When one compares the condition of our naval stations in the large ports with private and corporation property in their proximity, it compels a sense of humiliation, both to the private citizen and naval officer, and seems to indicate a state of bankruptcy rather than the wealth and power of a great nation.

Your attention was called to this condition of affairs last year in the statement made by me in my annual report, which I now beg leave to repeat:

Scarcely a week has passed since I assumed control of this Bureau that reports have not been received of buildings tumbling down, or liable to do so at any moment, roofs leaking to such an extent as to involve destruction of property, wharves rotting and falling into the water and others so defective that they cannot be used, water service defective on account of worn-out pipes, and a complaint of decay that implies general destruction.

The small appropriations for the past year have been expended with the greatest economy, and as much done as was possible with the limited amount to arrest this deterioration of the Government property, but being so inadequate it has had but little effect.

Under these circumstances I hope that the attention of Congress will be earnestly called to the urgent necessity for an appropriation of adequate amounts to repair and preserve our defective wharves, waterfront, and buildings, and to put in order and extend our meager docking facilities.

True economy, good administration, and proper attention to the present as well as the future needs of our naval establishment alike require it.

I beg especially to call your attention to the inadequate facilities existing in our navy-yards for docking our vessels. The modern vessels just constructed and authorized will be mainly without sheathing for their bottoms, and will require periodical docking to keep them in proper condition and to maintain their speed. In addition to this, the increase in length and breadth in vessels of recent design and construction require docks of greater dimensions than those now existing on the Atlantic coast.

At present there are but three dry-docks belonging to the Government on this coast, and, as it will be seen when the yards are treated sepa rately, they are not in proper condition. When the dock at New York will be closed temporarily for the repairs authorized at the last session. of Congress there will be but one at Boston-with sufficient capacity to dock the vessels of the first rate now borne on the naval list.

Our own experience, as well as that of all other naval and maritime countries, places beyond reasonable dispute the superiority of excavated dry-docks over any other means of docking, and the greater cost and length of time formerly required in building these docks has been very materially reduced in the wooden dry-docks on the Simpson plan, which have been successfully in use in several ports on the Atlantic coast for a number of years.

I would submit, as a matter for your consideration, the question of the advisability of providing dry-docks at comparatively remote places, which are frequented by merchant shipping, for the use of the Navy in combination with the merchant marine.

Such places as Puget Sound, in the extreme Northwest, and Pensacola, on the Gulf of Mexico, would be cases in point where timber for wooden dry docks abound and where no facilities for docking exist.

In addition these docks would add greatly to the resources and facilities for the naval defense of these waters in time of war. At present

there are no large dry-docks in the United States nearer Pensacola than Norfolk, Va., and nearer Puget Sound than San Francisco. The means for accomplishing this can readily be effected either by the construction and maintenance of these docks by this Department, charging moderate dues for docking merchant vessels, or by assisting private parties by advance of money or grants of land, with the condition that Government vessels be docked free of cost forever, and that the United States have control in time of war or of certain emergencies.

A precedent for the latter plan has already been established in other countries and recently in the United States by the grant of Government land in Baltimore to a dry-dock company upon the condition that all Government vessels be docked free of charge.

Under the heads of the different yards and stations I will now proceed to submit my views upon such objects and estimates as are deemed worthy of special mention and treatment.

NAVY-YARD, PORTSMOUTH, N. H.

The floating balance dock at this yard requires extensive repairs to put it in proper condition, and $20,000 is asked for this purpose, the amount being included in the general estimate for repairs and preser vation.

The water service has been improved in this yard by the erection of a windmill, which obviates the expensive method previously employed of using the fire-engines for the purpose of distribution. The amount of water is, however, still insufficient, and $9,500 is again asked for, to increase the storage capacity by cleaning out the ponds from which the water is supplied and for the erection of a new reservoir.

NAVY-YARD, BOSTON, MASS.

This being a closed yard, but a very small amount was allotted_for expenditure under the heads "maintenance" or "repairs," &c. The money allowed was judiciously and economically expended upon those objects which seemed to more immediately demand it. This navy-yard, with its fine buildings and machinery, large dry-dock, and extensive water front, is, of all the navy-yards, the worst in its condition of deterioration and general want of repair.

