Waterbury Democrat., 1901-10-30
GENERAL G|LLESP|E'S REPORT
Extensive Paper on the Rivers
 and Harbop Works.

dIlQ lzdIUOE w VT ASs Twenty-Five of Our Rarbors Well For
 tified Against Any Naval Attack
 The General Makes Known the Estl- mates of Expense Required for Max
 ing Needed Improvements
 Washington, Oct 30.-Twenty-five or the principal harbors of the United States now have a sufficient number of heavy guns and mortars mounted 10 permit of effective defense against na- val attack, says General Gillespie, the chief of engineers, in his annual re- port. He briefly describes the orig inal project framed by the Endicoft board for the coast defense and shows how it has been amended from year to year. The important changes were the provision for rapid fire guns, a re duction in the number and caliber of heavy guns and the elimination of ar mored defenses. Provision has been made for emplacing 325 heavy guns, 327 rapid fire guns and 376 mortars. Now General Gillespie wants sites for more new mortar batteries, and for gun and mortar batteries asks an ap- propriation of $4,000,O00. The forti fcations board having declared pneu- matic gun batteries obsolete, the dts. partment has discontinued work on surh batteries at Fishers Island and Port Royal. An estimate of $300,000 is submitted for preservation and re pair of Qualifications. which is less than onehalf of one per cent of their value. During the year negotiations have proceeded for the purchase of fertilization sites in Boston harbor @. i'll Narragansett bay (3), New York har- Dor (eXtension of Fort Newton, 3 Sitesl, Port Royal, San Francisco, San Diego, St Johns River, Fort St Phillip and Cape Henry. Va With few exceptions. these sites must be procured by con demnation. An estimate of $2 100000 is submitted for purchase of sites.
 For the construction of submarine mines and storage facilities, an esti- mate of $1OO,000 is submitted, and for searchlights, appropriations of $500,000 for installation, and of $500,OO0 for mains and conduits are urgently recon mended. The experience at New York has shown that economy in installation is promoted by using the fertilization plants for post illumination also The estimates submitted will fully equip with searchlights four more import ant harbors.
 General Gillespie takes up in detail the state of defenses in each of the fortifcation districts. showing just Al. at each of the important ports and what is projected.
 General Gillespie also makes an ex- tensive report upon river and harbor works and discusses each improve ment at considerable length, besides submitting estimates for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1903.
 These estimates are from 9 to 33 1-3 per cent less, and in some instances go per cent less than those of the local engineers in charge of river and har- Dor improvement. General Gillespie's totals are as follows:
 Under continuing contracts, $6,4S9,- BIT; rivers and harbors (generaD $12,- 543,G00; examinations, surveys and contingencies, $300,00O; under Califor- nia debris commission. $15OOO; pre- yention of deposits in New York har-- Dor. ST ,260; enlargement of Govern nor's Island, New York. $500,0
 Estimates submitted by the Missis- sippi river commission and the Mis- souri river commission are as follows: Mississippi river commission, $3, ,695,-- GOO; Missouri river commission, $1, ,065,- 200.
 Among the estimates for local i'm proyements, as made by the chief of engineers, of $50,000 and upward are the following: Lubec channel, Maine, $53, 900; harbor of refugs, Cape Ann, Mass, S35O.O0O; Gloucester harbor, Mass, S150,000; Mystic river, Mass, S150,00o; Boston harbor. S163,O0O; har- bor of refuge, Nantucket, Mass, .$115,- GOO; Woods Hole, Mass. $70OO0; Prov idence river, R. l., $S4 456O; harbor of refuge, Point Judith. R. l., $300,0O0; Connecticut river, S30.OO0; New Haven habor. S67 OO0: breakwater at New Ha- ven, $50,00O; East river, New York, $2O0,O00; Harlem river. New York, S20O,000; Hudson river. New York, S300,O0O; New York harbor, $75,000; enlargement of Governors Island, New York harbor. $5OG000.