Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, Division Engineer, remarks upon this subject as follows:

It should be understood, if this work is to be undertaken by the United States, that it is not for the benefit of navigation.

It is an expensive work, both in first cost and in maintenance. The shoals will surely reform and require redredging. It would be interesting to know how much an ice gorge actually costs the town of Port Deposit and its inhabitants. It might be found cheaper to let the gorges come as they do, occasionally, and for the United States to pay the expense entailed each time rather than to incur a heavy expense for works which will not guarantee protection.

Printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 52. (See also Appendix H 22.)

4. Rock Hall Harbor, Maryland.-The improvement recommended contemplates dredging a 10-foot low-water channel, 100 feet wide, from the channel in Swan Creek Inlet to the old pier in the harbor, at an esmated cost of $9,513. Printed as House Ex. Doc. No. 56. (See also Appendix H 23.)

IMPROVEMENT OF PATAPSCO RIVER AND CHANNEL TO BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AND OF JAMES RIVER, VIRGINIA.

Officer in charge, Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers.

1. Patapsco River and channel to Baltimore, Maryland.-The depth of this channel has by successive steps been increased from 17 feet at mean low water to 27 feet, with an average rise of tide of about 18 inches.

The project of improvement first adopted and commenced in October, 1853, had for its object to give a channel 22 feet deep at mean low water, with a width of 150 feet.

Little was done before the late war, but afterwards these dimensions were increased, a depth of 24 feet at mean low water being determined upon, with a width of channel ranging from 250 to 400 feet.

This channel was completed in 1874, important changes of position having been given to a portion of it, by which the distance was materially lessened and the expense of maintenance decreased.

The object of the improvement was to permit the approach to Baltimore, at mean low water, of vessels drawing from 221 to 23 feet, and at ordinary high water of vessels drawing 24 and 243 feet. Later the project had in view a depth of 27 feet at mean low water, with a width of 600 feet, to allow the entrance and departure of the largest vessels. Operations were brought to a close in August, 1889, for want of money and were not resumed in the year ending June 30, 1890. The channel throughout had then been excavated to 27 feet at low water. The Craighill Channel below the cut off, the Cut-off Channel, and the Brewerton above the cut-off had been excavated to 400 feet width. The Fort McHenry division was generally 250 feet in width, except at the upper end, where it was 500. All the angles were much wider, the object being to facilitate the movement of large ships at these turns. The portions of the Brewerton below the cut-off and of the Craighill above it have not been dredged for years, and are not now considered a part of the channel under improvement by the United States. Their width is about 250 feet and the depth 24 feet.

Up to June 30, 1891, the United States had expended $2,561,010.48. The city of Baltimore and the State of Maryland, chiefly the former, have also contributed to the same object more than $500,000. The expenditure up to June 30, 1892, by the United States was $2,932,517.01. The river and harbor act of September 19, 1890, appropriated

$340,000, and the sundry civil act of March 3, 1891, an additional sum of $151,200. The former contained the following important proviso:

Provided, That such contracts as may be desirable may be entered into by the Secretary of War for the completion of the existing project, or any part of same, to be paid for as appropriations may from time to time be made by law.

Operations in carrying out the approved project were resumed as soon as possible after September, 1890, and have been vigorously in progress since, under a contract with the American Dredging Company. The work was suspended from January 20, 1892, to March 22, owing to inclement weather, and advantage was taken of this opportunity to make needed repairs to the plant. Extensive repairs of the United States tug Robert Leslie have also been found necessary. She has been nearly forty years in service.

At the close of the fiscal year the work is so well advanced that the completion of the channel to a width of 600 feet and a depth of 27 feet at mean low water throughout the whole length is expected in the calendar year 1892, although not required by the contract until the middle of 1893.

As the divisions of the channel are completed, a resurvey is made to insure accuracy of finish before final payment to the contractor. Under the contract the large amount of nearly 5,000,000 yards of material has been removed. About 1,000,000 more remains to be excavated to make the channel 600 feet wide.

