space available for wharf development, and consequently that there was apparently no real commercial demand for the extension of possible wharf frontage.

15. Since the report was made in connection with the eastern branch-one of the main parts of the harbor-the conditions have not changed materially, and the conclusions then drawn apply all the more to a small stream of the character of Scotts Creek, where the natural low-water depth inside of the entrance does not exceed 2 or 3 feet.

16. It has been suggested that if the main part of Scotts Creek be dredged up as far as the junction of the western and southern branches, and possibly up this main southern branch, it will furnish a possible site for public terminals for the city of Portsmouth. At present Portsmouth possesses no such public terminals, and the development of the water frontage of the city is confined exclusively to that facing on the southern branch of the Elizabeth River. The entire length of such water front is, however, not completely developed, as there are several wharf sites along the Portsmouth front that are now not in use at all and others which have been neglected and have been allowed to fall into decay. Furthermore, there is a considerable length of most desirable wharf frontage between Hospital Point and the next point to the south (Swimming Point) which has never been developed at all. Along this front there is a shallow bight of the river, and this bight forms an advantageous location for the construction of long docks or wharves with slips between. 17. The business portion of the city of Portsmouth is now confined practically to an area within a few blocks of the harbor front, and the sites just mentioned would be within an easy distance of the business portion of the city and would, in my opinion, furnish much more advantageous sites for public terminals than those located up a narrow and shallow creek and reached only by passing through a narrow drawbridge. In fact, to my mind, the shores of Scotts Creek are quite unsuited for the development of public terminals, except of the smallest and most meager description.

18. In connection with the possible development of Scotts Creek for naval purposes, a letter was received from the commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard under date of April 4, 1913, accompanied by a blue print showing the suggested development of the Naval Hospital Reservation. An examination of this blue print, however, shows that the principal development desired by the Navy is not on Scotts Creek at all, but it is along the front of the main channel. A pier is suggested, however, on the Scotts Creek side of the hospital grounds, and presumably a channel should be provided to this pier, but the outer end of this pier reaches the pier head line of the creek about in prolongation of the bulkhead line of the main channel front. Consequently, the improvement proposed for naval purposes partakes rather of the character of a further development of the harbor at Norfolk at the mouth of Scotts Creek than of the improvement of

Scotts Creek itself.

19. Most of the letters in connection with Scotts Creek are very indefinite as to the extent of the development desired, but in a letter from Mr. Frank Hitch, owner of the lumber mill, he expresses the desire for a channel 70 feet wide and 12 feet deep at low water up as

far as his mill; Mr. Wool expresses his idea that the channel should be at least 200 feet wide and 20 or 22 feet deep, while the Portsmouth Business Men's Association go on record as asking for a channel 200 feet wide and 15 feet deep at low water.

20. Of the three sizes of channels mentioned, that suggested by Mr. Hitch alone, in my opinion, possesses any merit. The deepening of a channel naturally only 2 or 3 feet deep to 15 feet could only be justified by a sudden impending commercial development of great magnitude and no such is shown to be imminent here.

21. At the present time the only vessels which go much beyond the mouth of the creek are the oyster boats or the small launches going to the marine railroad. The oyster boats are of light draft, and the launches going to the marine railroad can usually choose the proper stage of tide. It is not believed that the needs of either of these classes of vessels or any other prospective immediate commercial development in the upper part of the creek justifies the large expense of an improvement extending up into the shallow portion.

22. The lumber mill and the oyster-packing houses close to the mouth of the creek have already, at their own expense, provided themselves with navigable channels supposedly adequate to their needs, and to provide channels at Government expense for these few interests would, it is believed, be too much in the nature of private work to be advisable for the Government to undertake.

23. Were Scotts Creek a unique occurrence, the fact that private owners had tried at their own expense to improve it for navigation, might appear to justify a more extensive improvement by the United States, but the conditions in this creek are not unique.

24. Scotts Creek is but one of a large number of shallow tidal creeks in this vicinity, all strongly resembling one another in their essential characteristics. These creeks are all of small drainage area, and usually have numerous branches radiating out in various directions. Some of these creeks are so small as to be evidently of no commercial importance, but a number which were partly navigable in their natural condition have been taken possession of by certain interests and have been developed and improved at the expense of these interests so as to be available for commercial purposes.

25. Of these creeks capable of commercial development and already developed by private interests, Scotts Creek is neither the largest or commercially the most important, nor does it appear to possess any other special advantages which would cause it to be selected as the first of these creeks to be improved at Government expense.

26. That the development of Norfolk Harbor will at some time in the future begin to exhaust the available wharf frontage of the harbor and its main branches is exceedingly probable, and the time will probably come when the dredging of channels in Scotts Creek will be justifiable; but, in my opinion, it is not at the present time advisable for the United States to undertake the improvement of Scotts Creek. 27. The creek being entirely tidal, no questions of water power are in any way involved in the question of the improvement of the creek, nor at the present time would there appear to be any question of cooperation by private interests in the cost of an improvement.

E. EVELETH WINSLOW,

Lieutenant Colonel, Corps of Engineers.

[First indorsement.]

OFFICE DIVISION ENGINEER, SOUTHEAST DIVISION,

To the CHIEF OF ENGINEERS:

August 20, 1913.

I agree with the district officer that Scotts Creek is not worthy of improvement by the General Government at this time.

DAN C. KINGMAN, Colonel, Corps of Engineers.

[For report of the Board of Engineers for Rivers and Harbors see p. 2.]