HARBOR LINES.

The harbor lines proposed to be established in Barrington River have not been determined upon because of a request for delay by the parties specially interested, and who bore the cost of the surveys. A harbor line from above Sassafras Point to below Field's Point was established by chapter 819 of the Public Laws, passed April 16, 1880. Notice has been given of the proposed establishment of harbor lines from near Field's Point to Rock Island and including the mouth of Pawtuxet River. Informal hearings have been held upon this matter and the lines will probably be submitted to the Governor and Senate during this session.

BRIDGES IN SEEKONK RIVER.

Attention has been repeatedly called to the serious nature of the obstructions to navigation in the Seekonk River, and this Board, in its last report, urged the appointment of a special commission to consider and report to the General Assembly upon the matter. Such a commission was appointed and is required to report at this session. This Board is convinced that prompt relief from the obstructions which have been deliberately placed near mouth of this river, is imperatively needed.

LICENSES, ETC.

Licenses have been issued for the construction of wharves as follows: 1. April 14, to William A. Cushman, to construct a wharf on the west side of Seekonk River below Red Bridge.

2. April 28, to Hopkins, Pomroy & Co., to repair their wharves on the west side of Providence River, above Point Street Bridge.

3. May 24, to representatives of the estate of E. Simmons to repair Simmons' Wharf, on Providence River.

4. July 13, to the Providence Waterworks for extension along the Dorrance Street Wharf in Providence.

5. November 10, to the Boston and Providence Railroad Corporation for rebuilding a portion of their wharf at India Point in Providence.

Assent, to various constructions, has been given as follows:
1. March 3, to V. V. Chace, at Sabin's Point.
2. June 2, to J. E. Buckingham, at Drownville.

3. June 2, to M. B. Sutton, at Kettle Point.

4.

June 23, to R. R. Higgins & Co., at Drownville. 5. June 23, to V. V. Chace, at Pawtuxet Neck.

6. July 13, to W. H. Allin, at Bullock's Cove.

7. September 15, to E. C. Potter, at Nayatt Point.

8. December 1, to Warren Manufacturing Company, at Warren. 9. December 1, to O. Chace, in Kickamuit River.

Action has been taken to prevent unauthorized construction in other places.

Attention has been called to various encroachments upon and obstructions in the public tide waters, and action taken to prevent injurious results. Experience has shown that constant care and attention are required, on the part of the commissioners, to prevent serious injury in the harbors and channels by act or neglect of persons who might gain some advantage or be saved some trouble by such public injury.

DRAW-BRIDGES.

Complaint has more than once been made to this Board that the interests of navigation have been unnecessarily interfered with by the keeper of a draw-bridge. We respectfully suggest that inquiry be made by a suitable committee of the General Assembly as to whether further legislation is needed to regulate the times for opening draw-bridges, and as to the blocking of the approaches to draws.

SPEED OF STEAM VESSELS.

A communication from General Warren was received by the Board in May, stating that the works of improvement being prosecuted by the general government, under his direction, were constantly delayed and damaged by the various steamboats and steamships running by the work at high rates of speed, and suggesting the desirability of having the speed of all steam vessels regulated, when pass

ing any machinery or appliances belonging to the improvement, by law. General Warren asked us to bring this matter, in proper form, before the executive and legislature of Rhode Island. The board immediately communicated with the managers of the various steam vessels plying in the river and bay, and so far as we know each and all of them gave prompt orders for the slowing of their vessels when passing any appliances of the government work. We have had no further complaint of injury.

In compliance with General Warren's request we presented the matter at the May Session of the General Assembly, and its consideration was undertaken by the House Committee on the Judiciary. No action was had at the May Session.

WORK OF THE UNITED STATES ENGINEER.

By the courtesy of General G. K. Warren, the Board has received advance sheets of his report to the Chief of Engineers upon the works under his charge in Rhode Island, for the year ending June 30, 1880, and a communication giving the progress of the Providence River improvement since June. As General Warren's report, so far as it relates to work in Rhode Island waters, is given in full in the Appendix, we refrain from making a summary here, in the hope that the whole paper will be carefully read.

