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DEFENSES OF PORTLAND-continued.

The original work on this site (House Island), built about 1808, consisted of a semicircular battery, with brick scarp and block-house in rear, and a detached lunette northeast of it. About 1845 the works were connected so as to form one inclosed work, with brick scarp and earthen parapet.

In 1862 the execution of the new plans was commenced, and (with some subsequent modifications in 1870) the work was carried on till the close of the season of 1875, when it was suspended for want of funds. It is an inclosed work, with detached masonry bastions and heavy earthen batteries.

Plans for its modification and for additional earthen batteries have been prepared by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications and approved by the Secretary of War. They are only partially executed, and the work is in an incomplete condition. The plans require revision. No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Battery on Portland Head, Portland Harbor, Maine, in charge of Coi. C. E. Blunt, Corps of Engineers.-This modern earthwork, commenced in 1873, will, when completed, cover by its guns all the approaches to the main channel leading into the harbor, and will prevent by its fire an enemy's fleet from taking up, unopposed, a position behind Bang's Island from which to bombard Portland or shell the shipping in the harbor.

This work remains in the incomplete condition reported at the close of the last fiscal year.

For the construction of the operating-room and gallery for torpedocables an appropriation is asked under the general appropriation for cables, galleries, &c.

No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortificacation during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Batteries on Cow Island, approaches to the harbor of Portland, Maine.The object of these earthworks is, with batteries designed to be placed on Great Hog Island, to prevent an enemy's occupation of Casco Bay and to guard the passage from it to Portland Harbor.

Plans for the construction of batteries for the heaviest guns on this island have been prepared by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications, and it is proposed to commence work upon them as soon as funds aré available. The plans require revision.

No appropriation for their construction has yet been made.
No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Batteries on Great Hog Island, approaches to the harbor of Portland, Maine. The object of these earthworks is, with batteries designed to be placed on Cow Island, to prevent an enemy's occupation of Casco Bay and to guard the passages from it to Portland Harbor.

Plans for the construction of batteries for the heaviest guns on this island have been prepared by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications,

DEFENSES OF PORTLAND-continued.

and it is proposed to commence work upon them as soon as funds are available. The plans require revision.

No appropriation for their construction has yet been made.
No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

DEFENSES OF PORTSMOUTH AND THE NAVY-YARD AT KITTERY.

Fort McClary, Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire, in charge of Col. C. E. Blunt, Corps of Engineers.-This work, together with Fort Constitution, opposite, forms the inner line of defense to the mouth of the Piscataqua River and to the navy-yard at Kittery, Me.

The original fort was commenced early in the present century. An inclosed barbette work was commenced in 1863, but has not been completed.

The work remains the same as at the date of last report, no operations having been carried on except for the necessary care and preservation of the property.

No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.
No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Fort Constitution, Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire, in charge of Col. C. E. Blunt, Corps of Engineers.-This work, together with Fort McClary, opposite, forms the inuer line of defense to the mouth of the Piscataqua River and to the navy-yard at Kittery, Me.

Extensive modifications are required for the casemated work at this place before proceeding with its construction. Plans for an exterior earthern battery for heavy rifled guns have been approved by the Secretary of War, but it has not yet been commenced. The plans require revision.

The condition of this work has remained unchanged since the date of the last Annual Report, no operations having been carried on except for the necessary care and preservation of the property.

No appropriation was made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.
No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Battery on Gerrish's Island, Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire in charge of Col. C. E. Blunt, Corps of Engineers.--This earthwork, with the one opposite, on Jerry's Point, forms the outer line of defense to Portsmouth Harbor and to the navy-yard at Kittery, Me. It was commenced

in 1873.

The work remains in the same incomplete condition reported at the close of the last fiscal year.

Plans for the completion of this work have been prepared by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications and approved by the Secretary of War, but are only partially executed. The plans require revision.

An appropriation for constructing the operating room and gallery for torpedo cables is asked under the general appropriation for cable galleries, &c.

No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Battery on Jerry's Point, Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire, in charge of Col. C. E. Blunt, Corps of Engineers.-This earthwork is on the west

DEFENSES OF PORTSMOUTH AND THE NAVY-YARD AT KITTERYcontinued.

ern side of the entrance to the harbor of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and with the battery at Gerrish's Island, on the opposite side of the entrance, forms the outer line of defense to that harbor and to the navyyard at Kittery, Me. It was commenced in 1873.

Plans for the completion of this work have been prepared by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications and approved by the Secretary of War, but are only partially executed. The plans require revision. No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

DEFENSES OF MARBLEHEAD HARBOR.

Fort Sewall, Marblehead Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Maj. Charles W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers.-The post is an old one. The present fort was built in 1863-'65. It is intended to defend Marblehead Harbor and some of the channels of approach to Salem Harbor, Massachusetts.

It is a small field-work, with temporary wooden platforms and magazines, which have decayed and are now worthless. An old brick mag. azine and a bomb-proof are in fair order, as is also the parapet, although the latter is undermined by the sea in places.

No operations were in progress during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

DEFENSES OF BOSTON AND THE NAVY-YARD AT CHARLESTOWN.

