of the castle, a large building erected upon the hill overlooking the town, at an elevation of 110 feet above the water-level. It was an oil lamp of small capacity, but could be distinguished ten miles at sea. It has now gone entirely to ruin. In the event that Alaska should become thickly settled, and the mines turn out as rich as expected, the commerce of the district will become greatly enlarged, and of necessity lights will have to be created. There should be erected outside from Cape Fox, which is near the boundaryline between British Columbia and Alaska, a first-order light at Cape Chacon, on the south end of Prince of Wales Island, being the south entrance to Duke of Clarence Straits, which are the straits which lead to Wrangel and all the inland country adjacent. This light would only be of value to inland navigation. Cape Bartolomo is the entrance to Bucarelli Sound, at the head of which is situated the Klawack fishery. It is frequently frequented by whalers, who lay in wood and water before proceeding to the Arctic. This is an important point for a light, as it would be the first light made by a vessel going outside from San Francisco to Sitka. Another very important place is the Hazy Islands, situated off the entrance to Christian Sound and likewise off the northwest entrance to Clarence Straits. Vessels passing into all the inland waters east of Sitka must pass in the vicinity of this light. These islands are situated fifteen miles south of Cape Ommaney and five west of Coronation Island. The Hazy Islands are right on the coast route, and necessarily will have to be made by a vessel going north. A light placed on Biorka Island, the entrance to Sitka Sound, will command all the entrances to the harbor. On Yasha Island, off the entrance to Prince Frederick Sound, is a very desirable location for a light for inland navigation; it commands Prince Frederick Sound, Christian Sound, and Chatham Straits. It may be proper to state the reason for volunteering these remarks about the location of lights. Certainly when the time comes for the erection thereof, the proper division will have full charge. But it must be remembered that the country spoken of is almost an entire terra and aqua incognita to navigators, as will be more fully explained hereafter. Contemporaneous testimony of experienced persons should always be preserved as a guide, not only for the Light-House Board, but for future Congressional legislation. Hence, I have consulted J. W. Keen, the revenue marine pilot attached to the Wolcott, the most experienced and accomplished pilot in Alaskan waters, brought up in his profession from boyhood in the service of the Hudson's Bay Company, and, since the Russian purchase, almost continuously in the service of the United States. The foregoing are his views, and, from his long experience and mature judgment, they are entitled to much weight and consideration. The United States have lost two ships of war in Alaskan service, the Suwanee and the Saranac. Pilots for these waters are very rare, and any reliable information obtained from them now is worthy of preservation. MISCELLANEOUS. There being no law in the Territory for the recordation of documents, &c., there is a book kept at the custom-house, in which are recorded all mining claims, deeds, mortgages, conveyances, powers, &c. Edward H. Francis is the recorder. While it cannot have any legal force or significance, still it may be very useful hereafter as secondary evidence in the adjustment of disputes. The collector has in his custody 50 Springfield rifles and three thousand rounds of ammunition. A portion thereof is suitably distributed among the white residents, to be used in case of an uprising by the Indians. ADMINISTRATION OF COLLECTORS. Those of Collectors Berry, De Ahna, and Ball will be only directly reviewed, beginning with the time of the contemplated withdrawal of the troops from Alaska, and my connection therewith. The following communication is referred to here: OFFICE SPECIAL AGENT TREASURY DEPARTMENT, San Francisco, Cal., April 14, 1877. SIR: The honorable the Secretary of War, having directed the General of the Army to vacate the garrisons in Alaska Territory and order the troops therein to other posts in the Division of the Pacific, thus withdrawing entirely military protection in that quarter, I am induced to present to the department some facts for consideration, as coming within my own knowledge and as given by those familiar with the situation. It is with some feelings of delicacy this subject is approached, in the absence of any opinion being requested; but, as Alaska is embraced within the jurisdiction of my district, and having given that Territory and everything connected therewith much attention, and made it my especial study for the past two years, it is deemed proper at this time to give the result of such experience and observations. The telegraph states that simultaneous with the withdrawal of the military a revenue-cutter will be ordered to Sitka. It is, of course, conceded that some adequate force must be supplied when the troops abandon the Territory, in order to fully carry out our treaty stipulations with Russia and afford protection to our resident citizens there. The revenue steamer Richard Rush is now preparing for sea, but her cruise and destination is not yet known here. It is conjectured she will proceed to the Seal Islands or to Sitka; possibly her cruise may extend to both places. General Howard, U. S. A., commanding the Department of the Columbia, has telegraphed to the division commander urging vigorously that a gunboat be dispatched to Sitka, or that the force on the revenue cutter to be sent there be materially increased. It is of this I now propose to speak; and will take the armament and complement of officers and men of the Rush as an example, as applying to other vessels of her class in service on this coast. The Navy has no "gunboat" available in these waters; hence the revenue marine must for the present be charged with this duty. The Rush carries 6 commissioned officers and a crew of 30 men all told, including seamen, firemen, petty officers, stewards, cooks, and boys. Her armament consists of 2 20-pound rifle Dalghren bronze howitzers, small-arms, 12 Ballard's breech-loading rifles, 12 revolvers, and 12 cutlasses. It is submitted this is not sufficient force to take the place of the garrison at Sitka; no assistance could be rendered the inhabitants on shore. There is a custom-house and other government buildings and property of value, all of which might be sacrificed if too small a display of force is made