Of course this channel will require repairs from time to time, like all artificial highways. The latest experience and a restudy of the conditions of the case confirm the opinion and estimate made some years ago that the maintenance of the channel after completion will require the annual expenditure of $50,000. This is, however, a small sum when contrasted with the great gain to Baltimore and her dependent interests, as well as in revenue to the United States Treasury, by the increase of the depth from 17 to 27 feet at low water, which means the introduction of many lines of deep ocean steamers to European and other foreign and domestic ports within the past twenty years, whereas there were none before of any importance.

The following remarks in regard to the commerce of Baltimore are taken from the annual statement of the collector of the port:

The tonnage movement at this port for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, shows a most gratifying and encouraging increase, both as to the number of vessels arriving and departing and in the increased carrying capacity, the latter being entirely due to the widening and deepening of the channel approaches to our harbor, which now enable vessels drawing 27 and 28 feet of water to pass up and down with perfect ease and safety.

The president of the Association of Maryland Pilots informs me that the average draft of water of the vessels in the foreign trade is 14 feet for sailing and 21 feet for steam; 34 steam vessels drawing 25 to 28 feet have passed through the channel during the past year.

The facilities for landing and transporting immigrants have been increased and are now unsurpassed.

*

The foreign tonnage movement shows an increase of 55 per cent.

In the matter of exports a most desirable increase is shown to the extent of $34,000,000, notably in wheat, corn, flour, all of which have gained from 100 to 200 per cent. Rosin, dried apples, oil-cake, beef, tallow, lard, pork, cotton-seed oil, show a most decided increase, while there is a perceptible increase running through 80 per cent of the entire merchandise exported.

2. James River, Virginia.—When the improvement of the James River was regularly undertaken by the Government the navigation was obstructed by sunken vessels, by remains of military bridges, and by other obstructions put into the river during the late war to prevent the national fleets from approaching too close to Richmond.

There were also other natural obstructions. Rockett Reef and Richmond Bar had only 7 feet of water at mean low tide. From Warwick Bar to Richmond the channel was crooked and obstructed by dangerous rocks and ledges, the Dutch Gap cut-off was not then open, and the river was in a poor condition as regards its availability for commercial purposes.

The original project of improvement was to secure a depth of 18 feet at full tide (corresponding to about 15 feet at low tide) to Richmond, with a channel width of 180 feet. This project had reached an advanced state of progress when Congress, by act approved July 5, 1884, adopted another looking to 22 feet at mean low tide from the sea to Richmond, the width to be 400 feet from the sea to City Point, 300 from thence to Drewry Bluff, and 200 feet from thence to Richmond.

The total amount expended on this river by the United States up to June 30, 1891, was $1,221,505.56, which includes the sum of $490,621.01 expended since the new project was entered upon to give a depth of 22 feet at mean low water. The condition of the river June 30, 1891, was as follows:

The available draft from the sea to Warwick Bar, which is 5 miles from Richmond, was 19 feet at high water; from Warwick Bar to Goodes Rocks, 17 feet; over Goodes Rocks, 162 feet, Goodes Rocks to Chesapeake and Ohio wharves, near Richmond, 18 feet, except a space about 250 feet long at Goodes Rocks, where there was an available draft of but 15 feet.

The amount expended in the year ending June 30, 1892, has been $98,902.63.

The principal operations of the year are shown by the following table:

In addition, there has been constructed a transfer slip and railway to facilitate the distribution of material removed from the river.

It consists of a railway of standard gauge, about 1,300 feet long, and 8 feet above high tide, built on a pile causeway with an incline to the river, on a grade of about 2 per cent, where it will connect with a barge rising and falling with the tide. To this scows with loaded cars can be brought and thence taken by a locomotive to the dumping ground. The railway was built under a contract with Mr. C. D. Langhorne, between November, 1891, and April, 1892. All the materials, includ ing the rails and fastenings, were furnished by the contractor, and the whole work is strictly up to requirement.

