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towed torpedo to dive under the net; but this plan has not, it is be lieved, been practically tested.

The conditions imposed upon Auto-Mobile controllable torpedoes are to a certain extent incompatible, and it is hardly to be expected that any one torpedo will fulfill all of them perfectly; but it is the opinion of the board that the Patrick torpedo possesses, these requirements to a degree that makes it worthy of consideration and trial, when funds are available for the purchase of such weapons. W. R. KING,

Major of Engineers.
EDWD. MAGUIRE,

Captain of Engineers, U. S. A.
S. W. ROESSLER,

Captain of Engineers.

IRVING HALE,

First Lieut. of Engineers.

RIVERS AND HARBORS, ETC.

APPENDIX A.

IMPROVEMENTS OF RIVERS AND HARBORS IN THE STATES OF MAINE AND NEW HAMPSHIRE.

REPORT OF LIEUTENANT-COLONEL JARED A. SMITH, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1889, WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE WORKS.

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UNITED STATES ENGINEER'S OFFICE,
Portland, Me., July 9, 1889.

GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit herewith annual reports for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, for river and harbor works in my charge.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

JARED A. SMITH, Lieut. Col., Corps of Engineers.

The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A.

A 1.

IMPROVEMENT OF LUBEC CHANNEL, MAINE.

During the fiscal year no work of improvement has been carried on. At the beginning of the year the available funds amounted to but $10.03, and all work under former contracts had been completed.

By act of August 11, 1888, Congress appropriated $20,000 for continuing the improvement. The estimate for entire completion of the work, obtained by subtracting amounts appropriated from original estimate for the entire work, was $22,500. The average of prices obtained have been slightly less than the estimates, so that the amount of the last appropriation will be sufficient to complete the work as heretofore approved.

The lateness of the season when the appropriation became available, together with the time necessarily consumed in complying with formalities required by law and regulations, made it impracticable to commence dredging before the spring of 1889.

Under date of December 13, 1888, advertisements were issued inviting proposals for the work of widening the channel by dredging.

A contract for the work was let to Augustus R. Wright, of Portland, Me.

This contract, approved February 23, 1889, requires the contractor to commence work on or before October 1, 1889, and to complete the work on or before June 30, 1890.

When completed the channel will have a depth of 12 feet, a width of 275 feet throughout, and 25 feet additional width at the bends.

The total length of channel in which the improvements have been made is approximately 11,000 feet. Commencing at the narrows the natural channel for about one-half the distance is straight, and is somewhat wider than the excavated channel over the other half of the distance to Quoddy Bay and anchorage.

The dredged channel is in the shape of a flattened letter S, the two bends requiring a change of direction amounting to 55 degrees and 52 degrees, respectively, in going out to sea. The bends are short and as the tides have a range of 17 feet or more, with consequent rapid currents, such a channel is very difficult for sailing vessels to navigate, and in low stages the masters of steamers prefer to make the long passage around Campo Bello Island rather than to incur the risk of running upon the banks of the cut.

The channel is a thoroughfare to various points on our eastern coast, as well as a factor of safety for the anchorage in Quoddy Roads when the wind changes to easterly points. Local statistics are therefore very incomplete, and there is no means of ascertaining the exact number of passing vessels. In 1882 a record was kept of about 10,000 vessels passing Quoddy Head light-house. No subsequent record has been kept. A record of vessels seen to pass the life-saving station at Lubec in 1887, in day-time and clear weather, shows the number to be 8,683.

Lubec is in the collection district of Passamaquoddy. The nearest port of entry is Eastport, Me. The nearest light-house in the United States is on West Quoddy Head, about 7 miles below.

There is a Canadian light-house on Mulholland's Point, at the narrows opposite Lubec.

The following appropriations have been made for improving Lubec Channel:

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July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888..

$503.26

July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts.

18,000.00

18, 503.26

July 1, 1889, balance available....

1,506.77

Abstract of proposals for dredging in Lubec Channel, Maine, opened January 10, 1889.

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The contract was awarded to Augustus R. Wright, and dated February 7, 1889.

COMMERCIAL STATISTICS.

The following statistics, for the year ending June 30, 1889, were furnished by the United States collector of customs for the Passamaquoddy district:

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A 2.

IMPROVEMENT OF MOOSE-A-BEC BAR, MAINE.

This bar, at the eastern terminus of Moose-a-bec Reach, is near the town of Jonesport, Me., about 30 miles east of Mount Desert.

The "Reach" is a thoroughfare of about 12 miles in length, which is traversed by thousands of vessels annually; in addition to this, it forms an admirable harbor of refuge, and is used as such by many vessels, especially in the winter months.

The original project for improving the channel contemplated dredging the bar to a depth of 14 feet and width of 200 feet, and removing the rock known as "Steam boat Ledge" to a depth of 15 feet at mean low water. The estimated cost of the improvement as amended was $40,000. The dredging then projected was completed in 1885. The following appropriations have been made for this work:

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The balance now available is sufficient to complete the improvement as originally planned, and to widen the channel as now proposed.

The contract for removing Steam-boat Ledge, mentioned in last report, is still incomplete, and it is probable that the contractor will fail to fulfill his obligations. The contractor has already worked two seasons upon the ledge and has only succeeded in removing enough to obtain a single payment for 50 cubic yards, amounting to $810, 10 per cent. of which was retained.

The contractor has evidently endeavored to do the work, and has incurred an expense far in excess of the payment.

No loss nor inconvenience will result to the improvement should the contract be annulled.

The project recommended in annual reports of 1887 and 1888, which has now been approved, contemplate removing the ledges to a depth of 16 feet at mean low water, and to widen the channel to 300 feet.

Under the appropriation of August 11, 1888, a contract has been made with Thomas Symonds of Leominster, Mass., for widening the channel by dredging. Work under the contract is to be completed before the end of the ensuing fiscal year.

The present project for the improvement is shown upon map opposite page 534, Report of Chief of Engineers for 1886.

The appropriation asked for year ending June 30, 1891, is to be applied to the construction of a small jetty to check cross-currents in the cut, and to removal of ledges.

This work is distant from any commercial center, so that, with small appropriations, it is very difficult to get any competition in letting the work by contract.

If the entire remaining work can be done under one appropriation there can be little doubt that its cost will not exceed two-thirds of the cost if done under four appropriations. Less than $25,000 in one sum can not be expended with any degree of economy, and even that amount

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