A transcript of congressional hearings held in the late 19th century to discuss the appropriation of funds for fortifications. The hearings involved a range of military and government officials, who discussed issues such as national defense strategy, public safety, and the allocation of resources. This document provides a unique window into the workings of the U.S. government during a time of great change and upheaval. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.