The Commandant of the yard presents a doleful picture of the dilapi dated state of the wharves, dry-dock, water pipes, roads, and buildings; and, in finishing his description of the condition of affairs, he says that "everything is fast coming to that state where only the most extensive repairs can prevent utter destruction."

This statement, though a strong one, I know to be correct and entirely without exaggeration, from two personal and careful inspections of the yard made by me within the last six months.

Three of the six wharves are so much decayed as to be unserviceable and dangerous. An appropriation of $50,000 is required to repair and put them in condition for use. The wooden caisson of the dry-dock is in such a condition as to need replacing at once; the swinging gates are out of order, and if the caisson fails the dock cannot be used, no matter how great the need. An appropriation of $31,009.88 is asked for to build a new one of iron.

An appropriation of $32,337.88 is required to renew and repair the water pipes, now in very bad condition, $4,000 for a new cart-shed, and $11,000 to repair the quarters for officers.

NAVY-YARD, NEW YORK, N. Y.

At this yard much has been done with the small amounts allowed. The following are the works of improvement that have been going on during the fiscal year:

The repairs to the North river front of the cob dock and saluting battery, commenced the latter part of the last fiscal year, was continued without interruption, and completed in a substantial manner January 5, 1886.

The work for dredging the Wallabout Channel, removing broken crib-work that had fallen into the channel, and dredging out the cobdock basin was commenced May 18, 1886, and is being continued.

About 4 acres of the cob-dock basin has been dredged to a depth of 16 feet at low water. The space thus dredged is intended for mooring ships in ordinary, in this manner relieving the water front and Wallabout and affording more room for vessels fitting out and repairing. The appropriation for repairing the dry dock of $100,000, made by the last Congress, became available about the middle of last August. A careful examination has been made and a plan of repair determined upon; work has been commenced, and, under favorable circumstances, the repairs should be completed by the latter part of April next. The great lack of sufficient docking facilities has been referred to. At no place is additional docking facilities more necessary than at this, our most important yard.

Another dry dock, of greater dimensions in length and width, is required here at once.

A timber dry-dock can be built in a comparatively short time, and the estimate for an appropriation of $700,000 for that purpose is hereby submitted.

The dock-yard at Portsmouth, England, with less available acreage than this navy-yard, has now eleven dry-docks, four more in process of construction, and three locks that can be used for docking purposes. For the purpose of continuing the work of improvement and excavation of the cob-dock basin, as mentioned before, the sum of $75,000 is asked. This amount if appropriated can be used in connection with the additional sum of $75,000, which is also asked for repairs to the crib-work of the cob-dock.

This work on the cob-dock, if provided for, can be carried on in a systematic manner under duly-formulated, well-digested, permanent plans.

The following amounts are asked for to prosecute works of improvement much needed at the yard:

If it is intended to make this yard available for building and repairing vessels, the following sums and improvements will be necessary:

For one improved timber dry-dock..

For dredging and filling in ...

For landing wharf at foot of Fifteenth street (400 by 75 feet).

For four officers' quarters.....

For office building for commandant and other officers..

For store-house for ordnance

For store-house for equipment....

For store house for provisions and clothing

In all an aggregate of

$600,000 00

155, 000 00

26, 416 40

36,000 00

15,000 00

75,000 00

75,000 00

75,000 00

1,057, 416 40

NAVY-YARD, NORFOLK, Va.

The importance of this navy-yard cannot be overestimated, its geographical position and its importance as an indispensable adjunct to the naval defense of the National Capital, Hampton Roads, and the waters of the Chesapeake show its great value. In addition, the mildness of climate enables out-door work to go on continuously, and its water and railroad communications insure unlimited supplies of coal and iron for manufacturing purposes.

It should be the fixed purpose of the Department to continue improvements at this point until the yard is placed in an efficient condition and provided with a modern plant. The first improvement recommended is a new dry-dock, which is especially required here on account of the want of size of the present one, which is unable to take vessels of the Tennessee and Chicago class, or the larger vessels lately authorized.

An appropriation of $600,000 is asked for the purpose of constructing this dry-dock of timber on the Simpson plan. As the old pumps and engines of the present dock are worn out, an appropriation of $52,600 is asked to replace them in a proper engine-house.

For the extension of the permanent water front by the completion of the quay wall $140,000 is asked.

