manner. The soldiers' barracks have had their fire proof floors of brick arches, turned on wrought iron beams and girders, put in; their iron stairways and mantles provided, and the interior finish completed as far as possible, till the casemate platform arches upon which they depend are built. The magazines, and their ante-rooms, have been furnished with heavy metallic doors and ventilator shutters, and are now in use for powder and fixed ammunition. The drainage of the fort has been perfected, and many minor details have received attention. A large quantity of materials are on hand for future operations. The work remaining to be done is to construct the platform arches and embrasures for the second tier of guns, complete the parapet wall, pave the first and second tiers of casemates and parade side walks, lay the traverse rails for all the casemate guns, complete the soldiers' barracks, and a new building for a hospital and other purposes, construct additional cisterns on parade, rebuild the end of the stone wharf, point the entire masonry, and attend to various minor details. 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...... $85,000 00 85,000 00 25,000 00 Preservation of the site of Fort Johnson, Charleston harbor, South Carolina, in charge of Captain G. W. Cullum.-Since the completion of the new wharf to supply the place of the one destroyed by the September gale of 1854, nothing has been done to the repairs of the sea wall, much injured by the same storm, the small balance in hand being totally inadequate to complete any portion of the work. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857....... $1,132 30 Repairs of quarters and barracks at Fort Johnson, Charleston harbor, South Carolina, in charge of Captain G. W. Cullum.-These repairs, which were commenced some years since, should be completed at once. The work already done cannot be availed of for use in its incomplete state, and the buildings are suffering for want of further protection. Estimate of amount to be appropriated for fiscal year ending June 3, 1859....... $6,000 00 Repairs of Castle Pinckney, Charleston harbor, South Carolina, in charge of Captain G. W. Cullum.-The wharf at this work, destroyed by the September gale of 1854, has been rebuilt, and its stone abutment capped with heavy granite blocks; a substantial boat house put up; the entire sea-wall thoroughly repaired, and coped with large flagging stones, extending from its outer edge to the scarp wall of the castle; a new fifteen feet shot furnace substituted for the old and insufficient one on the parade; the floors and roofs of the quarters and barracks repaired, and their chimney tops rebuilt, and considerable cement, and all the asphalt pointing executed. The contemplated repairs can readily be completed this autumu without further appropriation. Fort Pulaski, Savannah river, Georgia, in charge of Captain J. F. Gilmer.-Attention at this work has been principally directed to pointing the masonry of the main work and demi-lunes, replacing decayed bricks in the arches and jambs of embrasures, and making repairs to other portions of the masonry; to clearing out and enlarging the canal which supplies the ditches with water; to excavating for the foundation of a large masonry sluice at the entrance of this canal, and constructing the coffer dam around same; to sundry minor repairs of the embankments of the fort and island; to draining and police; and to the collection of materials for further operations. The operations contemplated at this work are: to remodel the barbette gun platforms to suit the proposed change in the armament; to complete the pointing of the masonry; to build the large sluices for supplying water to the ditches, and to remove the mud accumulated in the ditches of main work and demi-lunes. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857 $33,300 00 Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858........ 33,300 00 Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859. 10,000 00 Repairs of Fort Jackson, Savannah river, Georgia, in charge of Captain J. F. Gilmer.-During the year the masonry of the wharf has been carried up to the springing lines of the arch over the sluice passing through its centre; the masonry of the dyke walls adjacent to the wharf built to full height; the timber braces across the bottom of the ditch, along the river fronts, have been put down, and a flooring of three-inch plank laid on them, to retain the water in the ditch. at low tide; the masonry of the new scarp walls has been pointed; a part of the earth which had accumulated in the ditch along the land fronts removed, and filled in between the double walls connecting the wharf and entrance to the fort; the heavy sluice gate has been framed, aud materials received for the further prosecution of the repairs, and for the construction of the officers' and soldiers' quarters. The work yet to be done embraces the following operations, viz: to floor the ditch along the land fronts, and to establish platforms for the flank guns; to enclose the gorges of the half bastions, and roof the flank batteries; to build cisterns to supply water for the garrison, and culverts for drainage from the quarters and the parade; to complete the masonry of gateway, and build the interior quarters for officers and soldiers. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857 $26,000 00 26,000 00 20,000 00 Fort Clinch, entrance to Cumberland sound, Florida, in charge of Captain J. F. Gilmer until August 20; since then Lieutenant W. H. C. Whiting.-The expenditures for the past year have been applied to the completion of the scarp wall connecting the north and east bastions; excavating and laying foundations of officers' kitchens and casemates in their rear; building cisterns for officers' quarters; building galleries of communication to the north and east bastions, foundation and walls of east bastion to soles of embrasures; building curtain of land front to the reference (14;) building and finishing guard houses, foundations of south bastion and cistern, foundations of scarp wall of curtain connecting south and southwest bastions, foundations of southwest bastion, foundation of southwest and northwest curtain; building northwest bastion to the springing of the arches; partial embankments on the north, northeast, and northwest ramparts, and the rampart of the land front, and to repairing the wharf. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857................. ..... Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858.. ... Estimate of amount required to be appropriated from the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859 $46,000 00 46,000 00 75,000 00 Fort Taylor, Key West, Florida, in charge of Felix Senac, esq., Brevet Major John Sanders, and Captain D. P. Woodbury.