Hampton Roads, Virginia.-Officer in charge, Lieut. Col. Peter C. Hains, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. George A. Zinn, Corps of Engi neers, under his immediate orders. The approved project of defense contemplates, for the present, five 12-inch guns on lifts, ten 10-inch guns on disappearing carriages, thirtytwo 12-inch mortars, and submarine mines operated from two mining casemates. Plant and materials have been collected for the construction of two emplacements for 8-inch guns, the concrete work of the mining casemate is completed, and the sand cover is being put in place. San Francisco Harbor, California.-Officer in charge, Col. George H. Mendell, Corps of Engineers, with Lieuts. Henry C. Newcomer, and Charles L. Potter, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders, the former since September 4, 1889, the latter since June 17, 1891. The approved project of defense contemplates, for the present, eighteen 12-inch guns on lifts, twenty-three 10-inch and thirteen 8-inch guns on disappearing carriages; fifteen 12 inch, five 10 inch, and six 8-inch guns on non-disappearing carriages; one hundred and forty-four 12-inch mortars, and submarine mines operated from seven mining casemates. Two mining casemates are completed. A third was commenced in May, and excavation work continued through June. About 3,000 cubic yards was excavated for two emplacements for 8-inch guns, and a concretemixer and a stone-crusher have been ordered. Drawings of detailed plans have been made for emplacements for one 8-inch and three 10-inch guns, and the amount of concrete and excavation required has been computed. The drawings of sections remain to be made. PROTECTION OF SITE OF FORT NIAGARA, NEW YORK. Officer in charge, Maj. M. B. Adams, Corps of Engineers, until November 10, 1890; afterwards, Capt. Dan C. Kingman, Corps of Engi neers; Division Engineer, Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers. Protection of site.-Operations have been in progress for the protection of the site under allotments made from the appropriations for "Sea walls and Embankments." The project provided for the repair of the sea wall along the lake front, the construction of dikes of fascines, iron pickets, and stone along the river and a portion of the lake front, and the filling in behind these dikes to a height of 6 feet above low water, leaving a flat slope down to the water, then a suitable roadway, then a steeper slope to the general level of the site, to protect the lower slope by a growth of willows, and the upper slope by sod. Under this project repairs have been made to the wall at the northwest angle, which had been breached and thrown down by the waves, and some 1,711 feet of dike has been built. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 13,000.00 26, 105.30 (See Appendix No. 1.) SEA WALL AND EMBANKMENT AT DAVIDS ISLAND, NEW YORK HARBOR. Officer in charge, Col. D. C. Houston, Corps of Engineers. Davids Island, 21 miles distant by water from the Battery, New York City, is one of the principal recruiting stations of the Army. On the east side of the island was a bay into which garbage and refuse matter frequently drifted, becoming a source of annoyance and possible disease to the troops stationed there; separated from the bay by a low sand beach was a fresh-water pond, formerly used as a water supply during drought, and still used as an ice pond. To protect the pond from salt water, as well as for sanitary reasons, the construction of a sea wall in front of this beach was recommended in 1883 and 1884. In 1886 $47,000 was estimated as the cost of a masonry wall about 980 feet long, with embankment behind, the wall to be placed near low-water line and to rise to 12 feet above mean low. water level. Under the appropriation of September 22, 1888, $47,000 was allotted for this sea wall and embankment. Recent stringent regulations prevent the deposit of garbage in this vicinity; therefore a riprap wall with dimension stone capping was substituted for the masonry wall originally designed, the cost being less and the wall equally effective. The sea wall was completed in April, 1890; work on the embankment, which was in progress July 1, 1890, was completed September 13. In March, 1891, at request of the Quartermaster's Department, an examination was made of the shore above the coal wharf on the west side of the island, where the bank has been caving for several years; the damage was found to have been serious during the past winter, and a survey was made as a basis for estimates of cost of protection there and at other points. The field work of this survey is just completed, and the officer in charge reports that protection of the shore northeast of the coal wharf is necessary, and should be undertaken as soon as practicable; he estimates $30,000 as the cost of a sea wall about 1,100 feet long, and of embankment behind it to reclaim and preserve about 11⁄2 acres area. The final report upon the survey will include a consideration of other points where protection of the shore is less immediately necessary. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended.. June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year July 1, 1891, balance unexpended. July 1, 1891, balance available Amount (estimated) required for completion of project submitted June 30, 1891..... $15,798.94 4, 201.08 11,597.86 11, 597.86 55,000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893. 55,000,00 (See Appendix 2 A.) SEA WALLS AT GOVERNORS ISLAND, NEW YORK HARBor. Officer in charge, Col. D. C. Houston, Corps of Engineers. The project adopted in 1865 provided for inclosing the entire island. by a sea wall. Under an allotment made in 1865, and other subsequent allotments and appropriations, walls were built on the south, southeast, east, and northwest sides of the island, which, with the Castle Williams wall and the ordnance wall, inclosed the entire island, with the exception of about 325 feet at the coal wharf, for which no estimate has heretofore been submitted, and about 1,515 feet on the west side of the island, for which $50,000 was appropriated by act of August 18, 1890. A contract for the construction of this wall and for embankment back of it was made November 26, 1890; work of building the wall was begun in May, 1891, and is now in progress. To June 30, 1891, 144.05 cubic yards of concrete foundation and 153.59 linear feet of masonry wall were laid. Work on the embankment has not been begun. A masonry wall should be built at the coal wharf on the east side of the island about 325 feet long, estimated to cost $17,000. July 1, 1890, balance unexpended Amount appropriated by act approved August 18, 1890.. $8,757.10 50,000.00 58,757.10 June 30, 1891, amount expended during fiscal year.. 5, 016. 12 July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.... 53,740.98 July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1891, amount covered by uncompleted contracts.... $2,608.44 50,055, 20 July 1, 1891, balance available...... 3,685.78 Amount (estimated) required for completion of project submitted June 30, 1891.... 17,000.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893.. (See Appendix 2 B.) BEACH PROTECTION, WATER SUPPLY, AND SEWERAGE SYSTEM AT FORT MONROE, VIRGINIA. Officer in charge, Lieut. Col. Peter C. Hains, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. George A. Zinn, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders. Beach protection.-The erosion of the beach on the bay side and to the northeastward of Fort Monroe has progressed to such an extent that the narrow strip of beach connecting Fort Monroe with the main land is in danger of being cut through. An allotment from the appropriation for preservation and repair of fortifications enabled the construction of jetties to be commenced, the work being continued with an appropriation of $27,000 made for this purpose by act of February 24, 1891. A contract was made March 4, 1891, for the construction of about 1,600 feet of pile jetty, and the work is now in progress. From present indications the erosion will be checked and accretions may result. (See Appendix 3 A.) Water supply.-The supply of water is dependent upon rain water stored in cisterns, and water of inferior quality brought across Mill Creek by a system of iron pipes. It is important that an adequate supply be had within the limits of the fortification. An appropriation of $10,000 for obtaining such a supply was recommended in my last annual report; $6,000 was appropriated by act of February 24, 1891. This amount not being sufficient to sink a well to a depth already demonstrated at this place to be insufficient, it has not been expended; and it is recommended that the additional $4,000, thought necessary, be appropriated. (See Appendix 3 B.) Sewerage system. The act of March 2, 1889, appropriated $27,000 for a complete system of sewerage, inside and outside of the fort. Bids received for this work demonstrated the insufliciency of the appropriation therefor. In February, 1891, the owners of private property on the reservation, as directed by the Secretary of War, submitted plans for a sewerage system for their buildings; with this system it is proposed to connect a system of sewerage for Government buildings for which the appropriation will suffice. These plans were returned for slight modification March 6, 1891, and have not been again submitted. (See Appendix 3 C.) REPAIR AND PRESERVATION OF FORT MARION, FLORIDA. Officer in charge, Capt. W. M. Black, Corps of Engineers, with Lieut. David DuB. Gaillard, Corps of Engineers, under his immediate orders; Division Engineer, Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers. By