at the outset when the change is made. In fact, if trouble should arise with the Indians, it is not more than sufficient to protect and handle the vessel. It is true the cutter would be able to shell an Indian village, but would be generally unable to land a sufficient force to destroy it or burn the canoes, the latter being the greatest punishment there can be inflicted upon the coast Indians, as they live entirely by fishing, hunting, and trading. These Indians have at times been severely punished by American and British gunboats, and they have great dread of them, but it must be borne in mind they have been manned with a large crew and had large batteries. When the troops leave Sitka an armed vessel should be stationed there permanently, making occasional cruises in the Alexander Archipelago, &c. (See my report of March 23, 1876, Senate Document No. 37.) We have no vessels now in service that are fit for this duty; they are entirely too small, the armament not of the proper description, and quarters for officers and men entirely too contracted and wholly unsuitable for the severity of the winters in that inhospitable region. Proper steamers should be constructed. In 1868 Capt. John W. White, of the cutter Wyanda, visited Alaska, and in an able and elaborate report made that year to the department thoroughly discussed this subject. Attention is respectfully invited to his suggestions and recommendations. It is submitted that two steamers will of necessity have to be sent to Alaska this season. The one destined for the Westward, i. e., the Seal Islands, will be required there as soon as the sealing season commences, now close at hand. These islands are distant from Sitka full 1,200 miles, and to go there via Sitka is a very roundabout way. See my report before mentioned. When the garrison at Sitka is withdrawn, a cutter will have to be substituted in lieu thereof. I would recommend her supply of small-arms be added to, her crew increased at least ten able seamen, a surgeon and additional engineer ordered to the vessel, and that she be liberally supplied with shot, shell, and fixed ammunition. Immediate steps should be taken to establish a coal depot at Sitka. The Puget Sound cutter cannot with safety to the revenue be spared for so long a time from her station. This cutter is constantly cruising in the Sound and in British waters, and is absolutely essential to prevent wholesale smuggling in that quarter. The frontier is remote, adjacent to foreign territory, and must be carefully guarded. In the winter season her services are constantly in demand to aid vessels in distress; she does more work and effective service than any other vessel of her class on the coast. The Thomas Corwin, now being completed at this port, is a staunch new vessel, and, when finished, will be in perfect condition; the whole work on her should be done by the 15th of May next. In every respect she will be more suitable for service in Alaskan waters than any vessel here. She was originally intended for the Columbia River station, but as it is only 24 hours' steaming from Puget Sound to Columbia River Bar it is submitted the Oliver Wolcott can in an emergency do all the duty of both stations, until other vessels can be constructed or sent here. More vessels are certainly required on this coast, and I had this in view when treating this subject before. The change as adopted by the administration is fully in accordance with the views in my published report, but I doubt the wisdom of the policy in ordering the troops away before proper provision is made to replace them, and especially at this time breaking up the post at Wrangel Island. This point is distant 160 miles from Sitka, and is the depot of supplies for the miners on the Stikine River, and at Cassiar, in British Columbia. Our coast steamers touch here and land their passengers for these mines. Miners, traders, packers, &c., congregate at this point in the spring and await transportation. In the fall they return from the mines and frequently are delayed here several days. At this point a collision with the natives is greatly to be feared. This is the season of the year when the government should have sufficient force on hand to suppress broils, protect the Indians from assaults of the whites, prevent the latter from obtaining liquor, and keep them in a proper state of subjection. In the winter season no such necessity exists, for the few whites remaining on the island have such close relations with the natives that no danger is apprehended. However, if the sale of liquor is to be unrestricted at Wrangel Island, the miners will winter there to a large extent and trouble will assuredly be the result. During the summer season the Alaskan coast swarms with small vessels and canoes, navigated by desperate and lawless men, bent upon smuggling, illicit barter, and that especial curse to the natives, trading in ardent spirits. A deputy collector is stationed at Wrangel, but he will be utterly powerless to enforce the revenue laws and stop the smuggling from British Columbia. The sale of liquor will be had right under his nose and he cannot stop it. If the company of soldiers now at Wrangel Island can be kept there until the miners have returned from the far north and gone into winter quarters at Victoria, Vancouver Island, it would, in my opinion, be a wise course for the War Department to pursue. Until the Thomas Corwin is ready for sea, the removal of the companies from Sitka would, I think, be premature. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, Hon. JOHN SHERMAN, WM. GOUVERNEUR MORRIS, Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D. C. This letter was referred by the honorable Secretary to the War Department, who sent it to Major-General McDowell, U. S. A., commanding the Division of the Pacific, who subsequently referred it to Brig. Gen. O. O. Howard, U. S. A., commanding the Department of the Columbia, for his opinion. General Howard indorsed my report favorably. It was also transmitted to Maj. M. P. Berry, collector of Alaska, who wrote to the Secretary as follows: CUSTOM-HOUSE, SITKA, ALASKA, SIR: Department letter of June 8, 1877, "H. B. J." and "S. J. K." asks for report on condition of affairs in this place and Wrangel since the withdrawal of the United States troops. Having anticipated the demand of this letter in report forwarded by this mail, I will nevertheless take this one up and answer in detail. Paragraph 1, department letter. The cutter Rush came into this port May 19, 1877. Captain Bailey informed me that on the finish of his cruise to the westward he should |