BATTALION OF ENGINEERS AND ENGINEER SCHOOL OF APPLICATION. The strength of the Battalion of Engineers on June 30, 1884, was 17 commissioned officers and 198 enlisted men, commanded by Lieut. Col. Henry L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers. The Battalion is stationed as follows: The field, staff, and band, and Companies A, B, C, and D (the latter existing only on paper) at Willets Point, New York Harbor; Company E at West Point, N. Y. The companies of the Battalion are recruited partly by enlistments and re-enlistments at Willets Point and West Point, and partly by assignments from the General Recruiting Service after suitable examination. The numbers of the Battalion having fallen considerably below the authorized strength during the summer of 1883, a rendezvous was opened in New York City August 9, 1883, the desired number secured, and the rendezvous closed October 20, 1883. The changes in personnel during the year have consisted of 34 enlistments; 24 re-enlistments; recruits from depot, 11; transferred from other arms of service, 1; deserters apprehended, 2; transferred to other arms of service, 1; died of disease, 1; desertions, 12; discharges by expiration of service, 36; for disability, 2; by sentence of general courtmartial, 2; and by order, 1. The troops have continued the duty of guarding the Engineer property at Willet's Point during the year. They have carried out extensive and dangerous experiments with new explosives, and have performed all the labor needed in developing the torpedo system of defense for our sea-coast, besides much skilled labor in remodeling ponton trains, printing confidential Engineer documents with the necessary photographic or lithographic illustrations, and in constructing and repairing the public buildings at the post. At West Point the company, besides performing the ordinary garrison duties, has aided in the instruction of the cadets in field fortifications, military bridge building, military sig naling, &c. The companies are equipped and well drilled as infantry, and are always ready, with the other troops in the harbor, to maintain lawful authority, or suppress rioting in this and neighboring States, in addition to their special duties, which are of the most important character, including submarine mining and torpedo warfare, military reconnaissances, duplication of maps by photography and photolithography, sapping, mining, &c., pontoniering, and other military bridge construction. The organization and methods of the Engineer School of Application situated at Willets Point have been fully set forth in preceding reports. The full course for officers covers about two and a half years, but the special course in torpedoes is open to a few officers of other arms. During the past season four artillery officers have taken this course with credit; and are now qualified for detail in this branch of military engineering. (See Appendix No. 2.) ENGINEER POST AND DEPOT OF WILLETS POINT, NEW YORK HARBOR. Willets Point is our only depot for the storage of the sapping, mining, pontoniering, and torpedo materials of the Army, and for the various instruments pertaining to the Engineer service. It is garrisoned 5908 EN- -5 by three companies of the Battalion of Engineers, who guard, receive, and issue the property, in addition to their other duties. The usual appropriations of $1,000 for the purchase of materials for the instruction of these troops in their field duties, and of $4,000 for the current expenses of the depot, are requested. The sum of $2,000 is also requested for the repair of instruments for issue to officers of the Corps of Engineers engaged on river and harbor improvements, &c. The sum of $10,000 for the erection of quarters for two medical officers (a major and captain) is requested. At present only one medical officer can be furnished with quarters, and that, too, in a building originally constructed as Engineer quarters, under a special appropriation for that purpose. This building is needed for the object for which it was erected, and a provision for supplying two medical officers with their legal and necessary quarters is urgently recommended. For further information as to this depot, and the appropriations requested above, amounting in all to $17,000, I would refer to the appended report of the officer in command. (See Appendix No. 3.) RIVER AND HARBOR IMPROVEMENTS. The funds with which the works for the improvement of rivers and harbors were prosecuted during the past fiscal year were derived from the appropriations of the act of August 2, 1882, together with such few balances as were on hand from previous appropriations. A brief statement is given below setting forth the condition of each improvement, the extent of the work performed during the fiscal year, the amount of money expended, and, in compliance with the provisions of the river and harbor act of March 2, 1867, estimates of the probable cost of completion, together with an estimate, from the officer in charge of each particular work, of the amount "that can be profitably expended" during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. Although, as a general rule, regard is necessarily had in the preparation of these estimates to the more intimate acquaintance of the Engineer officer in charge with the requirements of each locality, they have, in a few instances, been revised and amended in this office. In view of the misapprehension that seems to prevail regarding the annual estimates, it may be advisable here to go somewhat into detail. After an interval of more than ten years, an act was passed and approved June 23, 1866, "making appropriations for the repair, preservation, and completion of certain public works, heretofore commenced under the authority of law, and for other purposes." (Statutes at Large, vol. 14, page 70.) This act made provision by specific appropriation for more than fifty works of improvement and directed that examinations or surveys be made at more than thirty other localities with a view to their improvement. It was quite full, and expressed with much detail the manner in which the sums appropriated were to be applied. It also made provision for reports both special and annual (to be submitted to Congress) in relation to the various improvements and surveys therein provided for. Among other things set forth in the act as necessary to be reported to Congress, it required that the annual report shall be accompanied "with a statement of the amount and date of all former appropriations for each work, and a full estimate for its entire and permanent completion, with the amount that can be profitably expended in the next fiscal year." In the following year an act was approved March 2, 1867 (vol. 14, page 418), making provision for sixty works of improvement and eighteen examinations or surveys, and containing the same general and specific requirements as to expenditures, reports, estimates, commercial statistics, &c. It is proper to state that these annual estimates are made in compliance with the above-quoted requirements of law, and are not to be considered as carrying with them a recommendation of the officer in charge of the district or of this office, either in respect to the commercial value of the improvement or to the amount to be appropriated, other than for the most economical administration of works, the prosecution of which had already been approved by Congress. The reports of the officers in charge of the various improvements will be found in the Appendix, and to these reports special reference should be made whenever detailed information