a sufficient reason for determining the site of an important and costly work ntended to be permanent, and to furnish all the conveniences of a capacious sea-port to commerce. The part of the Breakwater Harbor to which vessels resort for anchorage is immediately opposite the present pier, where the space is sufficient for vessels to tack and gain an offing, or to enter and avail themselves of connection with the shore. On the contrary, as I am assured by skillful seamen, the harbor opposite Baker's is too contracted to admit of the same facilities. Respectfully submitted. Lieutenant Colonel I. C. WOODRUFF, Presiding Officer of Board of Engineers, &c. J. S. GIBBONS, President. B. DEAR SIR: The undersigned, residents of Lewes and vicinity, captains of vessels, pilots, and navigators, respectfully represent that they are well acquainted with the waters, currents, and shoals of the harbor of the Delaware Breakwater; and they give it as their opinion that the point of shore at which the new pier to be built by the Government ought to be located, is in close connection with the present pier; and that there is no other part of the shore where the work would be so useful and so well protected from the effects of storms, or where there is such an extent of clear sea for the working of vessels, both in their approach and departure. This location was chosen in view of all the practical advantages in loading and discharging vessels; and if a greater depth of water be required, it can be obtained by a moderate further extension of the pier into the harbor. Captain LABUN L. LYONS. SAMUEL WEST, Pilot. Lieutenant Colonel J. D. KURTZ, United States Engineer, Philadelphia. DAVID S. ROULAND, Pilot. C. GEORGETOWN, DELAWARE, June 2, 1871. J. S. GIBBONS, Esq.: I was astonished when I learned this morning that there was a possibility, perhaps a probability, of the pier at or near Lewes being located about a mile distant from the eastern terminus of the Junction and Breakwater Railroad. As, perhaps, I am more familiar with the history of the appropriation of $225,000 by Congress for the building of said pier, and the motives influencing Senators and Representatives in voting for it, than any other person, I submit to you the following statement of facts: A bill, at the session of 1869 and 1870, was under consideration in the Senate, devoting hundreds of thousands of acres of the public land to aid in' the construction of a railroad or railroads in the West. I believed the moment opportune to call the attention of Senators from the Atlantic States to the fact that they were, year by year, voting away the public lands for the interest exclusively of the Western and Pacific States, without claiming for their own States a reasonable share of interest in the public lands, which were the common property of all the States composing the Federal Union; and while expressing my gratification at the rapid development of the West and of the Pacific slope, I appealed to the sense of justice of Senators from all sections to do justice to the Atlantic States. To test that sense of justice, I offered an amendment to the bill, appropriating or donating 200,000 acres of the public lands to the Junction and Breakwater Railroad, to enable said road to construct a pier, in connection with itself, at or near Lewes. My amendment was defeated by a majority of eight votes. A number of the Senators from the Western and Pacific States waited upon me and assured me that, while they could not vote for the donations of land situated within their States, to aid an object which I seemed to feel a deep interest in, they would vote for an appropriation of money from the Treasury sufficient to accomplish the object contemplated by my amendment. I thereupon introduced a bill, appropriating $225,000 to the Junction and Breakwater Railroad, to enable them to build a pier in connection with said road. In about a week afterward the bill was reported favorably by a unanimous vote by the Committee of Commerce, and on the next day passed the Senate unanimously. The bill was sent to the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Appropriations of that body sent for me to explain the purposes, objects, and necessity of the appropriation. I appeared before them, and made the required explanation, exhibiting to them a map, which I had caused to be prepared, locating the Junction and Breakwater Railroad, from Harrington to its terminus at Lewes, upon which was marked immediately opposite said terminus the desired location of the pier; and that there might be no mistake in reference to said location, I drew, and the committee adopted, and the House of Representatives and the Senate passed an amendment, incorporated in said bill, that the Junction and Breakwater Railroad should have the right to extend their said road in, upon, and across the pier, and be entitled to the free use and enjoyment of the same. I think I know what I was about when I introduced the bill and drew the amendments which were afterward incorporated in the bill, and I think the Senate and House knew what they were doing when they voted for the bill. I know that I meant that the pier should be erected opposite the terminus of the railroad, and I know that Senators and Representatives voting for the bill so understood it. I conversed personally with nine-tenths of the Senators, and a large majority of the members of the House, in reference to