duly appointed by said court, and the report of their labors was filed therein on the 12th day of July last. But two exceptions to the appraisal made by said board were filed, which were overruled by the court sitting in "special term." Appeal was made in one of these cases to the court in "general term," and on the 16th instant said appeal was overruled and the whole appraisal confirmed.

By the ninth section of said act, the sum of $400,000 was appropriated for the purchase of said squares. The value of the property on these squares, as appraised by the commission of nine in 1861, amounted to $346,374.90. It is generally conceded that real estate in this city has greatly enhanced in value since the year 1861; it was apparent, therefore, to my mind, that Congress, in appropriating but $400,000 for the purpose, could not have entertained the possibility of purchasing the whole property for that sum. Acting upon the best attainable advice, and believing that the public economy would not be subserved by deferring action in the premises for another year, I decided to accept the appraisement made by the board of commissioners and confirmed by the court. The total value of the property in both squares according to said appraisement is $681,878.65, so that, with the appropriation of $100,000, it was only possible to purchase one of the squares, and a portion of the other, until Congress should make the necessary additional appropriation to complete the purchase. I concluded to purchase the whole of square No. 687, on the north side of Capitol Square, and the five easternmost lots in square No. 688, amounting in value to $395,388.15. The owners of said property were requested to submit the proper deeds for the conveyance of the same to the United States, and, in a majority of the cases, deeds have been received and transmitted to the Attorney-General for examination and appropriate action. In all cases, wherein the deeds were not submitted within fifteen days after the ap praisement was confirmed by the court, the purchase-money will be deposited in said court, as required by section 9 of the act. It is expected that possession of most of the property purchased will be had before the 1st of December next.

Provision should be made for payment of the expenses incident to the purchase of this property. I have the honor, therefore, to recommend the appropriation by Congress of $295,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for completing the purchase of square No. 688, and for payment of expenses incident to the appraisement and purchase of the whole property.

BENEVOLENT INSTITUTIONS.

During the past fiscal year the whole number of persons under treatment in the Government Hospital for the Insane was 693, being 45 more than were treated the preceding year. Of these, 389 were from the Army and Navy, and 525 were males. One hundred and eighty-five

patients were admitted during said year; 51 were discharged as recov

end, 29 as improved, and 4 as unimproved. The recoveries were 39 per cent, of the discharges, including, and 58 per cent, excluding, deaths. The number of deaths during the same period was 44, leaving under treatment at the close of said year 561, of wh on 422 were males. Since the hospital was opened for the reception of patients in January, 1855, 3.151 persons have been treated therein, 1.542 of whom were native born: During the year 65 private or pay-patients received treatment, 26 of whom were discharged, leaving 39 under treatment. The general health of the hospital has been excellent.

The expenditures for the past fiscal year were $137,843.22. The sum of $11,198,65 was received for board of private patients, and $1,644.57 from the sale of live stock, &c. The value of the prodnets of the farm and garden during the year is estimated at $5,791.50; and the live stock, farm and garden implements, &c., belonging to the institution, at $15.804.70.

The board of visitors submit the following estimates:

For support of the institution during the year ending June 30, 1874, including $500 for books, stationery, &c., $130,500; repairs and improvements, $20,000; erection of a stock-barn on one of the out-lying farms, and a hay-barn on the other, and of a poultry-house, $9,000; completion of walks and roads, $2,000; erection, lighting, heating, and furnishing a detached building, to contain tailors, shoemakers, and mattress makers' shops, and store-rooms and dormitories for mechanics and farm laborers without families, $10,000; and for removing, repairing, and building cottages for employes of the hospital having families, $5,712.22; a total of $177,212-22. The fifth item of the foregoing estimates, amounting to $10,000, contemplates a substitute for the present use of the basement story of the extension built in 170-771, which will vacate excellent rooms for 35 patients of the quiet chrome class, at a moderate cost. The last item of $5,712.222 is simply asking for the reappropriation of an unexpended balance of an appropriation made for the same purpose in 1865, which has lapsed into the Treasury. All the estimates submitted by the board of visitors are represented by them as being essential to the efficiency and welfare of the institution.

I have the honor to renew the recommendations contained in the annual report of this Department, dated O teber 31, 1871, in relation to the propriety of the passage of an act by Congress, authorizing the prolonged restraint of inebriates.

On the 15th instant there were 116 pupils in the Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, 34 of whom were received since July 1, 1871. Sixty-six of these were in the collegiate department, representing twenty-three States and this District, and 116 have received instruction since July 1, 1871, of whom 100 were males, Eighteen pupils have left the college during the year, and five have left the primary department. The health of the institution has been excellent, not a single death having occurred during the year.

The appropriation of $70,000, made by Congress on the 10th of June last, by means of which the purchase of Kendall Green was consummated, was of great benefit to the institution, as it is now provided with one hundred acres of land, affording ample space for gardening, farming, play-grounds, &c.

The receipts for the support of the institution, during the last fiscal year, exceeded the disbursements $384.60.

The board of directors submit the following estimate for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874:

For the current expenses of the institution, $48,000.

During the last fiscal year 4,576 women received treatment at the Columbia Hospital for Women and Lying-in Asylum, a number more than double that of the preceding year. Three thousand seven hundred and eight were restored to health, 561 relieved, and 35 discharged as incurable; twenty-one died; in 101 cases the results are unknown, and 150 remained under treatment.

