Fort Gaines, Dauphin Island, Mobile bay, Alabama, in charge of Captain D. Leadbetter.-During the year the permanent buildings erected by contract have been completed. Borings have been made to determine the foundations required; the site has been grubbed and cleared, the wharf rebuilt and extended a hundred feet. The excavation of the ditch has been carried down through to the reference, (3',) nearly all the excavation being embanked in the glacis. The foundations of three bastions and two curtains on the water fronts have been laid at the reference (0;) the masonry of two bastions being brought up to the reference (1' 6",) and that of the other to (2'.) The masonry of one curtain has been carried up to the reference (7',) and of the other to nearly (2'.) Balance in treasury October 1, 1857........ $84,600 00 84,600 00 50,000 00 Fortifications for the defence of the inner passes to Mobile bay, Alabama. A special board of engineer officers have in hand the preparation of plans for a work at this pass, which they have not yet been able to complete. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857..... $99,850 00 49,850 00 Fortifications at Ship Island, coast of Mississippi, Mississippi.—An examination of this locality has been made by a special board of engineer officers. The plans for the work are not yet finished, the subject being now under consideration Balance in treasury October 1, 1857... Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858...... $100,000 00 50,000 00 Defence at Proctor's Landing, Lake Borgne, Louisiana, in charge of Brevet Major P. G. T. Beauregard.-Since the last annual report the tower has been carried up to the ref. (12' ;) the inner and outer ditches have been excavated and revetted; the parapets of the battery have been partly formed with a portion of the earth from the ditches; the piles of the breast-height walls, and gun platforms and circles, have been driven and loaded with the excavated earth of the ditches; the portion of the permanent quarters southeast of the passage way has been temporarily finished and fitted up for the use of the laborers on the work. The probable operations for the ensuing year will be as follows: completing the brick work of the tower; forming the parapet of the battery; completing the revetting of the inner ditch; completing the platforms of the breast-height and terreplein foundations; building the breast-height walls; laying gun traverse circles and pintle blocks; constructing bridges, &c. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857. $26,400 00 Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858...... 26,400 00 Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859.. 25,000 00 Tower Dupre, Bayou Dupre, Louisiana, in charge of Lieutenant W. H. Stevens.-This work has been in the hands of a fort keeper, and is in good order, requiring only some trifling current repairs and renovations, as white-washing, painting, &c., for which no appropriation is asked. Fort Macomb, Chef Menteur, Louisiana, in charge of Lieutenant W. H. Stevens.-This work has been in care of an ordnance sergeant. The work necessary to be done is for the preservation of the site, for which a small annual grant is asked, in addition to the funds now available. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857...... .... $6,483 11 6,483 11 4,000 00 Fort Pike, Rigolets, Louisiana, in charge of Lieutenant W. H. Stevens. This work has been in care of an ordnance sergeant, and is in fine condition. To adapt new arrangement for drawbridge, and for placing new armament, will require a small appropriation. Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1859.. $5,000 00 Repairs and extension of Fort St. Philip, Mississippi river, Louisiana, in charge of Brevet Major P.G. T. Beauregard.—The levee in front of this site has been repaired; the breast-height walls, parapets and terrepleins of the land fronts nearly completed; the passage arches into the salient place of arms faces 3-4; the one into the relieving arches of face 7; the posterior arches of face 5; the ramps of faces 2, 7, and 17; and the pavement and gutter around the magazine have been constructed. To complete the repairs of the interior of this work, and to construct the covered way and glacis and repair the two exterior batteries, an additional appropriation will be necessary. 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 .... $29,369 24 29,369 24 10,000 00 Fort Jackson, Mississippi river, Louisiana, in charge of Brevet Major P. G. T. Beauregard.-This work has been in care of a fort keeper, who has been employed in looking after the materials there collected for the completion of the exterior battery, in cutting down the weeds, and mowing the grass of the parapets and terrepleins of the fort and covered way. The sum at present available will be employed in constructing the breast-height walls of the lower exterior battery, laying and setting its traverse circles and pintle blocks, constructing its magazine, and otherwise completing entirely this battery. The residue of the appropriation will be expended in such general repairs as may be needed by the main work, and in fort keeping. Fort Livingston, Grande Terre Island, Louisiana, in charge of Lieutenant W. H. Stevens.-Labors here have been applied principally to works for the preservation and restoration of the site; of these, one large breakwater has been completed, and the other is still in progress. The appropriation asked for is designed for the continuation of these works, and the further prosecution of what yet remains to be done for the completion of the fort itself, which remains in the unfinished condition in which it has been left while awaiting the final settlement of the foundations. 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.... $8,000 00 8,000 00 50,000 00 Fortifications for the defence of the entrance to Galveston harbor and bay, Texas.-A special board of engineer officers have examined this locality, and the preparation of the plans for a suitable work now engages their attention, and is far advanced. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857.... $80,000 00 Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858....... 60,000 00 Forts on the western frontier of Texas.-Operations are still awaiting the purchase of the requisite sites. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857..... $150,000 00 Fortifications on Alcatraz Island, San Francisco bay, California, in charge of Lieutenant Fred. E. Prime.