Sib  :  In  obedience  to  the  within  order  of  the  honorable  the  Secretary  of  the
Navy,  I  have  the  honor  to  Babmit  the  following,  as  the  result  of  my  best  reSec-
tions  upon  the  subject  referred  to  in  your  communication  of  the  I7th  Jane  Uet,
addreBBed  to  the  honorable  the  Secretary  of  the  Navy  ;

iBt.  "  To  what  extent,  if  any,  ought  the  present  gyBtem  of  fortificatioDs  for
the  protection  of  onr  seaboard  to  he  modified,  in  coneequence  of  the  application
of  Bt«ain  to  veBBols-of-war,  the  invention  or  improvement  of  projectiles,  or  other
changes  that  have  taken  place  since  it  wan  adopted  in  the  year  181G  t"

The  great  change  produced  upon  all  maritime  uationB  by  the  sppIicatioD  of
eteam  must,  of  course,  have  a  most  important  bearing  in  regard  to  the  system
of  our  nntional  defences,  as  adopted  in  the  year  1816,  and  that  system  most
applicable  to  the  same  purpose  at  the  present  day.
I  desire  to  say  that  should  a  foreign  power  deaign  hosljlitiee  agaiDBt  the
United  States,  their  steamers,  with  transport  ships  in  low,  would  not  attempt
to  pasB  our  fortifications,  but  could  land  thoueandB  of  troops  npoa  oar  eborM
at  the  numerous  points  convenient  for  so  doing,  and  free  from  the  annoyaoce  of
any  battery.
