Senate resolution of January 21, 1880, in regard to condemned cannon donated for monumental purposes. FEBRUARY 9, 1880.-Referred to Committee on Military Affairs and ordered to be printed. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, February 5, 1880. The Secretary of War has the honor to transmit to the United States Senate, in compliance with the resolution of that body, dated January 21, 1880, calling for report as to "number and weight and the value per pound of condemned cannon which have since January, 1865, been do nated for any purposes by acts of Congress, and whether there are in fact any such cannon now on hand," a report of the Chief of Ordnance, dated the 3d instant, furnishing the information desired. The PRESIDENT of the United States Senate. ALEX. RAMSEY, Secretary of War. ORDNANCE OFFICE, WAR DEPARTMENT, SIR: I have the honor to return herewith Senate resolution dated 21st ultimo, and to submit the following: Statement showing the number of guns donated by Congress for monumental and other purposes since January, 1865; also, showing the weight of these guns-bronze and iron—delirered, and their value. Statement showing the number of guns donated by Congress, &c.—Continued. Total delivered: 512,739 pounds bronze, 357,084 pounds iron. Total value, $111,345.54. On 2d instant I had the honor to report, viz: 1st. The number of condemned bronze cannon on hand has been reduced to 268. Of this number 67 are 12-pounders, weighing about 1,225 pounds each, and 201 are 6-pounders, weighing 880 pounds each. The joint resolution of July 15, 1870, donates to the Lincoln Monument Association, Washington, D. C., "so much damaged and captured bronze and brass ordnance as may be necessary, out of which to cast the principal figures of said monument, from time to time as the models are completed." As The artist, Mr. Clark Mills, informs me that it will take 240 12-pounder guns, in addition to 12 already issued, to complete the monument. we have only 67 12-pounders, the total amount of metal will have to be made up with 6-pounders, taking in all 67 12-pounder and 244 6-pounder guns, or 43 6-pounders more than are now on hand. 2d. The act of March 3, 1873, donates to the Gettysburg Battle-field Memorial Association also an indefinite number of cannon. Only 35 iron guns have thus far been issued to it. 3d. There are other acts passed by Congress donating 120 guns, in the aggregate, which have not been called for and have not been deliv ered by this department. 4th. We have on hand 230 condemned iron guns that can be issued for monumental purposes, but unless iron is specified in the act the call is made for bronze. Where the metal is to be used in casting, bronze is of course a necessity. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The Hon. SECRETARY OF WAR. S. V. BENET. Brig. Gen., Chief of Ordnance. 2d Session. No. 71. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF WAR, TRANSMITTING Report of Capt. G. J. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, of a resurvey of the outlet to Wolf Lake, Indiana. FEBRUARY 9, 1880.-Referred to the Committee on Commerce and ordered to be printed. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, February 5, 1880. The Secretary of War has the honor to transmit to the United States Senate a copy of a report by Capt. G. J. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, of the result of a resurvey of the outlet to Wolf Lake, Indiana, made in compliance with the requirements of the river and harbor act of March 3, 1879, accompanied with the letter of the Chief of Engineers, dated February 4, 1880, submitting said report to this department. The PRESIDENT Of the United States Senate. ALEX. RAMSEY, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a copy of a report to this office from Capt. G. J. Lydecker, Corps of Engineers, of the result of a resurvey of the outlet to Wolf Lake, Indiana, made to comply with the requirements of the river and harbor act of March 3, 1879. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. G. WRIGHT, Chief of Engineers, Brigadier and Brevet Major General, U. S. A. Hon. ALEXANDER RAMSEY, Secretary of War. RESURVEY OF THE OUTLET TO WOLF LAKE, IN LAKE COUNTY, INDIANA. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report on the "resurvey of the outlet to Wolf Lake, Indiana," made in pursuance of the act of Congress approved March 3, 1879. A tracing showing the results of the survey is transmitted herewith. The question of making a navigable connection between Wolf River and Lake, and Lake Michigan has been agitated for some years past. An examination with this object in view was made by Maj. D. C. Houston, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., who submitted his report to the Chief of Engineers under date of November 26, 1873. No special survey was made at that time. In the year following, however, a detailed survey was made by Maj. G. L. Gillespie, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A., in pursuance of the act of Congress approved June 23, 1874. His report was forwarded to the Chief of Engineers under date of December 4, 1874, who transmitted it to the honorable Secretary of War January 4, 1875. It is printed as Ex. Doc. 75, part 1, H. R., 43 Congress, 2d session. As this report, with accompanying maps, gives a full description of the surroundings, and is a complete presentation of the whole subject, I would respectfully suggest its consideration in connection herewith. The part which the government is asked to take by the private parties interested in the construction of a harbor at this place is stated in Major Houston's report, as follows: "To do the work necessary outside of the shore line." Major Gillespie states that "it is expressly stipulated" in the memorial submitted by the private parties interested that "the aid of the government is only asked in the work extending from the waterline of the lake into Lake Michigan, and that the private parties and associates will themselves complete and entirely execute all work south of the water line of Lake Michigan. Limiting the project on the part of the government to the work above indicated, it will comprise the excavation of a channel from the shore to deep water in the lake and the construction of piers for its protection. This may be accomplished by either of the plans shown on the inclosed tracing. The south pier (F G) is the same in all; it extends to the 12-foot curve, and is 950 feet long. The north pier in the first plan (see line HI) is 200 feet from and parallel to the former, extends to the 18-foot curve, and is 200 feet long. This plan is essentially that proposed by Major Gillespie, modified slightly as to extent and dimensions of piering. In the second plan the north pier (see line H K L) is at a distance of 300 feet from the south pier, to which it is parallel most of the way from the shore for a distance of about 1,300 feet; then the direction is changed, so as to shelter the harbor more effectually against northeasterly storms, which are the most severe in this portion of the lake. The total length of the north pier on this plan from the shore to the 18-foot curve is also 2,000 feet. Confining our attention for the present to these two plans, the south pier may be limited in width to 12 feet throughout its entire length. On the first plan the north pier should be 16 feet wide from shore to the 12-foot curve, a distance of 900 feet; thence to the 15-foot curve, a distance of 500 feet, it should be 20 feet wide; and the remaining 600 feet to the 18-foot curve should have a width of 24 feet. On the second plan, this pier would be the same as the above out to the 12-foot curve; thence to the angular point, a distance of 400 feet, it should be 20 feet wide, and from that point to the 18-foot curve, a distance of 700 feet, it should be 24 feet wide. The amount of dredging between the piers out to the 15-foot curve would be 75,000 cubic yards for the first and 100,000 cubic yards for the second plan. The cost of the work above indicated, based on prices now current, and with appropriations sufficient to complete it in two working seasons at the most, is estimated as follows: |