EXAMINATION OF HISTORIC GROUNDS, LOCATIONS, AND MILITARY WORKS IN THE MAUMEE VALLEY.

Congress, by act approved May 24, 1888, appropiated $150 for the purpose of making, by an officer of the Engineer Corps, in co-operation with the Maumee Valley Monumental Association, an examination of certain named historic grounds, locations, and military works therein enumerated.

This duty was assigned to Col. O. M. Poe, Corps of Engineers, whose report upon the results of the examinations, inspections, and surveys, together with maps accompanying the same, were transmitted to Congress and printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 28, Fiftieth Congress, second

session.

The amount of grounds necessary for the protection and improve ment of the works, forts, battle-fields, and burial places mentioned in the above act is reported upon, and Colonel Poe submits the following estimates of cost of proposed improvement of each of the seven localities provided for:

The following officers have been on duty at the headquarters of the military divisions and departments, engaged in preparing such maps and making such surveys as were required by their respective com. manding officers:

Capt. William L. Marshall, Corps of Engineers, at headquarters Division of the Missouri.

Lieut. Fayette W. Roe, Third U. S. Infantry, at headquarters Depart ment of the Platte.

Lieut. Leonard A. Lovering, Fourth U. S. Infantry, at headquarters Department of the Columbia, from August 28, 1888.

Lieut. James E. Runcie, First U. S. Artillery, at headquarters Division of the Pacific.

Capt. William L. Marshall, engineer officer Division of the Missouri, reports that there has been no field work in progress during the year. The office work has consisted in collecting, compiling, and plotting geographical information for the improvement of existing maps; in making reductions and enlargements, and fac-simile copies and tracings of maps of military and Indian reservations, posts, scouts, reconnaissances, etc., for use at those headquarters and elsewhere in the division, for file and forwarding.

During the year monthly reports of operations have been received from the engineer officers of the departments included in that division. Besides these reports these officers are required to forward such special reports and maps of work done as may be useful to the major-general commanding the division..

Twenty-two maps and tracings were drawn during the year, one map mounted, and three issued.

(See Appendix F F F 1.)

Lieut. Fayette W. Roe, Third U. S. Infantry, in charge of engineer office, Department of the Platte, reports the preparation and completion, by Lieut. Hiram M. Chittenden, Corps of Engineers, of map of portion of the Department of the Platte and adjacent territory west of the 103d meridian; the preparation of a contour map of the Fort McKinney military and wood and timber reservations, from notes and sketches of the survey made by Lieutenant Chittenden, and the usual routine work of issuing instruments and note books, mounting maps, and making tracings and blue-prints.

(See Appendix F F F 2.)

Lieut. Leonard A. Lovering, Fourth U. S. Infantry, acting engineer officer, Department of the Columbia, reports the resurvey of Boise Barracks military reservation, sanitary survey of Fort Spokane, resurvey of the eastern boundary of the Vancouver Barracks military reservation, and resurvey of the Fort Klamath military and hay reservations.

Many maps, plans, tracings, solar prints, etc., have been prepared and issued to the officers of the department.

Additions and corrections are constantly being made to the department map to add to its efficiency and perfection.

All available data are being collected for a map of Alaska, which is now under way.

- (See Appendix F F F 3.)

Lieut. James E. Runcie, First U. S. Artillery, acting engineer officer, Division of the Pacific, reports the following work accomplished:

Continued map of the Department of California; surveyed, leveled, and located line of proposed road on the Presidio reservation; platted and drew profiles and maps of same; made preliminary survey of wagon road at Fort Gaston, Cal.; investigation and report upon water supply and sewerage system of Fort Wingate, N. Mex.; topographical sketch of proposed site for military post on San Carlos Indian Reservation; platted on map of Department of the Columbia the line of march of Troop M, Second Cavalry, from Fort Bidwell to Fort Walla Walla, Wash.; made blue prints of map of march of Light Battery K, First Artillery, and of map of Fort Mason, Cal.; traced map of Fort Grant, Ariz., showing proposed water supply and drainage; surveyed and relocated corner posts for boundaries between the Presidio of San Francisco and the Rancho Ojo de Agua de Figueroa, with report and diagrams; made detail drawings for the construction of drainage, etc., at military posts; drew diagram of position of troops at review held at Presidio, February 22, and plan and section of proposed bath-house for use at military posts; traced map of the seat of the Indian war in Rogue River Valley, Oregon, in 1855; of map of New Dungeness Harbor; of map of scout made by Troop I, Fourth Cavalry; of the mouth of the Columbia River and Admiralty Inlet, and of map of military reservation at Lime Point; made tracings of military reservation at Fort Apache, Ariz., showing water supply; of the Laguna survey; made drawings and tracings of details for water supply, flume, sinks, etc., for Fort Apache; platted quarantine station reservation on existing map of Angel Island, showing its proximity to the long-range targets; surveyed and made profiles for new road at Fort Mason, Cal.; traced maps of proposed defenses of San Francisco Bay, Half Moon Bay, Drake's Bay, San Simeon Bay, Santa Barbara Harbor, and San Pedro Harbor, and traced diagram of the spot where Major Wham, paymaster, was robbed. (See Appendix F F F 4.)

ESTIMATE FOR AMOUNT REQUIRED FOR SURVEYS AND RECONNAISSANCES IN MILITARY DIVISIONS AND DEPARTMENTS.

For military surveys and reconnaissances and surveys of military reservations by the engineer officers attached to the several head. quarters of military divisions and departments, being an average of $1.875 for each of eight military divisions and departments west of the Mississippi River, $15,000; for publication of maps for use of the War Department, $10,000; total, $25,000.