For the extension of the present partially completed system of railroad tracks, the supply of additional cars, motive power, and an enginehouse, the sum of $47,479.87 is asked. For providing a system of water pipes, $17,811.87. For the construction of quarters for two officers, not otherwise provided, $12,000.

No works of improvement have been done at this yard. The ordinary repairs upon the buildings, wharves, and roads were made as far as the small amount allotted would permit, every dollar of which has been expended with the greatest economy.

NAVY-YARD, MARE ISLAND, CAL.

The rapid and steady increase in the wealth, population, and importance of the Pacific coast of the United States, the great length of the shores of the territory, the most extensive held by any one country on the west coast of America, and finally the importance to us of the water communication along the coast, render the naval control of the west coast of North America a vital necessity to us for inter-communication, for protection of our trade, and the defense of our domain. The recent acquisitions by European naval powers of various islands in the Pacific, which at once creates a rendezvous for their naval forces, doubtless to be followed by the establishment of naval stations, shows the transfer, to a great extent, of naval activity at present and in the future to that

ocean.

In addition, it is humiliating to think that it is within the range of possibility that our wealth and defenseless condition on this coast may serve to tempt an attack from the adventurers or others who may have the governing power of any little insular or coast nationality with suf ficient resources to obtain two or three modern armored vessels.

The now dominating naval power on the coast, Great Britain, not only has begun to enter into rivalry with us here in trade and commerce, but also in creating military and naval resources for offense and defense. With their naval station and dock-yard at Esquimalt, in British Columbia, they already command our communication with the Ala-kan territory, and render it imperatively necessary that our only naval station

on the Pacific coast shall be fully supplied with resources necessary to sustain in magnitude and completeness the importance which, from its geographical position, this yard has among the naval stations of the world.

During the past fiscal year work has steadily progressed upon the dry dock, and since my last annual report great advance toward completion has been made upon this important work.

In June last the coffer dam about the entrance of the dock was removed and the caisson or floating gate put in place. When the work had advanced sufficiently, advertisements were published for proposals to remove the coffer-dam. In response a number of bids were received, the lowest amounting to $39,750; this being so much in excess of the estimate of the civil engineer of the yard, it was considered that the interests of the Government required its rejection. Proposals were again asked for by advertisement for four weeks, in accordance with law, and five bids lower than the previous lowest bidder were offered. When the contract was awarded to the lowest bidder, he refused to execute the contract, being followed in his refusal in turn by the next four lowest bidders, leaving as the lowest bidder the one who was lowest under the first advertisement, and whose offer in this case was $39,000.

Under these circumstances with the, to say the least, peculiar action of the five lowest bidders under the second advertisement, it was determined by the Bureau to take the matter in its own hands, and to do the work with its own resources and employés in the yard under the charge of Civil Engineer Wolcott.

The result showed the wisdom of this decision, as the coffer dam was removed and the entrance dredged to a sufficient depth to allow the admission of the largest vessels at a cost of $20,492.19, thus saving $18,507.81. The interesting report of the civil engineer relating the manner in which the work was done is appended as a part of this report.

Proposals were also asked for the construction of the boilers for the dry-dock pumps. The lowest bid received was $26,200. This being considered excessive the Bureau determined to construct them in the yard. Under the intelligent and energetic superintendence of Chief Engineer Kutz, U. S. Navy, they were completed for $19,000, a saving of $7,200.

The iron crane, for which $40,000 was appropriated, is now under construction in the navy-yard, the tenders from outside parties being largely in excess of both the estimate and appropriation. It will be completed, within the amount appropriated, by the latter part of December next. The cost of granite for the dry dock in former years was $2.92, $2.05, $2.35, and $2.75 per cubic foot; last year it was obtained for $1.29 per cubic foot, the civil engineer in charge of the work stating that it is equal to any granite heretofore delivered.

For the purpose of testing the pumps of the dry-dock after they had been erected, the dock was filled with water, incidentally testing in this way at the same time the caisson and other completed appurte nances of this great structure. The results of the trial were in every way most gratifying, the pumps emptying the dock, employing full power, in fifty-five minutes. They have been pronounced by experts to be the most effective pumps for the purpose for which they are intended in the world.

The sewerage system, for which an appropriation was made, has been carefully constructed, with most excellent material, within the amount appropriated. This long-felt necessity has now been supplied, relieving