That all the assistants named-except Inspectors Daly, Ward and Harding — are located at the office of the Division Engineer. That at no time during the past year has there been employed, upon the eastern division of the canals, a larger number of assistant engineers than, in the opinion of the State Engineer and Surveyor, was necessary to meet the legitimate and proper requirements of the public service. That the present force is now fully occupied upon proper and necessary work; and, therefore, That, in the opinion of the State Engineer and Surveyor, the entire force cannot now be "reduced down to the employment of a division and resident engineer and draughtsman, without detriment to the interest of the State." The duration of the employment of the present force is entirely contingent upon the time required to complete the work upon which the several members thereof are now engaged. It is the intention of the State Engineer and Surveyor to reduce the engineering force to the minimum at the earliest practicable moment. Respectfully submitted, JOHN D. VAN BUREN, JR., State Engineer and Surveyor. PAY ROLL of the Engineer Corps, Eastern Division, New York State Canals; month ending January, 1877. No. 41. IN ASSEMBLY, February 7, 1877. REPLY OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE TO A RESOLUTION OF THE ASSEMBLY RELATIVE TO CONGRESS HALL BUILDINGS, WITH COMMUNICATION FROM THE BOARD OF LAND COMMISSIONERS. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE, } ALBANY, January, To the Honorable GEORGE B. SLOAN: SIR.-The following resolution of the Assembly has been received at this office: STATE OF NEW YORK: IN ASSEMBLY, ALBANY, January 15, 1877. } Polted, That the Secretary of State be directed to report to this Assembly, within ten days, the terms of the contract between the State and the tenant of Congress Hall, the amount of rent received from him and the amount remaining due and unpaid, and the proceedings of the Board of Land Commissioners in relation to said contracts and accounts. By order. EDWARD M. JOHNSON, Clerk. I availed myself of the earliest opportunity to lay this resolution before the Board of Land Commissioners who have custody of the records which furnish the desired information, and I am directed. by that board to transmit to you the following report, in which will be found the terms of the contract now subsisting between the State and Adam Blake, the tenant of Congress Hall, so far as there is any, and the amount of rent received from him; the amount remaining due and unpaid as nearly as can be ascertained without an investigation of the validity of the counter-claims which have been made by Mr. Blake for damages and repairs, together with an abstract of all the proceedings of the Board of Land Commissioners in relation to said contracts and accounts. I am, sir, with great respect, Your obedient servant. [Assembly, No. 41.] 1 JOHN BIGELOW, REPORT FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE RELATIVE TO CONGRESS HALL BUILDINGS. At a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, held at the office of the Secretary of State, on the 17th day of October, 1865. Present Hon. Thomas G. Alvord, Lieutenant-Governor; Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, Secretary of State; Hon. Lucius Robinson, Comptroller; Hon. George W. Schuyler, Treasurer; Hon. John Cochrane, Attorney-General; Hon. W. B. Taylor, State Engineer and Surveyor; Hon. George G. Hoskins, Speaker of the Assembly. * * * * * The Comptroller offered the following resolution: * * Resolved, That this board is willing that Congress Hall property, except so much thereof as may be in use for public offices, should be occupied for a hotel without rent, provided that it be kept by a suitable person, and that it be surrendered to the State at any time upon thirty days' notice. On motion the resolution was adopted. At a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, held at the office of the Secretary of State, on the 14th day of November, 1865. Present Hon. Thomas G. Alvord, Lieutenant-Governor; Hon. Chauncey M. Depew, Secretary of State; Hon. George W. Schuyler, Treasurer; Hon. John Cochrane, Attorney-General; Hon. William B. Taylor, State Engineer and Surveyor; Hon. George G. Hoskins, Speaker of the Assembly. * * The Secretary of State offered the following: Resolved, That the Lieutenant-Governor be authorized to negotiate with Mr. H. T. Bradt, or any other person, for the use and occupancy of the Congress Hall property, in reference to the enjoyment of the same for the benefit of the State officers and members of the Le islature the coming session, on the best possible terms for their accommodation. On motion the resolution was adopted. At a meeting of the Commissioners of the Land Office, held at the office of the Secretary of State, on Friday, the 4th day of May, 1865. Present-Hon. Thomas G. Alvord, Lieutenant-Governor; Hon. Francis C. Barlow, Secretary of State; Hon. Thomas Hillhouse, Comptroller; Hon. Joseph Howland, Treasurer; Hon. John H. Martindale, Attorney-General; Hon. J. Platt Goodsell, State Engineer and Surveyor. * * * * * The Lieutenant-Governor presented the following resolution: Resolved, That the Comptroller, Lieutenant-Governor and Secretary of State be a committee on the part of the Commissioners of |