The arsenals and armories of the State, those liberal contributions to the wants of our citizen soldiery, are, with a single exception, in excellent condition, and are occupied by the organized militia of the districts in which they are respectively located. The exception to which I allude is the Brooklyn arsenal, which, after a thorough examination by the Commissary General and a number of scientific and military gentlemen, was condemned as unsafe, and the use of it for drilling absolutely prohibited. The report of the Commissary General will be presented to you in a few days, and will contain information and suggestions upon this subject, as well as upon others, which will be found to be important as connected with the military department.

The Metropolitan Police has steadily grown into popular favor, and now commands general approbation. At the last presidential election, an occasion when every unruly element of the populace has usually had full sway, so peaceful and orderly were the streets, and particularly the polling places, that the police won the unqualified approbation of all good citizens. The act of last winter reduced the number of commissioners from seven to three, enlarged their powers and conferred upon them new and important duties. The police district comprises the counties of New York, Kings, Westchester and Richmond, and the towns of Jamaica, Newtown and Flushing, in the county of Queens. The area of territory embraced in the district is nine hundred and twenty square miles, with an estimated population of one million four hundred thousand. The force consists of a superintendent, four inspectors, thirty-two captains, one hundred and forty-three sergeants, and sixteen hundred patrolmen. The supervisors of the county of New

Chapter 292, approved April 17, made a further appropriation of $500,000 to be used in arming the militia.

On the 15th of April the President issued a proclamation calling for 75,000 troops. New York's quota was 13,000.

York have recently authorized four hundred additional patrolmen for that city. In the city of New York there is one policeman to six hundred and fifty inhabitants; in Brooklyn, one to thirteen hundred and eighty. In European cities the relative number of policemen is much greater. The services rendered by the different departments of the police in enforcing the law for the suppression of liquor selling and theatrical exhibitions on Sunday; in inspecting the safety of ferry boats and manufactories; the condition of tenement houses, and the cleanliness of slaughter-houses, to which, in a large degree, must be ascribed the exemption of New York from diseases incident to hot weather, and in reporting and causing to be taken down or repaired all unsafe buildings, together with the ordinary patrol and detective duty, entitle the force to the designation of guardians of the public morals, health and order. Another important service performed by the police is that of the examination of boilers. Many of these have been found in an unsafe condition, and experience has demonstrated that the duty of inspection can be performed by the police more thoroughly and economically than by an independent board of inspection. No precaution will prevent occasional accidents from steam boilers, yet authority should exist for compelling the observance of such proper regulations on this subject as will protect life and property. It is probable that some amendment of the police act in this regard will be required, as well as in respect to the power of compelling the payment of the expenses of purifying tenement houses, and also in other matters of minor details. The report of the commissioners, which will be duly submitted to you, contains much important information, as well as many valuable suggestions and recommendations affecting the public welfare, and I commend it to your most serious and careful attention.

The Board of Commissioners of Pilots have continued during the past year to discharge the duties imposed upon

them, although the Legislature of last winter made no provision for the expenses incident thereto. The necessity of protecting the wharves and piers of New York from misuse and incumbrance, and the waters of the harbor from encroachment, is too obvious to require argument. The vigilance of the commissioners has prevented, to a great extent, the practice of throwing forbidden articles into the waters, the improper discharge of cargoes and incumbering of the wharves and piers. They have caused the removal of several sunken vessels, which have endangered navigation. But among the most important acts of the board has been the removal of a portion of pier number fifty-one, North river, which extended twenty-nine and a half feet beyond the pier line, as fixed by law, and was constructed after the line was established. Great credit is due to the commissioners for the prompt, efficient, and fearless manner in which they have discharged the responsible duties devolving upon them in procuring from the courts a perpetual injunction restraining the completion of the unfinished pier south of pier number one, North river. An appropriation should be made for the proper charges of the commissioners.8

Chapter 510 of the laws of 1860, created in the city of New York, the department of public charities and correction, and abolished the almshouse department. The commissioners, four in number, appointed by the comptroller of that city, have reorganized the establishments under their charge. They recommend several amendments to the laws, to enable them more effectually to accomplish the objects of their appointment. It is claimed by them that much injustice is occasioned by the operation of those laws which except the county of New York from a distributive share of the commutation moneys paid by ship-owners, masters or consignees, although that county is obliged, like all the

8 Chapter 201, passed April 13, appropriated $5,400 for the expenses of the pilot commissioners.

others, to support its share of the foreign poor; and that, in exempting the Commissioners of Emigration from supporting those persons or passengers who have been absent from the State more than one year, the county of New York, for obvious reasons, becomes unjustly burdened. Under the present system of commitments, by the police courts, to the institutions on Blackwell's Island, for intoxication, the same party may be and often is committed fifty, and in some instances seventy-five times within a very brief period. The sentences of the offender are from two to ten days, a period just long enough to enable him to rest in his revolutions, recover his sobriety, partake of the hospitalities of the prison, and then go forth, certain only to gravitate again to his friendly quarters. Although fully aware of the vagrant character of many of the persons so frequently sentenced by them, the police magistrates have no power to commit for vagrancy, an offence not proven, nor indeed, even alleged against those so regularly brought before their courts. A conviction on this charge would procure for these persons much longer sentences, and would serve, in a great measure, to cure the evil complained of; and it is submitted whether it should not be made the duty of some officer to attend the police courts in the character of publie complainant against this class of offenders.

I think some amendments are necessary to chapter seventy-two of the laws of 1850, relating to the harbor masters of the port of New York. The defect of the law is found to be in not prohibiting harbor masters from employing assistants to perform their duties, and from absenting themselves from their posts; and it is believed that these subordinates, to some extent, exact and receive illegal fees for berthing vessels. Stringent provisions against the employment of assistants under any pretext whatever, and against demanding, receiving, offering or paying gratuities, should be adopted.

The commissioners of the Central Park of the city of New York, report the amount already expended by them in the purchase of land and improvements, to be $5,744,798.74; and that the amount yet unexpended of the means authorized to be raised for the completion of the park, is one million and eight hundred thousand dollars. Although now held in much favor by all classes, yet the great importance of this noble undertaking will continue to grow in public esteem, and will be more and more prized from generation to generation. For the sake of efficiency it is suggested that the number of commissioners be reduced from eleven to five."

The commissioners appointed by the act of April 3, 1860, to ascertain and mark the boundary line between the States of New York and Connecticut, in conformity with the survey of 1731, have been unable to agree with those on the part of the latter State. The various propositions made having been declined, and the joint commission failing to agree upon a basis, the commissioners for this State proceeded to run, and have run and marked a line, which is represented as being satisfactory to the people on both sides of the boundary, and have placed monuments at the proper points. Their report, presenting the details of their proceedings, will be transmitted to you, together with a communication from the Executive of Connecticut.

While the State should be exactly just, and while I should

9 A Central Park commission was created by chapter 771, passed April 17, 1857. The commission was to be composed of eleven members who were to hold office five years. The act of 1857 was amended in 1859 (chapter 349) by providing, among other things, that the commission should be composed of not less than seven nor more than eleven members. Commissioners then in office, and persons appointed to fill vacancies were to hold office for five years from the date of the original act, 1857.

By the amendment of 1861, chapter 88, passed March 27, the official term of commissioners then in office was extended five years from the expiration of the existing term, and they were authorized to fill vacancies in the commission. Commissioners were authorized to receive, for the benefit of the park, property by gift, devise or bequest.