exposed and defenseless condition of the shores of the Delaware River and of the port of Philadelphia. The recent threatened complications with Great Britain have again drawn my attention to this subject, and in accordance with my sense of official duty I venture to lay the matter directly before you. I am assured from reliable sources that Forts Delaware and Miffin are without efficient armament, officers, and garrisons, and that it would be an easy task for two or three steam frigates to run up the river Delaware and destroy the powder depot at Fort Mifflin and the navy-yard at Philadelphia. An expedition of greater force would with ease destroy the machine-shops and Du Pont powder mills at the city of Wilmington. All danger of a successful attack from a naval expedition would cease if the two forts above mentioned were placed in a proper position for defense; the garrisons could readily be furnished by this State and by Pennsylvania. Prudence would seem to require that such important and exposed points should without delay receive the attention of the General Government, and Your Excellency will therefore attribute this communication to the natural interest I feel in the subject.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHS. S. OLDEN.

ENGINEER DEPARTMENT,

Washington, December 30, 1861.

His Excellency E. D. MORGAN,

Governor of New York:

SIR: On the subject of the letters I have received from Your Excellency under date of November 15 and December 18, the latter by the hands of Honorable W. A. Dart, and also of a conversation I had the honor to hold with you on your late visit to this city, namely, the condition of the fortifications on the sea-coast and lake frontiers of the State of New York, I now at the earliest possible moment offer the following statement:

Harbor of New York.-Such particulars have already been supplied to you of the preparation of the forts in this harbor to receive their armament that as to them I need perhaps merely sum up the actual force in connection with additions that are to be made within a short time. Entering the harbor by the way of Sandy Hook, there is now on that promontory in the fort under construction a present readiness for sixty 10-inch guns. By the end of the next working season we may hope to see a like readiness for as many more of the calibers of 15, 13, and 10 inches.

On the Staten Island side of the Narrows there is now Fort Richmond, awaiting its full armament of 140 guns; Battery Hudson, awaiting its full armament of 50 guns; Battery Morton awaiting its full armament of 10 guns. Total present readiness for 200 guns, 15-inch, 13-inch, 10-inch, and 8-inch guns, including twenty-fourth 24-pounders.

By the end of the next season we hope to be prepared in new Fort Tompkins for about forty-five similar guns. On the Long Island side there is Fort Lafayette, ready for seventy-seven guns, 10- inch and 8-inch, including six 24-pounders. Fort Hamilton, ready for seventy-two 10-inch and 8-inch guns, including a few 32 and 24 pounders.

Present readiness on both sides of The Narrows for 349 guns. Probable readiness with works now in hand by the close of next season, 394 guns.

It is the wish of this department to begin at the first possible moment in the coming spring a new casemated battery on a site a little lower