The barge, or caisson, was built under a contract with Messrs. H. T. Morrison & Co., of Petersburg, Va., and is also in every respect according to contract.

The locomotive, a second-hand tank engine, weighing, with fuel and water, 36,250 pounds, which had been put in good order before its purchase, was furnished by the Tredegar Company, who also furnished a model iron dumping car.

About twenty dumping cars will be needed to keep two ordinary dredges supplied.

Twelve wing dams have also been built at Wilton, varying in length from 50 to 250 feet. Extensive surveys and tidal observations have been made.

No very heavy freshets have occurred. The following are the most important rises, the heights below being above low tide:

The completion of the work in Kingsland Reach and the further removal of the slide of 1889 in Dutch Gap have been of benefit to navigation. The depths of channels elsewhere have generally been maintained with some improvement due to contraction and dredging. The work done in the rocky bottom for 2 or 3 miles below Richmond has been a further progress toward a wider and deeper channel there, but no improvement in available depth from the sea to the city can be reported from the last year, which was 16 feet at full tide. The surveys of 1890 showed some shoaling from 1880 at Goose Hill Flats and Curles Neck, which reduce the available depth from the sea to Warwick Bar, then reported as 19 feet, to 18.5 feet at full tide.

The present depths of the river at mean low tide, compared with those of 1870 in a channel not less than 80 feet wide are as follows:

When the proposed improvement is completed an annual expenditure of $20,000 will be necessary for the maintenance of the channel.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year.....

$142, 957. 65 98,902. 63

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended

July 1, 1892, outstanding liabilities

44, 055. 02

July 1, 1892, amount covered by uncompleted contracts...

35,087.44

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... 3, 536, 070. 45 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and

harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

(See Appendix I 2.)

IMPROVEMENT OF POTOMAC RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES, OF HARBOR AT BRETON BAY, MARYLAND, AND OF CERTAIN RIVERS ON WESTERN SHORE OF CHESAPEAKE BAY, MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA.

Officers in charge, Lieut. Col. Peter C. Hains, Corps of Engineers, to November 23, 1891; Maj. Lewis C. Overman, Corps of Engineers, November 23 to December 7, 1891; Capt. Thomas Turtle, Corps of Engineers, December 7, 1891, to January 25, 1892, and,Maj. Charles E. L. B. Davis, Corps of Engineers, since January 25, 1892 with Lieut. George A. Zinn, Corps of Engineers, under their immediate orders; division engineer since January 5, 1892, Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers.

1. Potomac River at Washington, District of Columbia.-Before the commencement of this improvement the channel to Georgetown, D. C., was narrow and crooked, and had not sufficient depth to meet the needs of commerce. Vessels drawing 16 feet frequently grounded at high tide above Long Bridge, and frequent dredging was necessary to maintain even this depth. The channel was of insufficient width, as the appropriations for dredging were too small to provide for more than a narrow cut through the bar. The Washington channel was narrow and shoal and inadequate to the wants of commerce. Extensive mud flats existed along the city front from Observatory Hill to a point opposite the arsenal. Below Long Bridge these flats were separated from the city front by the Washington Channel. The greater portion of these flats was exposed at low tide and covered at high tide by water polluted by the sewage of the city. At the foot of Seventeenth street NW. a large sewer discharged directly upon the flats. These conditions rendered a portion of the city almost uninhabitble. By act passed August 2, 1882, Congress adopted a project which has for its object the improvement of the navigaion of the river by widening and deepening its channels, the reclamation or filling of the marshes on the city front by depositing on them the materal dredged from the channels, and the establishment of harbor lines beyond which no wharves or obstructions should be built. The project provides in detail for such depth of channels as will accommodate the largest vessels that can reach Arsenal Point, with such depth at the wharves as will allow vessels to receive full cargoes without grounding at low