Harbor ineligible as a naval station, for our largest vessels could not enter there at all, and the smaller ones would find a difficulty in entering at low water or when there was a heavy sea running. After entering the harbor the water deepens to 5 or 6 fathoms, and so continues up to Blythe Island, through a very narrow channel. The least water shown by a Coast-Survey chart is 31 fathoms at low water. The Government owns the southern end of Blythe Island, which is, without doubt, the worst part of it, being a large tract of marsh, while access to the fast-land is debarred by a mud-flat, extending about 300 feet into the river, and on which the Tallapoosa grounded, the lead showing at the bow only 6 feet water. There was evidently about 3 feet of mud, as the vessel drew 9 feet forward. Even if a vessel of moderate draught of water could get over the bar, she would have difficulty in ascending the river, owing to shoal spots off the lower end of Blythe Island, where the channel is very narrow. Nature came very near making this a good situation for a navyyard, but failed, which is to be regretted, as the place is capable of being well fortified, one of the greatest requisites in establishing a yard. The board have to recommend that the public property at Brunswick, Ga., be abandoned and dispensed with, to be sold on the best terms that can be made for it. Having nothing further to examine South, the board returned in the Tallapoosa to Port Royal, and having no further use for the vessel, although they could not have performed the duty assigned them without her, they returned, by rail, to Washington, D. C. WASHINGTON, D. C., December 4, 1876. The board met at 2 p. m. All the members present. A considerable time was spent in discussing the particulars of their report; after which the board adjourned. WASHINGTON, D. C., December 5, 1876. The board met at 2 p. m. All the members present. The minutes of proceedings and the report of the board were discussed and adopted; after which the board adjourned sine die. Very respectfully submitted. DAVID D. PORTER, Admiral. Report of the board of officers appointed to consider the propriety of accepting League Island, &c., for naval purposes. WASHINGTON, 11th April, 1867. SIR: The board appointed by the President of the United States, under authority of an act of Congress approved February 18, 1867, to consider the propriety of accepting League Island and adjacent property and rights from the city of Philadelphia for naval purposes, has the honor to submit the following report: The board has read with scrupulous attention the several reports and opinions on the subject of League Island and its suitableness for naval purposes, proceeding from commissions of inquiry or from other official authorities; it has given a respectful and careful deliberation to the most prominent of the controversial pamphlets written on this subject; it has made a complete study of the original maps and plans of League Island and the adjacent property, among which are included the early original United States topographical sheets of the United States Coast Survey; it has investigated the hydrographical features of the surrounding channels and basins; it has entered into a thorough personal examination of League Island, of the opposite shore of the back channel, and of the channels themselves at different periods of the tide; it has bestowed its careful consideration upon the relation of all the various points and details involved to the present and future wants and purposes of the Navy of the United States, and especially their relation to the supplies of material, labor, and the sources of manufacturing power; and feelingassured that these deliberations, examinations, and studies added to the knowledge and experience already possessed by its members, qualify it to form an opinion on the subject of League Island, in respect to its geological and topographical conditions, in respect to defense, in respect to the practical business and wants of navy-yards, docks, and dock-yards for vessels of wood and iron, and in respect to its adaptation for all naval purposes whatever, this board does not hesitate to recommend, with entire unanimity, that League Island, the adjacent marshes and back channel, together with so much of the opposite shore of the back channel from League Island shore as is hereafter described, be accepted from the city of Philadelphia, and be held for naval purposes by the Government of the United States. So much of the opposite shore of the back channel as, in the opinion of the board, is ample to enable the Government to have the sole and exclusive use of said back channel, and both shores thereof, is shown by the polygon in red ink on the plan accompanying this report, and is described in words as follows: From a point on the west side of Broad street, three hundred feet north of its intersection with the dike, the northern boundary runs east to the west side of Eighth, south two hundred and seventy feet; thence east to the west side of Third street, along the west side of Third street, south four hundred and twenty feet; thence east one thousand nine hundred and eighty feet; thence south to the low-water line of the Delaware River, maintaining at Eighth and Third streets the same distance from the island as at Broad street, but conforming to the rectangular plan of the city, and including the northern entrance to the back channel Again, from Broad street westerly, preserving the same average distance from the dike, the line runs from the point on Broad street south, eighty degrees west, one thousand seven hundred and ten feet; thence south, sixty-six degrees west, three thousand three hundred and sixty feet; thence south forty-three degrees west, to the low-water line of the Schuylkill River. The area included between the polygon thus described and the low-water line on the north side of the back channel, is approximately two hundred and thirty-nine acres, of which seventy-nine acres are improved land inside of a dike, and the remainder, flats uncovered at low water. All of which is respectfully submitted. Hon. G. WELLES, Secretary of the Navy. C. H. DAVIS, Rear-Admiral U. S. N., Superintendent U. S. Naval Observatory. Brig. Genl. U. S. A., Chief of Engineers, But. Major-Genl. JAMES ALDEN, Commodore U. S. N: CONGRESS, CONGRESS, . Doc DISBURSEMENT OF CONTINGENT FUND FOR THE STATE DEPARTMENT. LETTER FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE, TRANSMITTING In compliance with law, statements relative to the disbursement of the contingent fund for that Department for the year ending June 30, 1876. DECEMBER 13, 1876.-Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs and ordered to be printed. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 12, 1876. SIR: The Secretary of State, in pursuance of the requirements of sections 193 and 209 of the Revised Statutes, has the honor to submit to Congress the following statements, viz: A. Giving a detailed statement of the manner in which the contingent fund for the Department of State for the year ending June 30, 1876, has been expended. B. A statement of the expenditures from the contingent fund for the expenses of foreign intercourse, including the contingent fund for the expenses of all the missions abroad, for the year ending June 30, 1876, with the balances of all former appropriations in each case on hand in the Treasury Department, and in the hands of the disbursing-clerk of the Department of State; and C. Being a precise analytical statement of all moneys disbursed by the disbursing-clerk of this Department during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, The SPEAKER of the House of Representatives. |