Fort Niagara, Niagara river, New York, in charge of Lieutenant C. E. Blunt. Some repairs and renewals are needed here, the principal of which is the substitution, as at Fort Wayne, of a suitable stone scarp for the present timber revetment. The cribs that have been placed along the shores of the lake and river during the last few years continue to serve a good purpose in protecting the site, but they should be added to, in order to a more perfect and extensive effect. For these objects an appropriation of $50,000 is asked for the coming fiscal year. Fort Ontario, Oswego, New York, in charge of Lieutenant C. E. Blunt.-Nothing has been done at this work during the year for want of means. The decay of the timber scarp and gun platforms, already reported more than once, is still going on, and the necessity for yearly expenditures on this account can only be prevented by the erection of a permanent scarp of masonry and the substitution of stone platforms. for the present imperfect wooden ones. Some other and minor repairs are also urgently required to perfect the defences; and for these purposes an appropriation of $50,000 is asked for the year. Fort Montgomery, Rouse's Point, New York, in charge of Lieutenant C. E. Blunt.-The counterscarp has been completed, a solid subfoundation laid for the guard-house, and a considerable addition made to the embankment of the cover-face. The scarp, piers, magazine walls, and arches of the northern bastion, have been finished, with the exception of a few yards of scarp near the salient. Seven iron and concrete embrasure linings have been put in this bastion. The masonry of the lower story of the eastern bastion (including lower arches) and of the lower story of the adjacent circular stairway has been completed, and the scarp of the faces carried up to the cordon A considerable stock of materials has been purchased for next season's work. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857...... $14,000 00 14,000 00 50,000 00 Fort Knox, Narrows of Penobscot, Maine, in charge of Captain John D. Kurtz.-The year's work embraces the completion of the front walls of the reverse fires of the ditches, the coping of the counterscarp, roofing of its galleries and casemates, embanking terrepleins and glacis, the construction of the scarp of water-fronts, including the gun embrasures and main gateway to a height of about ten feet above the casemate floors, laying foundations of south scarp and adjacent magazines, building about two-thirds of the barrack area wall, and more than half the retaining wall of the entrance ramp, putting down platforms for a part of the heavy guns in the north covered way, and laying the foundation of the breast-height wall in front of them. A shot furnace has also been constructed in battery A, the foundations of another put down in battery B, and the cistern under the south casemate of the main work built. The next year's work will embrace the continuation of the scarp, the construction of the north covered way, completion of furnace in battery B, building piers and arches of gun rooms and magazines, forming terrepleins, and embanking glacis and slopes. 1857.......... Balance in treasury October 1, 1857. $26,500 60 26,500 60 50,000 00 Fort Preble, Portland harbor, Maine, in charge of Captain John D. Kurtz.-Repairs of the defences and buildings at this post were executed to some extent during the year. The breast-heights were pointed and repaired, banquetts, gun platforms, scarp, furnaces, parade walls, and magazines put in order; portcullis machinery adjusted; wharf slightly repaired; plastering of buildings patched; outside wood work painted; cisterns and pipes put in order; fencing renewed in part; some pavements relaid; roofs repaired, and various other small repairs executed. The coming season it is expected that provision for a heavier armament will be made. No further appropriation is asked. Fort Scammel, Portland harbor, Maine, in charge of Captain John D. Kurtz.-Nothing beyond cultivating the grassed surfaces has been done during the year. Next season it is proposed to complete the unfinished parapet, and provide for changes in the armament of the work, but no additional appropriation for these objects is asked. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857.... Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858....... $2,284 51 2,284 51 Fort Constitution, Portsmouth harbor, New Hampshire, in charge of Captain John D. Kurtz.-The cultivation of the grassed surfaces has been attended to during the growing season. Next year it is expected to provide for some changes in the armament of the work, which it is designed to do out of the general grant for this purpose. priation is asked. No appro Fort McClary, Portsmouth harbor, New Hampshire, in charge of Captain John D. Kurtz.-The fort has been in care of fort keeper during the year. No operations have been undertaken, and no appropriation is asked for next year. Fortifications near mouth of Kennebec river, Maine.-At the last session of Congress an appropriation of $100,000 was made for the purpose of commencing fortifications for the mouth of this river. As soon as the plans, now being prepared by the board of engineers, are completed, and other requisite preliminary arrangements made, active operations of construction will be commenced. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857 ...... Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859.... 25,000 00 Fort on Hog Island ledge, Portland harbor, Maine.-At the last session of Congress an appropriation of $50,000 was made for this locality. There will be no unnecessary delay in beginning this important work on the completion of the plan by the board of engineers, which has it now in hand. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857 ....... $49,500 00 49,500 00 50,000 00 Fort Winthrop, Boston harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Captain H. W. Benham until July, since then of Lieutenant C. S. Stewart.The scarp wall throughout fronts Nos. 3 and 4, a distance of 247', has been raised 6' 8", to a height of 32' 4" above the foundations. The parade wall on Nos. 3 and 4 has been built from its foundation to its coping, a height of 28' 4". On front No. 1 it has been raised 23'; on front No. 2 to the level of the third story, or 11' 6" in height. The stairway has been built 11' higher. All the remaining piers and arches of the basement and second story have been put up; also, onehalf of the piers and arches of the third story. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857 $21,000 00 21,000 00 30,000 00 Fort Warren, Boston harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Lieutenant C. S. Stewart.