The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1886-11-27
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON
CHIEF OF THE EN6TNEERY AN.
hUAL REPORT
Submitted to the Department Of War
p. scharge Of Navy Employees
Subcommittee.

W ARLINGTON, november EO.-ln ms
animal report TO The Secretary OF War,
Brigader G re al Du ne, ief Of tn
gIneeTs, ssys that during he past year
operations a seaeoast and lake frontier
defenses have been restricted to those
Necessary for the preservation and re
pair OF existing works. The subj C,
Of the defensive System Of the country
80 far "a regards the poris at which
iortificaiiors or other defeDses are
most urgently required is sufficiently
treated in the elaborate report made
to Congress by the For iication
Board, showing The utterly def9nseless
condition OF our seacoasts and lake
from Ter.
Gen. Duane expresses the belief
that the failure of Congress to make
appropriations for this all important
work has mainly arisen from the diff
Guilty in determining the best method
of procure g srmor pate. he says
tue alton Of sites, the co ostIuc-
ton OF masonry foundations, the
building of mortar batteries ard
work equally as necessary as that OF
procuring armor will demand much
time, AMI he earnestly recommends
that funds be at once appropriste d for
the emp acemen's OF turrtts and case
mates for rifled batteri,s, for twelve
inch rifled NOR ara and for submarine
mines, sill of which can be accom-
piished before amor plate will be re-
quired. The estimates submitted, ag
gregating ST. ,043, 600, are based upon
The present defensive sys EN- OF our
g. &C at, the amount eslimat ID as nee.
esssry for preservation and repair OF
fort ticstior beng required to prevent
such modern batteries as we now have
from going to ruin and 10 maintain
the old work., many Of which can
now be considered as relics of his
toric past.
Attention is called to the estimates
for torpsdoes. For the present it is
said our principal relisnce for harbor
defense, IN Case OF war, must rest
upon fixed mines and it is very nee
essary that there should be full sup
. y of these on hand at the principal
seiDoris of the nation.
Owing to the failure OF Congress TO
make appropriations either for fori.
ficst'ons or iorpodoes for the present
h-Cal yesr, IL hes become nect ssaty
not only to suspend torpedo expert
ments but alec, to great extent, the
| practical instruction Of the engineer
| corps in the details Of this service.
These expe linen have been 10 pros
ecution I, some ears and a system
Of fixed MINES has been developed
and gradually imp owed until it bios
fair before long, il funds are available,
to reach the highest point OF excel
lence.
Touching the work OF river and har-
bor improvement, the report eavs:
The funds with which these works
were pros cutt d during he ftcal ytar
ending June 80 h, 1885, were, owing
to the failure Of Congress 10 make
appropriations, derived mainlY from
such balances 20 remained on hand
from the sppropr atm made for ,hs
year 1884, ard in many instances,
theee being sufficient only to provide
for the care of public properly apper-
tanning to the works, operations were
necessarily SUSPENDED, 10 the detri-
ment OF the works, The estimates of
The engineer officers In charge Of the
works have been revised in the offic' 8
and amended where it was deemed
advisable, having regard to the most
economical administration Of the
works and kee Jog in view the aver
age OF The eran's made by Congress
during The pa year.