Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-11-25
HARBORs AND COAST DEFKNsEs.
Improving the Potomac River and Defending
the Capital.

1
GEN. cAsKY's ANNuAL REPonr-RI RKcoxNYNps
! THE RECONSTRUCTION or LONG 1nrDaR-A ooor
ROUND SUN NRxnED FOR PROTECTION By
wATKs-orHEI IMPORTANT SUGGESTIONS MADE
Gen. Casey, the chief Of engineers of the
army, finds room in his annual report for some
interesting observations concerning the city Of
Washington and its surroundings. As to the
improvement Of the Potomac river he says
1.-THE amount expended during the fiscal year
ending June 80, 1890, is sl37, 94l.5O. This sum
has been devoted to dredging in the Washing
ton channel, raising embankments and pro
tectins the same and constructing the res
efvoir outlet. The latter h completed,
with exception Of one course Of stone and
the coping. The channel above Long bridge,
which had filed up::to about IA feet at low tide
(or II feet at high tide), has been redredged
to depth of not less than Is feet at low tide
Tor q feet at high tide) for width of about
14O feet. The Washington channel has been
widened on its westerly side for about two
thirds Of its length by dredging to q depth of
IL feet. The increase in width varies from 100
to $50 feet, effecting a decided Improvement in
the harbor. Almost the entire area to be re-
claimed has been raised to q grade above over
flow by mean high tides.
THE DREDGING IN THE WASHINGTON CHANNEL
is now nearly finished. 1t is deep and for the
most part wide and commodious single
freshet Is apt 10 damage it immensely. The
amount of material that can be washed into it.
scattered over large space, will necessitate
expensive dredging to remove. The embank-
ments around the margin Of the fill to retain
the material placed on the fats have now been
raised to q considerable height. They arc con-
| stantly being eroded by the waves and need
frequent expenditures to maintain them.
THE LONG BRIDGE.
| 'The necessity for the reconstruction of the
Long bridge ID again referred to. 1t is impera-
tive that this work should not be delayed, if
the destruction of the bridge itself, as well as
damage to the work on the river front and
yited. The government has expended Il, $780,
and raising the flats. While Long
bridge remains as it is some Of the
work on the channel has to be done over and
| over again. The trouble is not that there is a
bridge at this place--it is because Of the faulty
construction Of the bridge. As stated in former
reports the spans are short, the piers too numer-
Gus and set in positions that make them more
| obstructive to the fow of the water than they
need be. Besides, they are built OH pile and grill
lage foundations which reach to about the level
| Of low water, and have enrOckments or mounds
of stone around them, which still further OBJ
structs the flow of water under the bridge. 1t
Il II OF the utmost importance tlat the portion OF
| the bridge which spans the main channel of
| the river be rebuilt without further delay.
| Gen. Casey sumits an estimate of 1851 1865 for
the completion of the existing project"
DREDGING AT MOUNT VERNON
He also mentions the work Of dredging the
| river at Mount Vernon as follows: Previous to
the commencement of this improvement there
was depth of but four feet at low water over
the vide fiat between the wharf at Mount YER
non and the main channel of Potomac river, a
distance OF 900 feet. The present pro-
ject, adopted in 1879 and amended in
| 1888. is to excavatc channel from
! de,p water of the Potomac to the wharf ut
Mount Vernon, which shall have when COM
| pleted width of 200 feet and depth of from
. to 10 feet at low water, with turning basin
| of 200 feet radius.
| The amount expended to June 80, 1890, is
$14,500. The channel has been dredged
a distance of $500 feet from the
Potomac. 1t has width varying from 60
| to 100 feet, and the basin has width of 36O
feet. The depths in the channel and basin
within the limits mentioned vary from to 1913
feet. survey under the last appropriation
| showed that the basin nearly Obliterated,
| and that the work required to complete the
! channel would be increased by the deposit.
LOCAL DEFENsEs.
His remarks on the subject of sea-coast de-
lenses are very entertaining, especially as they
have tinge of local coloring. He says: 'At
| the close of the fiscal yea ending June
30. $780, no appropriations for construc-
| ton of works of sea-cOast defense had been
made since February. 10, 1875. The sums
appropriated from time to time for the
preservation and repair of Notifications have
been applied to the more urgent work Of this
character, including also the renewal of plat
forms for heavy artillery practice. While some
OF the defensive works thus cared for can be
MT zaA In tho 30
thus present special claims for attention,
all havo som. importance as parts of
system, which, though antiquated, forms the
only means of land defense until supplanted
not be allowed to 60 to ruin; an estimate is
submitted for their preservation and repair.
''The main features Of the new works have
been presented in my annual report for 1882
rs embracing ornaments OF the heaviest rihed
guns, submarine mines, and batteries Of rapid
firing guns Of small caliber for protection of
the mined areas. Projects for those works relat-
ing to gun defense provide for mortar batter
les; barbette batteries of three types according
as they are armed with guns mounted on dis
appearing carriages or lifts or in iron-clad
easements and iron or steel turrets.
&190,000 ASKED FOR WASHINGTON.
The construction Of these works, emitting
for the present those Of iron and the turrets,
| should keep pace with that Of their armaments
Accordingly supplemental estimates were sub
mitted to the Secretary of War February IA,
$780, based on the number of high-power
breech-loading ritled guns and mortars
which it was understood the ordnance
department would have completed by January
], 1884, 1t was recommended that emplace-
ments be provided for this ordnance at New
York at an estimated cost of S726, 600; at BOs-
ton, e235 600, and ut San Francisco, ESQ 900;
or at n total cost Of 81 ,22l 000 this amount to
be expended in the construction of the epaule-
ments, magazines and bomb-pr0Of spaces Of the
several works, and the funds for this work were
provided in the act of August IL, 1880 It is
recommended that the additional ordnance,
which will be completed by January /, 1893, be
placed in position at the three points named,
and also in tho defense at Hampton Roads, Va,
and below Washington. 1t Is believed that
two twelve-inch, five ten-inch and six eight
inch rifles, and twenty-seven twelve-inch NOR
tars viii be available by January /, 1888, and
for their emplscements estimates are submitted
as follows: For Boston harbor, S295, 900; New
York harbor, $477 ,0O8; Hampton Roads, $685.
harbor, S5S5 200.
ADDITIONAL SITES
GAS modern heavy rifles have by their in
creased effective range necessitated the adj
vance Of the exterior line Of defense to a dis
lance Of from eight to ten miles from the OBJ
ject OF defense, where one mile was more than
ample, ii will be necessary for the United States
to acquire additional stes for defensive works.
About 779 acres will be needed ut the
five points above considered; approximately
the same amount will be required at various
| other points. The amount provided in the act