will be completed during the present fiscal year. A sea wall, to connect with the present one in rear of the southeast exterior battery, is necessary to protect the shore at that point. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $50,000. Permanent forts at Provincetown harbor, Mass.-Commencement of operations here are waiting for the preparation of plans for the works. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Fort at Clark's Point, New Bedford harbor, Mass., in charge of Major George H. Mendell, brevet colonel United States army, and Captain Jared A. Smith, brevet major United States army.-Three casemates have been made ready for guns, three casemates for quarters made ready for interior finish. Masonry of five magazines completed and three magazines made ready for powder. The scarp and parade walls, including stair towers, chimneys and flues, nearly completed. The arrangements for guns in barbette are far advanced. It is proposed during the present fiscal year to complete as nearly as possible the arrangements for guns "en barbette," and it is expected that not less than three front pintle platforms, and two with centre pintles, will be ready for guns, and that the foundations for all the barbette guns will be ready to receive the platforms, and all the stone will be cut. The scarp and parade walls will be completed, and the breast height wall, parapet and terreplein well advanced. All the brick furring of quarters will be completed, and it is expected considerable progress will be made in construction of ditch and counter-scarp. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $50,000. Fort Adams, Newport harbor, R. I., in charge of Major D. G. Houston, brevet colonel United States army-The work at this fort, on the main work, has consisted in relaying the traverse circles in the casemates of the west front and repairs of the officers' quarters, substituting cast iron hoppers for the open sinks in the southeast bastion for the use of the soldiers, repairs of brick terreplein, repairs of parapet, and various other repairs essential to the preservation of the work. The alteration of the coverface has been completed. Four additional platforms have been laid, two for fifteen-inch guns and two for ten-inch guns; also, two service magazines have been constructed. Work on the exterior batteries, to adapt them to an armament of fifteen-inch and heavy rifled guns, was commenced in September last. The work proposed for the year ending June 30, 1868, so far as can be foreseen at present, will consist in the prosecution of the work on the exterior batteries, repairs of permanent wharf, building a guard-house, repairs of brick embrasures of the fort, alterations of present magazines and construction of service magazines, covering the arches of the main work west front to prevent leakage, &c. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Defences on Dutch island, western entrance, Narragansett bay, R. I., in charge of Major D. C. Houston, brevet colonel United States army.-The work at this point during the year, which was not commenced until the latter part of March, 1867, has consisted mainly in altering an earthen battery built during the war, and known as the "upper battery," to adapt it to receive an armament of heavy guns, centre pintle carriages. Since that time the old platforms have been removed, the embrasures filled up, and six pintle blocks set; concrete laid for the foundations of the gun platforms and magazines. In addition, repairs have been made to the various buildings and wharf necessary to their preservation, and roads constructed and repaired. The operations for the year ending June 30, 1868, will, it is expected, consist in completing the alterations of the "upper battery," building a permanent wharf, moving and altering buildings for office and overseer's quarters, making roads and preparing site for work on the summit of the island, and prosecuting the work under the plans already prepared. The "lower battery" has been provided with two service magazines. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Fort Trumbull, New London harbor, Conn., in charge of Captain Samuel M. Mansfield, brevet lieutenant colonel United States army, and Major D. C. Houston, brevet colonel United States army.-The work at this fort during the year has consisted only in a few repairs necessary to its preservation in good order. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Fort Hale, New Haven harbor, Conn., in charge of Captain Samuel M. Mansfield, brevet lieutenant colonel United States army, and Major D. C. Houston, brevet colonel United States Army-In February of this year the work was completed, the public property, tools, &c., sold at auction, and the fort placed in charge of a fort keeper. The magazines of this work are in good condition. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Fort Schuyler, eastern entrance to New York harbor, in charge of Major H. L. Abbot, brevet brigadier general United States army. The operations during the past year have been confined to completing two service magazines, beginning and partly constructing two other service magazines, preparing to lay two fifteen-inch gun platforms, with necessary removal of old platforms, a stone parapet and breast height wall, all upon the coverface, and to making necessary repairs upon the main work and engineer buildings. The operations proposed for the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1868, are the following: completing two magazines and two fifteen-inch gun platforms, &c., and repairs to wharf, which may be done with the balance now available; constructing magazine in place of arms, and extending sea wall. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $45,000. Fort at Willett's Point, eastern entrance to New York harbor, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel James C. Duane, brevet brigadier general United States army. Scarp walls have been built to within two courses of their tull height; piers have been built to spring lines of casemate arches, second tier; filling room in channel bastion finished; magazine in channel bastion nearly finished; casemate floors, second tier, finished, excepting four; northwest drain gallery finished; northeast drain gallery commenced; new guard house nearly finished. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $100,000. Fort Columbus, Governor's island, New York harbor, in charge of Major Nicolas Bowen, brevet colonel United States army.