act of August 18, 1890, $15,000 was appropriated for the repair and preservation of this work, and for the construction of sea wall to preserve the site. Work was begun October 20, 1890, and continued to the close of the fiscal year; 342.5 feet of sea wall was built, the terreplein was paved and drained, communications were restored and renewed, window frames and sashes were replaced by iron gratings, door and window facings repaired, the ditch cleaned out and graded, glacis planes were restored, and all low places on the reservation filled and graded, fences were built, concrete paths laid, and many trees and plants put out. Additional and final work of restoration and improvement of fort and grounds remains, for which an estimate of $6,500 is submitted. Amount appropriated by act approved August 18, 1890. July 1, 1891, balance unexpended.. July 1, 1891, outstanding liabilities.. $15,000.00 13,782.00 1,218.00 575.84 July 1, 1891, balance available 642.16 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1893 (See Appendix No. 4.) 6,500.00 6,500.00 For preparation of plans for fortifications.... 5,000 For repair and preservation of Fort Marion, Florida, and for construction of sea wall to preserve the site.. 6,500 For artesian well at Fort Monroe, Virginia.... 4,000 For sea wall at Governors Island, New York Harbor 17,000 For sea wall at Davids Island, New York Harbor For needful casemates, cable galleries, etc., from which to operate submarine mines 30,000 200,000 3,489,500 THE BOARD OF ENGINEERS. The Board, as at present constituted, consists of the following officers of the Corps of Engineers: Col. Henry L. Abbot, Col. C. B. Comstock, Col. D. C. Houston, Lieut. Col. G. L. Gillespie. Col. G. H. Mendell, Corps of Engineers, is also a member of the Board when it is acting upon matters pertaining to the defensive works on the Pacific coast. The Board has considered the various subjects referred to it during the past year by the Chief of Engineers, and the following is a br summary of the reports rendered thereon: 1890, July 7. On House Representatives 10,905, Fifty-first Congre first session, a bill to authorize the construction of a bridge across Hudson River between New York City and New Jersey. July 23. On the necessary defenses of our entire Atlantic and G coasts. August 28. On expenses for the office of the Board for the year e ing June 30, 1891. August 28. On suggestions of Capt. J. G. D. Knight, Corps of En neers, concerning the gun-lift designed by Colonel Abbot. August 28. On the necessary defenses of the Pacific coast line, cepting Alaska. September 8. On project for a gun-lift battery at Sandy Hook. September 20. On land to be acquired for defensive purposes Coney Island. September 22. On the expenditure of funds appropriated by the a of August 18, 1890, for torpedo purposes. October 6. On locations for mortar batteries for the defense of t eastern entrance to New York Harbor. October 13. Relative to project of Lieut. Col. J. A. Smith, Corps Engineers, of October 7, 1890, for a mining casemate and search-lig room at Portland, Me. October 14. On changes recommended by Lieut. Col. W. R. Ki Corps of Engineers, in torpedo matériel. November 24. On device of Boyd W. Desart for a portable ponto bridge. November 24. On project of Lieut. Col. P. C. Hains, Corps of En neers, of November 13, 1890, for mining casemate and cable gallery Fort Monroe, Va. November 24. On project of Lieut. Col. J. A. Smith, Corps of En neers, of October 18, 1890, for expenditure of $65,000 for improvi Saco River, Maine. December 1. Project for the expenditure of a balance of $60,000, of March 2, 1889, "for needful casemates and cable galleries." December 1. Views as to the rapid-firing guns which will be nec sary for the seacoast defense of the United States. December 17. General report on the defense of the port of San Fr cisco. The estimates for the works projected for the defense of t harbor were transmitted to the Chief of Engineers on April 25, 18 and the final drawings on June 2, 1891. December 22. On changes recommended by Lieut. Col. W. R. Ki Corps of Engineers, in torpedo matériel. December 22. Relative to bridge across Newark Bay to be construct by the Jersey City, Newark and Western Railway Company. December 22. On changes proposed by Lieut. Col. G. L. Gilles Corps of Engineers, in gun-lift battery at Sandy Hook. December 31. On report of Lieut. Col. G. L. Gillespie, Corps of 1 gineers, relative to purchase of land at Fort Hamilton for defensive p poses. 1891. January 24. On torpedo invented by Lieutenant Borresen, Roj Norwegian Navy. January 24. On plan of Messrs. Churchill and Mullen, for operati torpedoes from the shore. January 27. On Senaté 5,027, Fifty-first Congress, second sessi "A bill in relation to the Departments of the Army of the Unit States." |