Attention is specially invited to this estimate for appropriation and to the important uses for which it is intended.

At the headquarters of the military departments west of the Missis sippi River there are stationed officers of the Corps of Engineers, or other officers detailed to act, whose duty it is to make reconnaissances for military purposes, to make such surveys and prepare such maps as may be required by their respective commanding officers. In recent years no appropriations have been made for these purposes, and, consequently, these officers have been very much cramped from lack of the necessary means, and the usefulness of their offices has been very much reduced in consequence. The maps of these departments are constantly in need of revisions and additions, which the officers make so far as possible, but with no means even for the purchase of paper their efforts are limited in results.

Paragraph 383 of the Army Regulations requires that the commanding officer of cach post where there are fixed batteries bearing upon a channel will call upon the Engineer Department for accurate charts showing the soundings, to the extent of the ranges of the guns. Calls upon this department to perform its duty under this regulation can not be honored from lack of means.

Maps of certain military departments are now being prepared, and should be published.

Besides all this there is much information in this office relative to military geography which could, with little expense, be made available for the information of officers of the Army; for instance, there are on the office files detailed maps of regions of Europe which may become at an early day the theaters of war, and it would be of great advantage to the service if such information as these maps give could be made available for the study of officers, especially on the outbreak of hostilities. Were the means provided, this office would be glad to compile and to disseminate the information on its files.

It is the policy of this country to keep a standing army small in numbers, but it is its expectation that it should be a highly instructed one, and a small outlay as here referred to will be conducive to that end.

Applications from officers of the Army have been received for maps of certain regions of Europe, and it was with great regret that this office could not render this assistance to officers desirous of improving themselves professionally, especially when the material was on its files.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, the following-named officers were in charge of the several divisions of the Office of the Chief of Engineers:

FIRST DIVISION.-Fortifications and Surveys relating thereto—Armament of Fortifications-Sites for Engineer Defenses-Boards of Engineers for Defenses-Public Buildings and Grounds and Washington Aqueduct.

SECOND DIVISION.-Battalion of Engineers-Engineer School of Application and Engineer Depot and Post-Professional Papers and Information-Personnel-Orders-Military Reservations-Land Files. Capt. Clinton B. Sears.

THIRD DIVISION.-Improvement of Rivers and Harbors and Surveys relating thereto—–Bridging Navigable Waters of the United States.

Maj. James C. Post, until March 18, 1889, since which date Maj. Henry M. Adams.

FOURTH DIVISION.-Accounts for Disbursements-Contracts-Returns of Engineer Property and Instruments-Applications for Remittances— Appropriations and Estimates-Blank Forms.

FIFTH DIVISION.-Survey of the Lakes-Explorations and SurveysReconnaissances-Maps-Instruments-Claims. Capt. Thomas Turtle.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

Hon. REDFIELD PROCTOR,

THOS. LINCOLN CASEY, Brig. Gen., Chief of Engineers.

Secretary of War.

STATEMENT SHOWING THE RANK AND THE DUTIES OF OFFICERS OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS DURING THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1889.

RANK AND NAME.

DUTIES.

BRIGADIER-GENERAL
AND CHIEF OF
ENGINEERS.

Thos. Lincoln Casey

COLONELS.

John G. Parke...

Bvt. Major-General. George H. Mendell...

Henry L. Abbot .

Brt. Brig. General.

In command of the Corps of Engineers and in charge of the Engineer Department. Charged with the supervision of such matters connected with construction of jetties and other works at South Pass, Mississippi River, as require the action of the Secretary of War. In charge of the construction of the building for Library of Congress under act of October 2, 1888. Member of Joint Commission to supervise the construction of the Washington National Monument. Member of the Light-Honse Board. Member and President of the Board of Engineers. Member of Board of Visitors for Engineer School of Application at Willets Point, N. Y.

Detached; Superintendent of the Military Academy until June 24, 1889, when the duties were relinquished. Division Engineer of the Pacific Division. In charge of the defensive works at Alcatraz Island, at Lime Point, Fort Winfield Scott, and Battery at Fort Ma-on, in San Francisco Bay; and of the Battery at San Diego, Cal. In charge of the improvement of the harbors at Oakland and Redwood, Cal. In charge of the improvement of Napa River, Cal. To investigate causes tending to decrease depth of water and diminish the commercial value of San Francisco Harbor. In charge of survey of San Francisco Harbor, San Pablo and Suisun bays, Strait of Carquinex, and mouths of San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers, Cal. Detailed to act in conjunction with Colonel Shafter and Surgeon Sawtelle for the purpose of establishing the boundary lines of, and transferring a portion of, the military reservation of Angel Island, Cal., to the Treasury Department, for temporary use as a quarantine station in San Francisco Harbor. Member of Boards of Engineer Officers on improvement of Coos and Yaquina bays, Oreg.; on obstructions to navigation in the Columbia River at The Dalles and Celilo Falls, and at Three and Ten Mile Rapids; and to establish the harbor lines of San Francisco and San Diego harbors and adjacent waters, Cal. Absent in Europe under orders from Secretary of War.

Division Engineer of the Northeast Division. Member and President of the Board of Engineers. In charge of certain experiments with torpedoes. Member of Board of Visitors for Engineer School of Application at Willets Point, N. Y. Member of Board of Ordnauce and Fortification. Member of Boards of Engineer Officers to consider the matter of the harbor lines of the port of Boston; to establish the harbor lines of New York Harbor and its adjacent waters; on further improvement of the harbors of St. Augustine and Key West, Fla.; and for examination of certain named officers of the Corps of Engineers with view to their promotion.

390