The Osceola times., 1876-12-09
HOW THE MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT
Report OF the u. n. Chief Of Engioeers
Concerning Itis Last Years work.
and the Appropriation Needed
for the New Year.


for the New Year.
The annual report of Gen. 4. A..
Humphreys, chief of engineers, has been
completed. 1t presents detailed state
ment of the various operations of the
engineers department during the fiscal
year ended June 80, 1876. 1t gives
sketches of those which are now in pro-
gress, and makes numerous recommended
tions for the future. The number of
officers holding commissions in the corps
of engineers of the United States army
at the end of the fiscal year was one
hundred and seven to the active list and
five on the retired list. The latter, how
ever, under the law of January 81, 1870,
are now available for duties. In the
duties devolving upon the corps by law,
the employment of a number of scien-
lists and assistant engineers has been
necessary. After careful study of the
subject of
SEA COAST DEFENsEs
by the corps of engineers, and with the
light afforded by the experience of the
actual conflict between the sea coast de.
fenses and the new naval armaments, the
system to govern the future construc-
tion of our works was elaborated in 1869,
and received the approval of the general
of the army and the secretary OF war,
and since then has been repeatedly in
dorsed by the action OF congress.
The main features Of this system
are the use of heavy earthen
barbette batteries, with parados and
traverses of heavy mortar batteries, and
of the distractions in the channels main
ly electrical torpedoes. To hold vessels
from running past the batteries reaching
the cities or depots beyond them, works
of this character have been steadily pro-
crossing since 1869, and in many of our
harbors are well advanced toward com
pletion, but in none Of the harbors are
these alterations finished, while in some
of our important Earbers along the gulf
coast works are scarcely commenced.
Regarding the present necessity for
the completion of works in advance of
hostilities, Gen. Humphreys urges the
preparations of our harbors for success
tul resistance against incursions of the
powerful iron clads of the present day.
Among estimates for appropriations
Humphreys earnestly recommends are
the following: For the completion of
defensive works at Fort Jackson, Mis-
sissippi river, S25,000; Fort Phillips.
do, $4,000. On the subject of river
ana harbor appropriations Tor the cur
rent fiscal year, Humphreys says OF
the amounts appropriated for public
works on rivers and harb0rs by the act
approved August II, 1876, certain al
lotments have been made in compliance
with instructions OF the secretary OF war
of September 4, limiting expenditures
under the act to &, goo, 900, and direct
ing that no new work of improvement
shall be begun. The following state
ment exhibits the allotments in detail
For improvement of the mouth of the
Mississippi river, 100000; surveys at
south pass of the Mississippi, $40 1000;
Galveston, S52, 800; Mississippi, Missouri
and Arkansas rivers snagging operations,
$4,000; Mississippi river, Between the
mouths of the Ohio and Illinois rivers,
1921, 900; Mississippi river chan
mel opposite st. Louis, $4,000;
Des Moines rapids, $4,000;
Rock Island rapids, 100000; upper
Mississippi river, $4,000; falls OF st.
Anthony, $1,000; annual expenses of
cauging the waters of the Mississippi and
tributaries, $4,000; removing the raft in
Red river AM closing the tones of Bayou
Louisiana, $35, 600 improvement of the
Ohio river, S120 900; improvement OF
Tennessee river, Sl30,000; Great Kama
wha river, $4,000; Illinois river, Sl0,-
900; Fox and Wisconsin rivers, $l20, 900
Green bay, Wisconsin, $1,000; Milwau-
kee harbor, $4,000; Chicago harbor,
$1,000; hai Dor of Refuge, Lake Huron,
$4,000; Saginaw river, Sll 200; Toledo
harbor, S22 800; Cleveland harbor, $l05,-
000 Erie harbor, $4,000: Duluth har-
Dor, Minnesota, $4,000; entrance TO Su.
perior bay, Wisconsin, $500 Ontonagon
harbor, Michigan, $1,000; Marquette,
Michigan, 81 600; Ahlapee, Wisconsin,
81, 900; Two Rivers harbor, Wisconsin,
$1,000; Manitowoc harbor, Wisconsin,
$1,000; Sheboygan harbor, Wisconsin,
$4,000; Calumet harbor, Illinois, 81 900;
White river harbor, Michigan, 81 600 I;
Grand Haven harbor, Michigan ,Sl5. 900;
Stugata harbor, Michigan, 81 600; South
Haven harbor, Michigan, SO, 500; st.
Joseph harbor, Michigsn, $4,000; San
dusky harbor, Ohio, $500; vermillion
harbor, Michigan, $1,000; Fairport, har-
Dor. Ohio, $1,000 piers at the mouth of
Black river, Ohio, $1,000; Michigan
City harbor, Indiana, $4,000.
In determining
AMOUNTS TO BE ALLOTTED