vorably to the House of Representatives by one of its
committees, is still pending before that body. It is hoped that during
the coming session the measure may become a law, and that thereafter
immediate steps may be taken to secure a place of safe deposit for these
valuable collections, now in a state of insecurity.

The funds with which the works for the improvement of rivers and
harbors were prosecuted during the past year were derived from the
appropriations of the act of August 2, 1882, together with such few
balances as were on hand from previous appropriations. The balance in
the Treasury subject to requisition July 1, 1883, was $10,021,649.55.
The amount appropriated during the fiscal year 1884 was $1,319,634.62,
and the amount drawn from the Treasury during the fiscal year was
$8,228,703.54, leaving a balance of $3,112,580.63 in the Treasury
subject to requisition July 1, 1884.

The Secretary of War submits the report of the Chief of Engineers
as to the practicability of protecting our important cities on the
seaboard by fortifications and other defenses able to repel modern
methods of attack. The time has now come when such defenses can be
prepared with confidence that they will not prove abortive, and when
the possible result of delay in making such preparation is seriously
considered delay seems inexcusable. For the most important cities--those
whose destruction or capture would be a national humiliation--adequate
defenses, inclusive of guns, may be made by the gradual expenditure of
$60,000,000--a sum much less than a victorious enemy could levy as a
contribution. An appropriation of about one-tenth of that amount is
asked to begin the work, and I concur with the Secretary of War in
urging that it be granted.

The War Department is proceeding with the conversion of 10-inch
smoothbore guns into 8-inch rifles by lining the former with tubes of
forged steel or of coil wrought iron. Fifty guns will be thus converted
within the year. This, however, does not obviate the necessity of
providing means for the construction of guns of the highest power both
for the purposes of coast defense and for the armament of war vessels.

The report of the Gun Foundry Board, appointed April 2, 1883, in
pursuance of the act of March 3, 1883, was transmitted to Congress in
a special message of February 18, 1884.[21] In my message of March 26,
1884,[22] I called attention to the recommendation of the board that the
Government s