-The labors of the year have been applied mainly to the masonry of the second tier of guns. The casemate arches over the channel fronts of this tier have all been turned, covering 42 guns on the curtains, and 18 howitzers and 2 columbiads in the bastions. The scarp wall opposite the second tier has been raised from the level of the floor of that tier (or 20 feet above high water) to the heights of 26 feet at the gorge, 28 feet at three of the bastions, 35 feet at the fourth bastion, 28 feet throughout the north curtain, 28 feet opposite four guns on each of the west and south curtains, and 35 feet opposite the remainder of those two curtains. The southwest magazine has been raised from the same level to the height of 35 feet or the top of the covering arch, and the adjacent stairway tower to the height of 48 feet, and roofed over. Three sets of embrasure irons have been placed in the southwest bastion, and one in each of the adjoining curtains. Eighteen of the other embrasure openings on this tier have been arched over, but still require the embrasure irons and the brick work immediately around them. The piers of the gorge, four excepted, have been carried up from 21 feet to 26 feet above high water. The balance available will be applied to the unfinished work of the first and second tiers of guns and to the barracks and magazines of the gorge. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857..... $150,000 00 150,000 00 100,000 00 Fort Jefferson, Garden Key, Tortugas island, Florida, in charge of Captain D. P. Woodbury.-The labors of the year have been devoted principally to the scarp wall, piers, magazines, and stairways of the lower tier of casemates. The scarp wall of five of the bastions has been raised to the level of the soles of the lower embrasures, and that of the sixth bastion to the level of 9' 6" above low water. The scarp wall of five of the curtains has been raised at the embrasures to the level of 10 feet, and between the embrasures to 14 feet above low water, with some exceptions, where it has been raised still higher. The scarp wall of the gateway front, four casemates excepted, has been raised to the level of 16 feet above low water. On this last front the piers and communication arches of the lower tier have all been completed except two, and the casemate arches which cover the guns of this tier have all been turned. On the other five curtains the piers and communication arches have all been completed and prepared to receive the casemate arches. Three of the bastion magazines and stairway towers have been carried up to 93 feet, and three to 16 feet above low water. The traverse stones of the lower guns have been nearly all set; 59 iron embrasures for guns and 12 for howitzers have been put in place. The balance still available will be applied to the scarp, piers, covering arches, and all other parts of the lower tier, and will more than complete this part of the work, including all arrangements for mounting 111 guns and 35 howitzers, also 14 powder magazines in the body of the work. 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...... $209,000 00 209,000 00 350,000 00 Fort Barrancas, Pensacola harbor, Florida, in charge of Captain John Newton. The operations here have been directed principally to the advanced redoubt, of which the scarp wall all around has been carried up to the corridor; the galleries of reverse fire, the scarp galleries, the casemates of half bastions, and the stone stairs therein, have been finished; as also the masonry of the traverses and the paving of one of the subterranean galleries. The covered way is generally completed, excepting a little grading, and the grassing of the terreplein; and the glacis is as nearly finished as it can be till the parapets of the work are put on. The roofs of the interior are ready for the mastic covering. The work yet remaining to be done comprises the completion of the parapets, terreplein, breast-height wall, gun platforms, gateway, interior wood work of magazines, and the construction of the bridges and gates of the work; also, pointing in general, paving one of the subterranean galleries, and grading, sodding and enriching the slopes of the work; a fence to enclose the work will also be needed. At the barracks, a small amount has been expended in executing some indispensable repairs. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857..... $25,333 24 25,333 24 Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859... 27,000 00 Fort Pickens, Pensacola harbor, Florida, in charge of Captain John Newton.-Operations during the year have been devoted to pointing and superficial repairs of walls, cutting grass of slopes, repairing wharf after gale of August, 1856, profiling walls, and levelling the work throughout; removing gun platforms and brick terreplein from central channel bastion preparatory to repairs thereof. The arrangements for casemate fire at this work are now complete. The terreplein will need extensive repairs and remodelling to fit it for the reception of the new armament of increased calibre. numerous repairs are necessary in different parts of the work. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857.. Other $11,000 00 Probable amount to be expended June 30, 1858. Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859... 11,000 00 50,000 00 Fort McKee, Pensacola harbor, Florida, in charge of Captain John Newton. The principal work undertaken during the last fiscal year, has been finishing repairs of interior wood work in gun casemates and quarters, gates, doors, steps, and galleries-repairs and extension of wharf after the gale of 1856. Construction of plank road for the transportation of materials from wharf to fort and battery-making temporary box jettys, renewing and repairing the same; driving pile jettys, and constructing a permanent jetty at the coupé of the fort; also repairs of walls and embrasures, and considerable work done to the magazine of the battery. This work, so far as its casemates are concerned, is in efficient condition, and ready to receive its new armament. The barbette which is prepared for the old armament still requires the modifications necessary to adapt it for the heavier guns with which it is designed to arm it, and also extensive repairs of its terreplein to protect the casemates below from leakage. It is for these purposes, and for the further protection of its site, that the appropriation is asked. Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859.... $29,000 00 Fort Morgan, Mobile Point, Alabama, in charge of Captain D. Leadbetter.-During the year two piers of the permanent wharf have been rebuilt, and the bottom between all the wharf piers has been covered with a protecting apron of concrete. The repairs of the terreplein pavement have been completed, with a view to prevent leakage through the roofs of the casemate arches. The flanking casemate guns, twenty in number, have been mounted. The modification of the breast-height wall, to receive a heavier armament on two water fronts, has been begun, and the former armament of those fronts is being dismounted. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857........ $16,613 61 16,613 61 50,000 00 |