--The breast-height wall of curtain front No. 2 has been put up for a length of 245 feet, completing the breast-height wall of the main work and its batteries. Thirteen pintle stones for the barbette guns have been put down on curtain front No. 2. These bear on the main channel; and now pintle stones for all the guns of the main work, bearing directly on the main channel, are in position. All the finish has been completed in the casemate rooms for soldiers' quarters, each 50 by 17 feet, in curtain front No. 2. The finish has been very nearly completed in ten other casemate rooms for soldiers' quarters on front No. 1, each 29' by 17'. On curtain front No. 3 the finish has been put up in seven large rooms with fireplaces, and six smaller without, for officers' quarters; also, in part, in twenty-six large rooms with, and nineteen smaller without, fireplaces. Twenty-six other rooms have been made about ready for the plasterer. The partitions, &c., of twenty rooms for quarters and of one store-room have been put up; also, the brick linings of two service magazines, one on front No. 1, the other on front No. 2. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857....... $10,674 22 10,674 22 Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1859.. 30,000 00 Fort Independence, Boston harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Captain H. W. Benham until July, since then of Lieutenant C. S. Stewart.-Owing to the presence of a garrison at this work, occupying all the quarters until quite recently, nothing has been done the present season. It is believed that the amount appropriated already will be sufficient for the contemplated repairs, and therefore nothing further is now asked. Fort at entrance to New Bedford harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Captain H. W. Benham.-At the last session of Congress an appropriation of $150,000 was made for a fort to be erected at the entrance of this harbor. A large portion of this appropriation has been expended in the purchase of the site; the balance will be applicable to the preliminary measures and the commencement of the work next spring. The survey of the locality is complete; the plans have been long ready. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857. Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858........ $70,500 00 70,500 00 Fort Adams, Newport harbor, Rhode Island, in charge of Lieutenant E. B. Hunt.-The chief operations during the past year at this work, aside from ordinary repairs, have been the application of oakum, saturated with mineral tar, for pointing the cordon and coping of the west and north fronts; the repairing of 5,412 running feet of breastheight wall, and the construction of the same extent of salt marsh sod breast-height slopes. It is important that the southwest breakwater should be rebuilt, and that the permanent wharf should be paved. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857... $8,009 00 Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858...... Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859.... 8,009 00 35,000 00 Forts Griswold and Trumbull, New London harbor, Connecticut; in charge of Brevet Major J. G. Barnard. Battery at Fort Griswold.-Nothing has been done on this work, which is in good order, and ready for its armament. Fort Trumbull.-This fort, which has been kept in excellent condition by the labors of a very efficient fort keeper, needs only the platforms in its west exterior battery to be ready for all its armament. Fort at Willett's Point, cpposite Fort Schuyler, New York.-To complete the purchase of the site of this fort, cover the expense of an accurate survey of the ground, and permit a commencement of the fort itself during the next fiscal year, an appropriation of $100,000 will be necessary. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857....... $32,000 00 Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858...... 32,000 00 fiscal year ending June 30, 1859... 100,000 00 Fort Schuyler, East river, New York, in charge of Brevet Major J. G. Barnard. The sea-wall, throughout its exposed portion on the north and east, of 1,200 feet in length, has been thoroughly repaired and raised by an additional coping course 2 feet thick. All the rest of the wall has been repointed and repaired where necessary. A large portion of the masonry of the work has been pointed. A building for guard house and prison has been built over the exterior redoubt. The wood work of the quarters, casemates, gates, and posterns, and the iron work of balconies, have been painted. Wooden houses have been built over the stair towers. The asphalting of the floors of casmates in the cover-face is in progress, and will be complete this season. The amount remaining available will be applied to completing all unfinished work of the above, and, next season, in altering the barbette platforms and repairing roofing of arches, &c. $27,499 56 Balance in treasury October 1, 1857.... Fort Wood and sea-wall of Bedlow's island, New York harbor, in charge of Brevet Major J. G. Barnard. -The season's operations have been confined to procuring stone to complete the coping of the scarp. The work remaining yet to be done consists in the completion of the sea-wall, and altering the barbette platforms, grading the glacis and terrepleins of the exterior battery, construction of new bridges and drawbridges, &c. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857....... Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858...... Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859. $3,000 00 3,000 00 20,000 00 Governor's island, New York harbor, in charge of Brevet Major J. G. Barnard.-Construction and repairs of barracks, quarters, and hospital at Fort Columbus.-The unfinished block of officers quarters has been completel and turned over for occupation; the hospital thoroughly overhauled and placed in perfect repair, and painted; the east barracks, Fort Columbus, altered according to plans, and all remaining repairs on the other buildings done, and the painting of the whole commenced, and will be completed this season. The soldiers' barracks of the south battery have undergone some slight repairs. No further appropriation asked. Repairs of Fort Columbus and Castle Williams.-Towards these repairs no other work has been done than the fitting up of the light and dark prisons in the east building, Fort Columbus, and making a survey of the shore of the island, preparatory to building a sea-wall. These works require their barbette platforms altered for the new armament, and Castle Williams requires new balconies. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857....... $2,976 09 Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858...... 2,976 09 Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859.... 6,000 00 |