is desired concerning the progress and condition of each work. The examinations and surveys required and provided for in the river and harbor act of August 2, 1882, were assigned to the officers in charge of the several river and harbor districts, and have been completed. Reports of their results were transmitted to Congress from time to time during its last session, and will be found in the Appendix of this report. The act provided that no survey should be made of any of the harbors or rivers therein enumerated until the Chief of Engineers directed a preliminary examination of the same by the local engineer in charge of the district, and then only when said local engineer shall have made such examination and shall have reported to the Chief of Engineers that in his judgment said harbor or river is worthy of improvement and the work is a public necessity. Of the 147 localities enumerated for examination in the above act, 76 were reported as not worthy of improvement. The examination and surveys at localities required and provided for in the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884, have been distributed and assigned to the officers in charge of the several river and harbor districts. They are in progress, and the reports thereon will be submitted from time to time during the ensuing session of Congress as far as received. Examinations were made during the fiscal year of such plans and locations as were submitted by the parties interested, of bridges proposed to be built over navigable waters under authority of Congress, subject to the approval of the Secretary of War. A brief statement is given below of the action had in each case, the detailed reports of which will be found in the Appendix. A statement is also given of the work accomplished in the removal of wrecks obstructing or endangering navigation, general provision for which is made in the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880. ATLANTIC COAST. IMPROVEMENT OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN THE STATES OF MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE. Officer in charge, Col. C. E. Blunt, Corps of Engineers. 1. Lubec Channel, Maine.-The following appropriations have been made for this thoroughfare: The project for its improvement was based upon a survey made in 1878, the object being to make it navigable in all stages of the tide by giving it a width of not less than 200 feet and a depth of 12 feet at mean low water, or about 9 feet at low water of spring tides. This required the deepening of several bars situated between the head of "The Narrows" and "Western Bar Beacon" (a distance of about 2 miles), the shoalest of which had a depth of not more than 5 feet at mean low water. In addition to this channel-dredging, a stone jetty (259 feet long) upon Gun Rock, in Lubec Narrows, has been begun for the stoppage of an inconvenient tidal current at that point. The channel having been completed as originally projected, the work during the past fiscal year has been confined to the jetty upon Gun Rock, of which 125 linear feet have been completed, it being still in progress. The increased size in tonnage and draught of vessels using this channel calls for an increase of its width and depth to 275 and 15 feet, respectively, which is much desired by the commercial interests. This, it is estimated, could be done at a cost of $113,000. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1885, the available funds will be applied to widening the channel at the bends. July 1, 1883, amount available July I, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 $15, 178 89 $3,855 98 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities. July 1, 1884, amount available Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.......... Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 .... 4,063 73 11, 115 16 10,000 00 21, 115 16 103, 000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 50, 000 00 (See Appendix A 1.) 2. Moose-a-bec Bar, at Jonesport, Maine.-The project for the improvement of the channel through this bar was adopted in 1881, the object being to afford a safe and direct channel of not less than 200 feet in width and 14 feet in depth at mean low water, or 113 feet at low water of spring tides, the mean fall of tides being 11 feet. The main channel is very narrow and tortuous, and so much obstructed by sunken ledges as to make navigation very unsafe. The estimated cost of this improvement, as amended, is $40,000. Ten thousand dollars will be required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886, to complete the improvement. July 1, 1883, amount available... $10,324 25 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 ... 10,218 59 July 1, 1884, amount available ..... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.. 105 66 10,000 00 10, 105 66 10,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. 10,000 00 (See Appendix A 2). 3. Belfast Harbor, Maine.-The project for the improvement of this harbor was adopted in 1876, the object being to give a depth in front of the wharves sufficient to enable steamers and other vessels to arrive and depart in all stages of the tide. In the upper part of the harbor, in front of Lane's Wharf, there was not more than 4 feet at mean low water, when surveyed in 1875, and this depth increased downwards to about midway between Sanford's Boston Steamer Wharf, and McGilvery's ship-yard, where there was 12 feet at mean low water. Under the several appropriations, aggregating $22,000, made in the years 1876, 1878, and 1879, this harbor has been excavated to a depth of 10 to 12 feet at mean low water from the wharf-lines out to deep water, in completion of the project adopted. In November, 1883, an examination was made of the dredged channel in front of the wharves, which showed that no filling had taken place. No further expenditures are proposed for the present. July 1, 1883, amount available July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 July 1, 1884, amount available (See Appendix A 3.) $3,000 00 156 95 2,843 05 4. Rockland Harbor, Maine.-The project for the improvement of this harbor was adopted in January, 1881, the object being to afford a safe and convenient harbor of refuge at this place by means of two rubblestone breakwaters, one to be built out from Jameson Point in a direction of about south 16 degrees east for a distance of 1,900 feet from highwater mark, and the other to commence at South Ledge and extend in a direction about north 9 degrees east for a distance of 2,640 feet. The estimated cost of these breakwaters was as follows: Jameson Point Breakwater.. South Ledge Breakwater... Total The appropriations have been By act of June 14, 1880 By act of August 2, 1882 By act of July 5, 1884 Total $135,000 415,000 550,000 $20,000 40,000 40,000 100,000 The total expenditure to June 30, 1884, is $57,396.63, and 1,109 feet of the Jameson Point Breakwater have been built. No work has been done on this break water during the past fiscal year, the amount available having been too small to justify a contract. It is proposed to apply the appropriation of July 5, 1884, in continuing the construction of this breakwater. To complete it and commence the construction of the South Ledge Breakwater will require an appropriation of $75,000. July 1, 1883, amount available... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.... July 1, 1884, amount available Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884... Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885.... $3,461 57 858 20 2,603 37 40,000 00 42,603 37 |