a thickness of only three feet of earth in front of one of the pieces. This may have resulted from a want of proper ramming when the embankment was being made, a neglect to lay the earth in horizontal layers, or to cut the surface of the hill into steps, so as to retain it in that position, or from the fact that the lower part of the embankment (at the foot of the exterior slope) may sometimes be washed by the surf. I am informed that fillings have repeatedly beenmade on the superior slope to remady this evil, but that this had been a useless expense, as the settling of the mass of embankment still continues. When I last visited Angel Island the part of the embankment mentioned above had settled about five feet below its proper level. The portion of the parapet left standing above the slide would not, therefore, afford protection against shot from ordinary field guns. I am told that the work has been done by contract. It has been reported to me that on several different occassions guns and other material intended for Point Blunt have been disembarked at Camp Reynolds. Useless delay, labor, and expense have thus been incurred, as there being no good roads from Camp Reynolds to Point Blunt the stores had to be reshipped and landed at the latter place after a delay of two or two three weeks. I have respectfully to recommend that hereafter all stores intended for Point Blunt be landed at that place. The commanding officer at Alcatraz Island has called my attention to some of the banded 42-pounder rifled guns at his post. Upon inspection I ascertained that gun No. 1 (inspector's mark J. W. R., foundry mark J. M. C. F., date, 1840) appeared to have the following defect: The wrought iron re-enforce does not fit perfectly on to the gun. The greatest space between the wrought, and cast iron is no less than two-tents of an inch (one-fifth inch). Never having seen this class of gun used, I am not prepared to express an opinion as to its condition or value, but the gun certainly appears either to be injured by service, orthe re-enforce to have been poorly fabricated. I have the honor to call the attention of the general commanding to the fact that certain citizens have possession of a part of the military reservation at Point San Jose (Black Point). If I am correctly informed as to the limits of this reservation, it is comprised between the shore-line and the arc of a cricle described from the extreme point of the cape as a center, with a radius of 800 yards. If the present occupants are allowed to retain undisputed possession of this highly valuable property any longer, it may cost the Government a large sum to disposesses them. I have deemed it my duty to mention this fact, as the attention of the department commander may never have been called to it.

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. L. ANDERSON,

Colonel Eight Infantry California Volunteers,

Inspector of Artillery and Ordnance, San Francisco Harbor.

BRIGADE HEADQUARTERS, DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA, Sacramento, June 6, 1865.

Lieutenant Colonel C. McDERMIT,

Second California Cavalry,

Commanding Sub-District of Nevada, Fort Churchill:

COLONEL: I am desired by the brigadier-general commanding to inform you that Companies D and I, Sicth California Infantry, under command of Major O'Brien, same regiment, left here on the morning of the 4th instant to report to you for service. Company B, Second