etter of the Secretary of the
Treasury of the 28th ultimo, inclosing a draft of a bill on the subject,
together with copies of reports taken from the files of the Treasury
Department concerning the information desired.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _Washington, April 1, 1884_.

_To the House of Representatives:_

I transmit herewith a report of the Secretary of State and accompanying
papers, furnished in response to a resolution of the House of
Representatives of January 16, 1884, calling for information as to the
payments made by Spain in accordance with the terms of its treaty with
the United States concluded February 17, 1834.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _April 2, 1884_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives:_

I transmit to Congress a communication from the Secretary of War,
embodying the views of the president of the Mississippi River Commission
upon a report from Major Stickney, of the Engineer Corps, in relation to
the protection of existing levees from destruction by the floods in the
lower part of the Mississippi River. It appears that there is an urgent
need of an appropriation of $100,000 to be used for this purpose,
and that an enormous destruction of property may be thereby averted.
I recommend an immediate appropriation of the sum required for the
purpose, to be expended under the direction of the Mississippi River
Commission.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _April 2, 1884_.

_To the House of Representatives:_

In response to the resolution of the House of Representatives of 5th
of February last, respecting the arrest and imprisonment of certain
American citizens by the authorities of Colombia, at Aspinwall,
I transmit a report of the Secretary of State.

CHESTER A. ARTHUR.

EXECUTIVE MANSION, _April 11, 1884_.

_To the Senate and House of Representatives:_

The condition of our seacoast defenses and their armament has been
brought to the attention of Congress in my annual messages, and I now
submit a special estimate of the Chief of Ordnance, United States
Army, transmitted by the Secretary of War, for a permanent annual
appropriation of $1,500,000 to provide the necessary armament for
our fortifications.

This estimate is founded upon the report of the Gun Foundry Board
recently transmitted, to which I have heretofore invited the early
attention of Congress.

In presenting this estimate I do not think it necessary to enumerate