-The operations of the year at this work consisted, in part, in flagging the walks and curbs of the parade, and the area of the magazine, removing old cobble stone covering of postern and ramps and replacing it with the Belgian pavement, cleaning and pointing, where necessary, the masonry of the main gateway, postern, breast heights, magazines and sortie passages, cleaning and renewing drains and gutters, grading and repairing roads and walks on the island and improving their drainage, repairing drawbridge, and constructing a vault cellar, grassing bare spots on glacis and other slopes, renewing fences and removing hot-shot furnaces. It is proposed during the present fiscal year to alter the slope of the cunettes and renovate the system of drainage for the work, to continue unfinished repairs, point the scarp walls and other masonry, repair the coping and top of main gateway, and effect such other repairs as may be necessary. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Castle Williams, Governor's island, New York harbor, in charge of Major Nicolas Bowen, brevet colonel United States army-The tower steps have been finished, the roof of one tower has been entirely renewed and the other repaired and painted. All the masonry has been pointed. The three galleries of communication of the casemates and the one along the gorge wall have been almost entirely renewed, painted, and braced with iron. The doors of the magazine, and the gates, the window sashes, leaders and gutters, have been repaired and painted, the mastic covering of the barbette tier has been repaired and the leakage through it stopped. The shot furnace removed. The present fiscal year it is proposed to make such repairs as may be required for the preservation of the work. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. South Battery, Governor's island, New York harbor, in charge of Major Nicolas Bowen, brevet colonel United States army. Slight repairs have been made to the scarp walls. Such other repairs as may be required for the preservation of the work will be male this year. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Fort Wood, Bedloe's island, New York harbor, in charge of Major Nicolas Bowen, brevet colonel United States army-During the year the drains have been cleaned and repaired. The appearance of cholera, and a resulting quarantine of the island, interrupted further work. For the operations of the present year it is proposed to point the masonry, paint the two magazines, improve the system of drainage, repair the drawbridge and gates, sow grass seed where required, repave parade and posterns, and make such other repairs as a proper preservation of the work may call for. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. New Battery, near Fort Hamilton, New York harbor, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel John Newton, brevet major general United States army-Operations during the year-Construction of the south magazine, taking up platforms to make room for traverse magazines, and commencing the same. At seven platforms, revetment and platform flags have been set, and portions of breast-height wall not heretofore finished have been laid. At platform No. 22 the traverse stones have been rebedded and lowered one foot; five magazine doors made; embanking parapet of battery, sodding, grading and soiling slopes of parapet. Present condition of work.-North magazine ready for service; south magazine arches turned and mastic covering applied, not entirely complete; three traverse magazines complete, one in process of being lengthened; five traverse magazines commenced and in process of construction. The battery is essentially ready for service. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Fort Hamilton, New York harbor, in charge of Lieutenant Colonel John Newton, brevet major general United States army.-Operations during the past year. A trifling amount has been expended in cutting down some embrasures of the north front, to allow egress from the casemates, and in removing shot furnaces of the old pattern from the interior of the work. Condition of the work.-The work needs occasional and slight repairs in pointing, &c. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Fort Wadsworth, New York harbor, in charge of Colonel J. G. Barnard, brevet major general United States army, and Major Q. A. Gillmore, brevet major general United States army. On the interior of this work the guardhouse and the two cisterns adjacent thereto have been finished, and some necessary pointing of masonry done. On the exterior the sand and earth, which has for years been accumulating in the ditch from the washings of the slopes and other unfinished earthwork near the fort, has been excavated to within a few inches of the proper depth, and two sluice-ways from the ditch to tide-water. completed. No appropriation asked for the next fiscal year. Fort on site of Fort Tompkins, New York harbor, in charge of Colonel J. G. Barnard, brevet major general United States army, and Major Q. A. Gillmore, brevet major general United States army.-During the year five additional casemates (second tier) have been furred, twenty-one casemates (eleven first tier and ten second tier) floored, and nine casemates (six in the south flank and three in the southwest face) fitted up for soldiers' quarters. All the doorway openings in the fort have been provided with suitable wrought-iron doors, so that very little except glazing remains to be done to render all the casemates in the four land fronts ready for occupancy. On the exterior the road leading down to North Cliff battery has been cut and formed, and the slopes on either side brought into shape and partially finished. Extensive damages by rain-storms to the main slopes on the channel front have likewise been repaired, a twelve-inch drain from south soldiers' latrine to foot of slope put in place, and the battery southeast of Fort Tompkins finished and put in readiness for its guns. The platforms for the guns on the four land fronts are finished. The operations of the current fiscal year will be limited to work upon the latrines on the slope in front of the work, to a moderate extent, and providing for the overflow of the cisterns within the work. Appropriation asked for the next fiscal year, $25,000. Battery Hudson, New York harbor, in charge of Colonel J. G. Barnard, brevet major general United States army, and Major Q. A. Gillmore, brevet |