Report of George W. Hockley, Secretary of War and Navy, January 12, 1842 - Page 3

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Mounting 4 Medium 12 & 1 long 12 pdr pivot
gun each—are in good order, and will be found
now at sea.

              The Navy Yard at Galveston requires
much repair[.] The Magazine—is badly constru-
cted—without ventilators the powder is constantly
subject to injury—situated upon the immediate
action of salt air—and not receiving the exer-
cise which it would afloat and at sea—
and not having the necessary men to give it the
requisite exercise on shore, the powder has received
much injury—in truth much has been lost[.]
[T]he construction, as before observed, is altogether
defective and the building should be condemned[.]
[T]his was recommended & ordered some time since—
when I had the Honor of directing (for a short time)
the Naval Department.[.] The Navy Yard is
now open and subject to the destruction inci-
dent to the range of cattle and all other
depredations[.] [T]he appropriation, some time since
made for erecting a fence around it—has been
expended by the late Navy Agent—W.T. Brannum
for other purposes—as also that for building a
Store House, Wharf Etc. amounting to ______
Dollars[.] The shore opposite the Yard is shoal
and level, and except at high tide, the
boats approaching it receive considerable injury[.]
[T]he difficulty also of putting any thing on

board

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Report of George W. Hockley, Secretary of War and Navy, January 12, 1842. Texas Navy Papers, Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, 401-1312.