Evening star., 1886-11-26
DEFENSES AND HARBORS.
Annual Report of the Chief Of En-
EineerS.

Annual Report of the Chief of En-
gineers.
THE DEFENSES OF wASHINGToN-LoCAL HAR-
BoR IMPROvEMENTS-THE POTOMAC RJvEF
FRONT IMPRoyEMENT-S7O0,0 900 ASKED Fof
THE FISCAL YEAR 77-'7S-THE. LONG BRIDGE
MUST BE RERUILT-wALLs FOR THE sEwEF
CANAL NEEDED.
The annual report of Gen. Jas. c. Duane, chic
o; engineers, to the Secretary OF War, was made
public to-day. 1t is extremely long, and gives
in detail what has been done and what is
needed in the engineer branch of the govern
ment In the way of river and harbOr improve
ments, defenses and fortifications His esti
mate Tor appropriations required for 1SS7-'Se
for sea coast and lake frontier deienses amounts
| to 81 ,O43 600.
THE DEFENSES OF WASHINGToN.
In regard to the defenses of Washington the
chief Of engineers states that the condition OF
Fort Foote is one of utter dilapidaJion. The
buildings are all built of perishable material
ana are rapidly going to decay. As the post is
ent 10 repair all OF them. Slight repairs to two
sets OF officers quarters and the hospital are
recommended.
Fort Washington, he says, constitutes an i'm
portant part OF the outer line of defense 0
Washington and the Washington navy yard
traverse rails and pintle plates tor four 15-inc
gun platforms were laid early in the present
nscai year. A few slight repairs were made
turing u.n tne year. but no appropriation rs asked
ior next year, as no work is contemplated be
yonu ltS protection, preservation ana repair.
SEA COAST DEFENsES,
In the present condition of the sea coast de
lenses, the report says, our chief reliance In
case of war would be upon fixed mines. The
number on hand is insignificant and the essen
tlil preparations for operating even those We
have are yet 10 be made. The appropriation
ask ed for under this head is S53O,O tor ''care
and maintenance" of the SAME.
THE POTOMAC RIVER IMPROVEMENT
In regard to the improvements of lie harbors
OF Washington and Georgetown the chief o
engineers states that the total amount expended
up 10 the close of the fiscal year was $3.50 600
OIL which S26O, 145 was expended in dredging
and the remainder in the removal of rocks in
Georgetown harbor. AT the present time there
is twenty feet OF water at mean low tide in both
harOOrS.
He gives the detailed project of the Potomac
river front improvement. Before the improve
ment was commenced, he says, the flats ol
marshes in front OF the city had become sc
offensive that parts OF the city in their neigh.
borhood were not habitatie. The channel at
Georgetown was narrow and crooked, and had
not sufficient depths TO accommodate vessels
sailing 10 and from that port; the w ashington
channel between Long bridge and the Arsenal
was also Inadequate to the wants of commerce.
Vessels drawing 16 feet frequently grounded
in the Georgetown channel, ana that depth
was only maintained by frequent dredging.
thus tar have amounted to S739, ,574.19 ana
have given channel from Giesboro Point u
Georgetown over 300 feet wide and twenty feet
deep and Il channel along the wharveS from
Washington barracks twenty feet deep and
from 200 to 800 feet wide. About 4,23O,OOU
cubic yards OF material have been deposited on
marsh to u height OF from four to ten feet above
mean low tide. The contract IOr dredging
100000 cubic yards from the Washington
channel is completed, but that for dredging the
same amount from the Virgin channel above
the Long bridge mas been greatly retarded by
1reShets.
NEED OF LARGE APPROPRIATIONS.
The failure to make an appropriation in
1885, the report says, has also been of great det
rlmenI to the work. ut is OF the hig chest inn
portance that large annual appropriations
should be made in Inc early stages of the work
Oi this character and magnitude. 1t is now in
during The past winter received, great damage
from iresheis. 1t should be pushed rapidly TO a
point nearer CONF pletion.'
Provision should De made at an early day for
retaining walls TO
THE SEWER CANAL
an estimate was submitted In former report.
The estimated cost of such walls built OF con-
crete would be about S2Os, 144. There is little
current in this canal; the level rises and fails
with the tide. 1t receives. however a large
portion of the sewage Of The city which is
pushed out in the river only by the continuous
additions It receives. The plan of improvement
reservoir, OF about eight acres, near the head OF
the sewer canal. Such reservoir can be made
10 discharge about ,OUU,uUO cubic ieet OF water
into 1T at each eDD tide, and this amount OF
fresh water discharged into the canal 1T proper
Intervals daily VIII ameiiorate its present
offensive condition. but as The city grows larger
and the quantity OF Wage greater, il Will only
be u partial remedy.
A REMEDY FOR THE SEWER NUISANCE.
1t is understood that the district authorities
propose TO establish a pumping station at the
foot OF 18th street, and pump the sewage tar
out into and down the river, the canal 10 re-
ceive only the discharge from the sewer during
u heavy rain fall. Such an arrangement is en-
tifciy practicable, and 1t is believed would
solve this sewage problem i'll u satisfactory
manner.
THE LONG BRIDGE MUST BE RECONSTRUCTED.
The officer in charge of this improvement re-
ports that the time has now come when some
thing should be done in regard to the Long
bridge. No plan can be made satsfac-
tory while the bridge remains a serious obstruc-
tiOn to the flow OF water beneath it. The rip
RIP stone placed around the piers for their pro-
lection, together With the piers themselves,
form partial dam across the river, obstructing
lis How, and will eventually cause a gradual
deposit of sediment in the river above it. When
the upper end OF Washington channel is closed,
As it Is intended to De, provision must be made
in the Virginia channel for discharging the
freshct water that now passes through both.
This cannot be done under the present bridge;
it should therefore be rebuilt on piers with
SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS NEEDED.
The sum OF $7OO.OOO can BE- prOhtably ex-
pended during the fiscal year ending June 30,
1888. If this sum be appropriated it will be
expended In continuation OF the work in ac-
cordance with the approved project in dredging
the Virginia and Washington channels anu
1illing sections l, aud }; i'll dredging the tidal
reservoir and building the inlet and outlet
gates. The amount available July ], 1885,
Was S35S, S,O27.93. The amount expended and
outstanding during the year ending June 30,
1856, was S235, ,79O.S7. The amount avail
able July l, 1886, S122,237.O6. Amount ap.
propriated by act approved August D, 1886,
$3.50 Amount available for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1887, S497, ,237. .O6. Amount
existing project, 81 ,444, ,365. Amount that can
be protitably expended ia the year ending June
30, 1888, 100000.
The National Banks.
FACTS AND FIGURES FROM CONTROLLER TREN-
HoLMS ANNUAL REPORT.
The annual report Of VIM. L. Trenholm,
controller Of the currency, will suggest various
amendments OF the national bank laws. The
report will state that three thousand five hum
dred and eighty national banks have been Or
gained, of which 2,S5S are now in operation;
of these 174 have been organized during the
past year, with q capital of $2l,OOO,OOO.
Twenty-fOur banks went into voluntary liqui-
expiration OF charter and eight failed. Since
the beginning of the system in 1868 only 112
national banks have failed. OF these thirty.
eight have paid their creditors in full and
twenty have paid interest, besides fifteen in
full and five in part. The contraction in national
OOO,OOO. The aggregate deposits in the banks
have increased from $500, 100000 in January,