Mr. SCHENCK. I have an amendment to offer, to insert after line 50, as follows: For Fort Jefferson, Garden Key.Tortuam. 8100.000. I offer this at the request of the War Dept, as will appear from the followmg communication:. Win Dannis“, Wisriisorox CITY, February 15, 1866. $13: I be; to inclose a communication from the chief Engineer. dated February 14, respectimz the bill No. 255. making appropriations for fortifications, 610., fmorilitthaeryconsideration of the committee, and statin reasons why the appropriations stricken on pgu the comAppropriations should be rein:. Very respectfully, sir. your obedientservant EDWIN M. STANTON Secular yd m. Hon. )1. C. Scans ex. Chairman 0/ the Cbmmiimon Military Mam, HoRep. I Will read a portion of the letter of the chief Engineer: "An estimated pumof 8100.01) asked for Fort Jefferson, Garden key, Tortugas, is omitted altogether in the bill reported by the committee. The importance of this work is very similar to that of K0 w est, for which an appropriation is included in the bill. Fort Jederson is in an advanced state of coinpletion, has already receivedpart of its armament, and additional heav guns are being forwardedtherefor. IN position an commandof a snfe, spacious and securo arbor on the extrcmewestern end of the Tortuga! reef gives to this work much importance connected with our national defense. Cooperating with our fleets and holding in its front amiiritiine encm and bearing upon our whole southern and western interests as the advancedand lookout station for all the commerce of our country with Spain, Mexico, and by the Panama oomnunication with the pacificcoast its continued progressand completion becomeequ in importance to those of any detenses connected with the strata o operations in the Cult“of Mexico. I apprehen from its designation, Iurt Jefferson. Gar den Kcy, that its locality wasnot understood." I have very little to add to that communication. In regard to the location of the fort at Tortugas the committee were led into some little misapprehension. Itis, I undertake to say, 0110 of the most important defenses of our coast, occupying the key, as it were, to the Gulf approach to the Mississippi river. It is the fur thest out of all of them; the outer sentinel, as it mightbe called. This fort they are now actu ally buildin. It will be left to go into dilap idation, an we shall suffer in consequence if we stop this work which is now procssing by refusing a liberal appropriation. T K: foundations and a very considerable proportion of the structure have been accomplished with great labor and at enormous expense. The appropriation here proposed relates to the progress and coin lotion of the work.