object, purposes, and contemplated connection of the pier with the road, pointing out to them the mutual advantage of the road and pier to each other. Each, of itself, would be of limited local advantage; united, their advantage and benefits would be general and unlimited. I sincerely hope that those intrusted with the location of the pier will regard the unquestionable intention of those making provision for its erection. Very respectfully, F. WILLARD SAULSBURY. UNITED STATES REVENUE STEAMER DELAWARE, SIR: I am to-day in receipt of a letter from you, (through the Treasury Department,) regarding the sketch accompanying my report on the Delaware Breakwater Harbor; and I am exceedingly sorry to say that I did not retain a copy, as I thought those which I sent to the Department and General Torbert would be sufficient. If, therefore, you will send me a sketch of the harbor, as you propose, I will do my best (with a defective memory) to indicate thereon such points as you desire, and will furnish you with all the information on the subject I can. I am sorry I am too far away to call on you, for if I could see you on the spot, I could be, I am sure, of much service to you, as I was stationed there about eighteen months, and made it my study. Very respectfully, FRANK BARR, Lieutenant Commanding. REVENUE STEAMER DELAWARE, Mobile, Alabama, January 30, 1871. DEAR COLONEL: Retruning from a cruise, find yours of 16th instant here, and hasten to comply with your request regarding views, &c. You will please accept them with caution, as I am by no means certain that my recollection of the localities is correct. I have endeavored to indicate on the sketch, by the arrows, the manner in which the ebb-tide runs. In coming from the westward, the tide begins to divide; first, considerably above the ice-breaker, one portion going inside, the other, ontside of that portion of the works. The portion which goes inside, divides again, nearly in the direction in which the ice-breaker runs, the main tide, or at least the strongest tide, runs out through the opening between the works, and, as you see by the figures inclosed in circles, has dug out the channel to a much greater depth than the figures on the sketch indicate. (I give the depth to the best of my recollection.) The other portion of the tide divides again, one portion eddying along the beach, and deposits its silt, forming the "bar." The main portion takes a general direction toward the eastern end of the breakwater. These various divisions of the current check the force of the tide, and the consequence is, a deposit which has gradually filled up the whole western part of the harbor, and indeed all of it, for at first there were about five fathoms anywhere inside the works. The point where the beacon-light stands has, as you see, made out, year by year, until it has rendered the eastern entrance to the harbor somewhat difficult. All this is owing to the gap in the.works. That once filled, a true and strong tide would sweep through the harbor and deepen it to five or six fathoms, perhaps to nine. The point would also cease to make out, and, indeed, would probably recede to its original position, and the place would once more be what it was at first, a harbor. The effect of the gap on the flood-tide is to create an eddy at either end of the breakwater, which I have indicated by arrows in circles. The depth of that at the eastern end I have forgotten, but at the western end it is ten feet, (as I have put on the sketch,) and is shoaling every year. And now, colonel, as to the location of the pier. My impression at the time was, that it should be as near to Baker's house as convenience to shipping would admit. The further westward you go, the more exposed it is to the very heavy nor'westers, which almost invariably follow a southeast gale at that point. Furthermore, all stores, &c., kept for the benefit of shipping will be kept on the beach, will be brought there in vessels, and will be put on board of those needing them from the most convenient point. Should the Government ever build a fortification at the cape, the further east the pier is the better. But the main argument for locating the work as far to the eastward as may be is, that it is more protected from all storms, and also from the ice. The main body of the ice takes the direction from abreast the old United States wharf, diagonally across the harbor, toward the eastern end of the breakwater, and the principal deposits of ice on the shore and about the railroad wharf. What effect the railroad wharf will have on the currents, of course I cannot tell, but not much, I presume, while it will act as an ice-breaker for your work. Should ice-breakers or piers be built, my idea was that they should be built to the westward, at the point (or a little east of it) where the tide first begins to divide, and should be built on such a line as would direct the main body of the ice outside of the ice-breaker, and only permit such ice to enter the harbor as has been broken into comparatively small masses, by striking against and passing between the piers. As a means of finding a point of divergence of the various currents, I took a quantity of cotton wool, and selecting a perfectly calm day, went well to the westward and dropped handfulls of it at regular distances from the shore, or long way out into the bay. By noting the courses of the various floats I ascertained what I know of the cur