Fort Warren, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Maj. Charles W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers.-This fort, situated on George's Island, commands the main ship-channel and the anchorage of Nantasket Roads. It consists of a granite, casemated, full-bastioned enceinte, with an earthen cover-face and ravelin.

It was commenced in 1833, and its plans have been modified by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications to adapt it for modern ordnance. These modified plans were partly executed when operations were suspended in 1875-76 for want of appropriations.

During the fiscal year operations have been confined to those repairs necessary to preserve the work, by an expenditure from the general appropriation for that purpose. The scarp of Front II was repaired for the whole length of the curtain; earth slopes were repaired where necessary, and some repointing of masonry was effected.

The estimated amount required to complete the work is $185,000. The plans require revision.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Battery at Long Island Head, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Maj. Charles W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers.-This earth work occupies an important position in the outer line of defense for Boston Harbor, and its guns bear on all the channels of entrance.

It was commenced in 1871, and was designed for the reception of the heaviest modern ordnance. Nothing has been done in construction 5908 EN--2

DEFENSES OF BOSTON AND THE NAVY-YARD AT CHARLESTOWN— continued.

since the fiscal year 1875-76 for want of appropriations, and the work, the plans of which have been prepared by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications and approved by the Secretary of War, is in an unfinished condition.

During the fiscal year operations have been confined to the repair and preservation of the masonry and sodding of the battery, by an expenditure from the general appropriation for that purpose.

To complete the work in accordance with existing plans it is estimated that $90,000 will be required. The plans require revision.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Fort Winthrop, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Maj. Charles W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers.-This work, on Governor's Island, is one of the works forming the inner line of defense for Boston Harbor. The present work was commenced in 1844, and consists of a central casemated keep and exterior earthen batteries. The mortar battery is intended for six or twelve mortars. All of the gun-platforms of this fort, with the exception of the eleven in the exterior tower battery, are now ready for their armament. The plans of this fort have been modified by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications for the reception of modern ordnance, and they have been partially executed.

During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, operations have been limited to those necessary for the preservation and repair of the work and its property, and consist of the following:

The earth counterscarp slope of the tower was repaired and resodded where necessary.

In the south battery its terre-plein and surface drains were partly regraded, and some repairs were made to the earth cover of its traverse magazines.

The concrete arches of the mortar battery were replastered.

In the east battery the slopes of the traverses were repaired. Sea-walls are required for the protection of the sites of the east and south batteries. For the one planned for the east battery $30,000 will probably be sufficient, but the last year has shown that the south battery site requires still further protection, and will cost at least $50,000. The estimated amount required to complete the work in accordance with present plans is as follows:

Tower exterior battery

South battery...

East battery, sea-wall.

South battery, sea-wall

Total

The plans of the batteries require revision.

No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

$75,000

25,000

30,000

50,000

180,000

Fort Independence, Boston Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Maj. Charles W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers.-This work is situated on Castle Island, and forms part of the inner line of defense for Boston

DEFENSES OF BOSTON AND THE NAVY-YARD AT CHARLESTOWN— continued.

Harbor and the navy-yard at Charlestown. It was commenced in 1833, and consists of a granite casemated enceinte, with two exterior earthen. barbette batteries.

The plans of this work were modified by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications for the reception of modern ordnance, and these plans have been well advanced towards completion, although active operations have been suspended since 1875-76 from want of appropriations. Operations during the fiscal year have been limited to those absolutely necessary for the preservation of the masonry and sodding of the enceinte and batteries-the expenditure being from the general appropriation for that purpose-and the work is essentially in as good order as at the date of last report.

The estimated amount necessary to complete the work in accordance with the present plans is $50,000.

The plans require revision.

No appropriation having been made, no work was done at this fortification during the last fiscal year beyond its protection, preservation, and repair, as far as was possible with the general appropriation made for this purpose, and no other work is contemplated during the current fiscal year for the same reason.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

DEFENSES OF PLYMOUTH HARBOR.

Fort Andrew, Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Maj. Charles W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers.-The fort is intended to defend the outer anchorage and entrance to the harbor of Plymouth, Mass.

It is a small field work, built in 1863-65, with temporary wooden platforms and magazines, which have decayed and are now worthless. The military site is an important one, and was purchased for permanent defensive works in 1870.

No operations were in progress during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

Fort Standish, Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Maj. Charles W. Raymond, Corps of Engineers.-The fort is intended to defend the outer and inner anchorages of Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts. It is a small field work, built in 1863-265, with temporary wooden platforms and magazines, which have decayed and are now worthless.

The position is an important one, and was purchased for permanent defensive works in 1870.

No operations were in progress during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884.

No appropriation asked for next fiscal year.

DEFENSES OF NEW BEDFORD.

Fort at Clark's Point, New Bedford Harbor, Massachusetts, in charge of Lieut. Col. George H. Elliot, Corps of Engineers.-This casemated work, commenced in 1857, commands the entrance to the barbor of New Bedford.

Plans for new earthen batteries for modern heavy guns have been completed by the Board of Engineers for Fortifications, but nothing has been done towards their construction. The plans require revision.

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