The annual report of the surgeon-in-chief will contain, in addition to the statement of the year's transactions, a résumé of the operations of this charity, from its commencement, June, 1866, to June, 1872, and a detailed account of the principal operations performed during that period, illustrated, when practicable, by photo-lithographs. This is one of the most interesting reports that have been made to this Department. As a scientific production it will be of great value to the medical profession throughout the country, illustrating, as it does, the efficiency of well-directed surgical aid in curing many of the diseases which but a few years ago were not considered amenable to treatment.

The directors report that the expenditures of the institution have been characterized by the strictest economy, and that its whole conduct has given great satisfaction.

The estimates for the ensuing fiscal year are as follows:

For support of the institution...

For microscope and appliances....
For new furniture......

Total....

$23,000

500 5,000

28,500

This is an excess of $5,200 over the estimates submitted for the cur rent fiscal year; but the increase is deemed necessary in order to meet the expenses which will be incurred in view of the increasing demands upon this deserving institution.

Congress, at its last session, appropriated the sum of $25,000 for the purchase of the building and grounds now occupied by the hospital. The purchase has been consummated, the deed of conveyance having first been approved by the Attorney General. The title to said real estate is now vested, as required by the statute, in the United States.

NEW JAIL.

Congress, by an act approved June 1, 1872, created a board of commissioners, composed of the Secretary of the Interior, the governor of the District of Columbia, and the chief justice of the supreme court of said District, with full power to carry out the provisions of the act approved July 25, 1866, entitled "An act authorizing the construction of a jail in and for the District of Columbia," and the acts amendatory thereof, and directed that the plans and designs for said jail should be prepared by the supervising architect of the Treasury Department; the work to be done under his supervision, subject to the approval of said commission.

The board of commissioners met in July last, and decided that it was inexpedient to have the jail erected on the site theretofore selected. At & subsequent meeting a portion of reservation No. 13 was selected as a new site for the building, this being deemed by the commission the only available public reservation in this District fit for the purpose. The reservation is situate on the western bank of the Anacostia River, and is bounded on the north by B street south; on the west by Nineteenth street east; and on the south by G street south. The northern portion of the reservation was selected, embracing a tract of ground 600 feet in width, and running back over 1,000 feet to the Anacostia; about one-third of the entire area of the reservation. Abundant room for the building is thus secured, while the contiguity of the site to the river will be of manifest advantage in the transportation of materials for its construction. At a later meeting of the commission certain plans, designs, specifications, and estimates, prepared by the supervising architect, were approved, and the proper steps taken for the early commencement of the foundation-walls. The architect is of the opinion that the building can be completed during the ensuing year. During the coming winter the necessary excavations will be made, the foundation laid, and materials prepared for beginning the superstructure at the opening of spring.

REFORM-SCHOOL.

By the act of Congress approved March 5, 1872, all the powers conferred and duties enjoined by existing laws upon this Department, relating to the reform-school and jail in the District of Columbia, were transferred to the Department of Justice. A subsequent act, however, approved May 15, 1872, authorizes the Secretary of the Interior to pur chase a new site for said school, to be selected by himself and the board of trustees, on which buildings for the accommodation of three hundred boys shall be erected under the supervision of said Secretary, the board of trustees, and the architect of the Capitol, for which purposes the sum of $100,000 was thereby appropriated.

A new site for said school has been selected on the farm of "

at, Thomas

Peter, situate about three miles from the Capitol in an easterly direc tion, and on elevated ground. This site was believed to be as salubrious a location as could be found in the District, and embraces one hundred and fifty acres of land, for which the sum of $30,000 was paid. It is called Mount Lincoln, in commemoration of Fort Lincoln, which formerly stood on the site. Plans and specifications for the necessary buildings were prepared by the architect of the Capitol, and approved by me. Proposals for the erection of said buildings were invited in due form by advertisement, and, on the 22d day of August last, the contract for the work was awarded to the lowest satisfactory bidder, conditioned in the sum of $64,000. There yet remained $6,000 of the appropriation unexpended, of which sum $3,129.03 has been expended by the board of directors in grading and preparing the ground for the buildings, and for steam-boiler, pump for hoisting water, &c. The work on the buildings has not progressed very rapidly, owing to the insufficient supply of water, but a new supply has been discovered, and it is confidently hoped that the family building will be ready for occupation by the 1st of December next. The children were removed from their former unhealthy location on the aqueduct farm in August last, and have been provided with temporary lodgings in the barn on the new site.

The board of trustees submit an estimate of appropriations, amounting to $15,000, which will be required for a steam-heating apparatus, gas, water, and for grading grounds. In addition to the 150 acres of land already purchased, the remainder of the farm, comprising 100 acres, can be purchased at $150 per acre. For the purpose of providing the school with sufficient farm and garden land, whereon to employ its inmates, and which will, in the future, go far toward supporting the schools, I cordially recommend that an appropriation of $15,000 be made for said purchase.

METROPOLITAN POLICE.

The Metropolitan police force numbers 238 men, of whom 6 are detectives. The board represents the inadequacy of the force to the needs of the service, and strongly recommends that an increase be authorized of 12 sergeants and 50 privates, or patrolmen.

The members of the force have faithfully and vigilantly discharged the duties required of them in maintaining good order, and protecting the rights of persons and property within the District. During the year ending September 30 last, 11,306 persons were arrested, of whom 1,858 were females; 6,778 were unmarried; 4,299 could neither read nor write. Of those arrested, 4,562 were dismissed, 21 turned over to the military, 720 committed to the jail, and 931 committed to the work-house; 187 gave security to keep the peace, 64 were sent to the reform-school, 60 gave bail for court, and 65 cases were undisposed of at that date. Minor punishments were inflicted in 700 cases, and fines were imposed in 3,996