rents. There is one thing absolutely necessary to the place to make it a good harbor, and that is to close the gap in the works. Without this is done, it will grow shoaler year by year, as it has done for years past, until it will receive only light-draught vessels. Only room exists now for one large vessel at the eastern part, and even that is not safe. The sketch furnished you by Conwell is evidently copied from mine, or, at least, the soundings are, except that he has not put on his all the lines of soundings which I run. I ran one from the west end of the breakwater to Baker's house; one from the east end of the point; one from the westerly end of the ice-breaker to the old United States wharf; and one from said wharf due north some distance out into the bay. I am afraid, colonel, that this will not be of much use to yon, but I scarcely know what to say. If the Department had sent me on, and I could have met you on the ground, I am sure that your inquiries would have brought answers really useful to you. In the hope, however, that it may be of some use, and assuring you of my sincere desire to do anything I can which may be of service to you, I am, very truly, yours, FRANK BARR. Lieutenant Colonel J. D. KURTZ, United States Engineers. R 7. IMPROVING HARBOR AT MARCUS HOOK, PENNSYLVANIA. The work for improving harbor at Marcus Hook, which has been in progress for several years, under an appropriation of $94,000, made March 2, 1867, has been brought to a close by the completion of the icepiers of that harbor. The piers just completed are four in number, hexagonal in shape, pointing up and down stream, with an extreme length of 74 feet, and breadth of 32 feet, and standing 33 feet above high-water level. They are composed of timber crib-work, filled with rubble-stone up to lowwater mark, and of a regular coursed granite facing above low water, filled likewise with rubble-stone, laid in place. The face stones are headers and stretchers, alternately, with dove-tailed joints, the courses being secured together with cast-iron dowels; the tops are covered with thick paving flags, about 2 feet by 5 feet, and each pier has two stout stone mooring-posts for the use of vessels. The harbor is 600 feet long by about 250 feet wide. It is now much the most serviceable ice-harbor on the river, and will be of great assistance to vessels in the coming and future winters. The work has been executed principally by contract, and affords a good illustration of the difficulties and delays which pertain so much to that kind of work. The agreements for the supply of materials, of timber, rough and cut stone, and for workmanship in wood and stone, have passed from hand to hand several times, protracting the operations through four years, making each contractor dependent upon, and dissatisfied with, the others, and subjecting the United States to largely increased expense for long-continued supervision and office expenses. While materials may often be advantageously obtained by contract, workmanship can usually be better secured, and better and cheaper results obtained, and these more promptly, by the employment of days' labor than by the contract method, especially when it is obligatory to make separate agreements for the several sorts of labor involved in the undertaking. The expenditures during the past year have been as follows, viz: Facing stone in place.. Paving stone in place.. Rubble backing stone in place. Balance due on crib-work ... Services of inspector, &c., and contingencies. $23,092 66 3,753 83 4,092 48 1,996 73 1,893 16 34,828 86 R 8. IMPROVEMENT OF WILMINGTON HARBOR, DELAWARE. The improvement of this harbor is advancing satisfactorily under the appropriation of $15,000, made last year for this object. The channel just cut in the mouth of the river is being deepened and widened, and a large rock, which has become exposed in mid-channel, a short distance above Third street bridge, will be taken up by blasting, and removed. The lower channel will be deepened to 12 feet at low water, with a width of 145 feet, and the rock now at a level of 8 feet below low water will be reduced to 12 feet. The mud, sand, and soft material in the channel below and above the position of the rock, will also be removed, as far as the appropriation will allow. To continue the work of improvement during the year ending June 30, 1873, the sum of $15,000 is asked. This sum will suffice to afford a depth of 12 feet at low water, from the dry-dock and Wilmington and Reading Railroad wharves, down to the Delaware. Population of Wilmington, Delaware, is 34,000; present annual increase 1,500; number of vessels registered at this port 134; tonnage of same, 20,753. The amount of capital employed in manufactures in the city of Wil mington and its immediate vicinity is $10,855,983; value of manufactured articles, $15,256,132. Wilmington is in the collection district of Delaware, and is a port of entry; light-house and fort are, respectively, Christiana Light and Fort Delaware. The amount of revenue collected at Wilmington during the present fiscal year is $33,217 99. Abstract of proposals and of contracts for the improvement of this har bor are transmitted herewith. STATEMENT OF FUNDS. Appropriation for year ending June 30, 1871... Balance available July 1, 1871... Appropriation asked for year ending June 30, 1873....... $15,000 00 Abstract of proposals for improvement of Wilmington Harbor, Delaware. |