-Coping of all the walls of the south battery, capponnier and adjacent three-gun battery has been laid; the masonry and earthen parapets completed; a concrete drain formed in front of south face; the terreplein of three-gun battery excavated to its full width; the earth removed from front of scarp walls; and concrete slopes formed to complete the inaccessibility in vicinity of south wing wall. In the north battery six hundred and ninety-three remaining feet of coping have been laid on its scarp and capponnier walls, terreplein excavated to full width, earth removed from front of scarp walls, and magazines finished. In the ten-gun battery the scarp and breast-height walls are built, terreplein excavated to full width, and earth in front of scarp removed. In west battery the scarp and breast-height walls are finished, magazine raised to springing line of arch, shot furnace completed, two sets of gun platforms finished and the others commenced, the parapet partly formed, and the terreplein and road leading to it in part excavated. The guardhouse walls have been raised twelve and a half feet above the entrance way, the loop-holes and gateway arches turned; the counterscarp is finished, and defensive wall leading to ten-gun battery needs only its coping for completion; and considerable progress has been made on the wall leading to the wharf, and in the scarping of the island. road has also been excavated to the site of the defensive barracks, and materials collected for the construction of the latter. A The funds now available will be applied to the final completion of the works at present contemplated, which may be effected, it is believed, by the end of 1858. No further appropriation is asked. Fortifications on Fort Point, entrance to San Francisco bay, California, in charge of Brevet Major Z. B. Tower.-On the 30th June last the officer in charge of this work reported its condition at that date, which may be briefly stated as follows: The scarp wall on all the fronts had been carried up generally to about the sills of the embrasures of the second tier; the piers of the first tier raised to their full height; the communication arches between the casemates of this tier, and the arches supporting the floor of the second turned, and the spaces between the arches filled in with concrete; the three stair towers raised about ten feet above parade, and the steps set to that height; the excavations for the counterscarp gallery defences, and for the sea-wall at the west end of same, completed; and the excavation of the south end of the ten-gun battery exterior to the main work finished, the arch of its magazine covered with asphalt; and the slopes formed and sodded. The wharf has required some repairs, due to injuries caused by the sea worm. The appropriation for the work not having been made in time to procure materials before the rainy season, the progress of the work has been less rapid than it would otherwise have been. Balance in treasury October 1, 1857. Probable amount to be expended by June 30, 1858. Estimate of amount required to be appropriated for fiscal year ending June 30, 1859.... $424,741 05 424,741 05 150,000 00 For purchasing a site and constructing additional defences for San Francisco, California.-Negotiations are now in progress for the acquisition by the United States of the site upon which it is designed to commence new works for the defence of this position, the most im portant upon the Pacific coast. CORPS OF ENGINEERS. In relation to the necessity of an increase in the number of officers, I refer back to several previous reports, especially to that of 1855, in which was embodied a statement showing clearly the deficiency, at that time, in the number of engineer officers indispensable to the execution in a proper and economi al manner of the important duties confided to the corps. This deficiency of officers becomes greater each year, and is particularly felt at this time, in view of the speedy commencement of ten new works of fortifications, for which grants of money were made by the last Congress. As to the necessity for more officers there is no question; but it must be understood that while, in urging this increase of the corps of engineers, I do not desire the addition of any higher grade than now exists, I deem it absolutely necessary that the process of augmentation indicated in my report of 1855 should be strictly adhered to, to which end it should be fixed by law that process is," the addition, during a term of years, of a number of second lieutenants-say three or four, on the average, per annum-with corresponding promotions within the whole corps, until the augmentation shall have reached its limit, all the additions being made at the foot of the corps by such graduates of the Military Academy, and such only, as shall have been recommended for appointment into the corps by the academic board." The importance of this increase deserves the attention of Congress, and I earnestly invoke for it the support and recommendation of the War Department. MILITARY ACADEMY. Your personal inspection of the institution during the past summer will have enabled you to judge of the generally satisfactory conduct of all matters connected with its management, and have impressed you with a sense of its usefulness as a school for the education of the American officers. The new regulations established by your predecessor for the government of the institution, which are now in course of application, have not been sufficiently tested perhaps to authorize an opinion being pronounced on the advantages or disadvantages of the changes they introduce. On this subject I may have occasion to lay before you a special report hereafter. There are, however, several subjects intimately connected with the successful administration and efficiency of the academy which require further legislation for their establishment, and which I beg to submit for your consideration. The first point is the establishment of local rank for the superintendent of the academy, with allowances of pay and emoluments corresponding to the responsibilities and heavy expenses unavoidably connected with the situation. It is believed that for many years no officer who has held the position has been able, with the practice of the strictest economy, to make his pay and allowances meet his expenses; whilst some are known to have drawn largely on their private resources. The military command of the post, which is vested in the superintendent, is not far different in numbers from that of a colonel of a regiment, while the importance of the position may reasonably be considered as equal, at least. I therefore propose that the local rank of colonel, and the pay and emoluments of a colonel of cavalry, be given to the officer who shall be regularly assigned as superintendent. Another point is the importance of dividing the academic duties now under the charge of the chaplain, by providing for the greater part of them by the establishment of a new professorship, leaving such only to the chaplain as he can perform without interference with his duties as a clergyman. The creation of this professorship has been recommended by several boards of visitors, as being demanded by a proper regard to the progress of the cadets in the various branches of study embraced in the course under the supervision of the chaplain, and is the more imperatively required since these studies have been very much enlarged by the addition of another year to the academic course. |