UNITED STATES ADVISORY COUNCIL.

Our work during the past year has not seemed to require us to call upon the services of the Advisory Council appointed by the President. The Board is composed of Rear-Admiral Daniel Ammen, U. S. N.; Brevet Major-General G. K. Warren, U. S. A., and Prof. Henry Mitchell, U. S. C. and G. S.

Respectfully submitted,

J. HERBERT SHEDD,
N. F. POTTER,
JEDEDIAH WILLIAMS,

Harbor Commissioners.

APPENDIX.

A.

ABSTRACT FROM REPORT OF GEN. G. K. WARREN TO CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A., FOR 1880, AND COMMUNICATION RELATIVE TO PROGRESS OF WORK IN PROVIDENCE RIVER.

Improvement of Pawtucket (Seekonk) River, Rhode Island.

DESCRIPTION OF LOCALITY.

This is an estuary forming the continuation of Providence River from Providence to Pawtucket, a distance of 5 miles, and forms a shoal tidal basin of about 14 square miles. The navigation is seriously obstructed by a badly arranged drawbridge near its lower end at East Providence. The ruling low-water channel depth before it was improved was 5 feet. The mean rise of the tide is about 5 feet at Pawtucket. It was dredged till the ruling depth at mean low water was 7 feet, and least channel width of 75 feet.

HISTORY.

Dredging was begun (by an appropriation from the general government) in 1868, $17,000 being allotted; in 1870, $8,000 was appropriated; in 1871, $7,000; in 1872, $10,000; in 1873, $10,000; in all, $52,000. For details see Annual Report, 1874, pp. 227 to 237, Part II.

WORK DURING LAST FISCAL YEAR.

Tidal observations were made at Red Bridge, Butler Hospital, and Dunnell's Wharf in connection with those made at Providence. These places were carefully leveled between, and the high and low-water determinations are given with confidence of being very good. The State government of Rhode Island ap. pointed a commission to examine and report on the obstructions at the bridges.

It is hoped that the work of this commission will result in giving to the navigation interests a wide passage way through this part of the river.

Accompanying this report is that of Mr. H. A. Bentley, assistant engineer, with a diagram and tide tables, giving in detail the results of the tidal investigations made, to which I invite attention.

WORK DURING THE ENSUING FISCAL YEAR.

No work is contemplated during the year, except what examinations may be necessitated into accidental obstructions, for whose removal the small sum of money left from the last appropriation is kept. No appropriation is asked for.

IMPORTANCE OF THE IMPROVEMENT.

Pawtucket is a town of about 30,000 inhabitants, largely engaged in manufac tures. In 1878 there were 350 schooners and 14 barges towed up the improved channel, having a freight of about 100,000 tons.

It is in the Providence collection district, that place being the nearest port of entry. The revenue collected there in the past fiscal year in $405,652.73.

REPORT OF MR. H. A. BENTLEY, ASSISTANT ENGINEER.

ENGINEER OFFICE, UNITED STATES ARMY,
NEWPORT, R. I., June 30, 1880.

GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report on the tides of the Pawtucket or Seekonk River, Rhode Island. This report should be taken in connection with, and as supplementary to my report to you of April 4, 1874. See Annual Report Chief Engineers for 1874, Part II, pages 229–237.

The tidal observations made then were as complete as the limited amount of money applicable to the purpose would permit of. They were particularly directed to ascertaining whether the bridges across the river were an obstruction to the tidal propagation or not. The method employed was that of simultaneous observations at different points along the river, the available money not being sufficient to permit of leveling between the gauges. The mean low water used was taken from observations made for a lunar month (April-May, 1873) at Butler Hospital Wharf, and this was transferred to other parts of the river by simultaneously observing a gauge at low-water, and assuming that it bore the same relation to mean low water that it did at Butler Hospital wharf.