On the 11th of April, 1871, in compliance with Special Orders No. 124, dated March 28, 1871, from the War Department, Adjutant General's Office, I relieved Major R. S. Williamson at San Francisco, California, from his duties as superintendent of river improvement in Oregon, being at the same time assigned to duty as engineer of the 13th light-house district. On the 13th of April I sailed for Portland, Oregon, arriving on the 17th. On the following day I visited the dredger at Swan Island Bar, which was at work under a general order from Major Williamson. The water having risen suddenly 2 feet and a strong current running, with appearances of stormy weather, I gave orders to lay up, which was accordingly done on April 19, the crew being discharged, and the boats loaned by the city of Portland to the Engineer Department placed in charge of a watchman. I then visited the site of the Yaquina lighthouse, returning to Portland on the 28th of April, established this office on the 2d of May, and left on the 12th for Cape Disappointment, and afterward for San Francisco on business connected with my duties as light-house engineer, arriving at Portland again on the 30th of May. MOUTH OF THE WILLAMETTE RIVER. At this point, two years ago, a channel about 1,000 feet long, 100 feet wide, and 17 feet deep at low water, was cut. I have not had time to visit this point, but hope to do so during the summer. I find, however, that the general opinion among river-pilots and steamboat-men is that this channel cannot be kept open without dredging each year. One vessel grounded here this year, and had to be lightered, at great expense, before she could be got, over, and vessels drawing 18 and 19 feet of water never attempt to cross this bar now without lightering. This subject will be more fully referred to below. LOWER WILLAMETTE RIVER. Swan Island Bar.-Work at this point has been in progress at different times during the last four years. The result of the work performed this spring season is the deepening of the channel to 17 feet at low water for a distance of 85 linear feet, besides cleaning out of 100 feet in length by 45 to 100 feet wide and 2 feet deep of the old cut, this latter being the deposit made by the unusually long winter freshet. The amount of excavation was 1,400 cubic yards, including 900 cubic yards cleaned out of the old channel. There remains yet a distance of 2,000 linear feet to be cut through, varying in width from 100 to 250 feet, when the channel will be completed to a depth of 17 feet at low water, and for a distance of one mile. The character of the work hitherto performed here is of a very satisfactory nature, and it is believed when completed it will need only occasional work to keep a good channel open. I do not think that the work in this bar can be completed this year, in consequence of the short period intervening between the summer and fall freshets; but expect to resume operations about the 10th of August next, which will consist, as formerly, of dredging on the line of the cut, and removing any snags lodged during the present season of high water. COLUMBIA RIVER. In connection with the improvement of the Willamette River, the uestion of access thereto naturally arises, and it appears that obstruc tions in the channel of the Columbia River, below the mouth of the Willamette, have been forming, which are now serious obstacles to the development of the foreign trade of this port. I refer especially to the St. Helen's Bar, about twenty miles below the mouth of the Willamette, the old channel through which has seemingly been filled up within the last two years, causing constant and extended delays to vessels of 17 or 18 feet draught. By the annexed statement furnished me by the collector of customs for this district, it will be seen that during the past nine months 106 vessels, of an aggregate tonnage of 73,714 tons, have arrived at this port. Of these 70 were steamers, 5 ships, 23 barks, and 8 brigs and schooners, and many were heavily laden with railroad iron, and took out, on their departure, full cargoes of wheat hence to Liverpool and China. There are two English firms in this city, Messrs. Corbett and McCleary, and Messrs. Hewitt, Flowerdon & Co., constantly engaged in shipping wheat directly to Liverpool, which, before the opening of the Swan Island Bar, found its exit by steamer to San Francisco, and there was reshipped for exportation. Since October last, the coin collections at this port alone amounted to $210,000, and more than twenty vessels with full cargoes have arrived in this river from distant foreign ports, taking out from hence full cargoes of domestic produce. This is exclusive of the trade with British Columbia, in which two steamships are constantly employed besides occasional sailing-vessels. The coastwise trade, espe cially with San Francisco, is very large, and constantly increasing, but cannot be estimated closely for the reason that vessels engaged therein are not required, except in certain cases, to report at the custom-house. The following instances will evince the difficulties which confront the masters of large vessels coming to this port: The British bark Skidder, now in port from England, with railroad iron, was detained several days on the bar at the mouth of the Willamette, and only got over it by sending forward one-third of the cargo on lighters. The duty collected on this cargo exceeded $17,000. The British iron ship Dorenby, also in port now, with a similar cargo, grounded on the St. Helen's Bar, and was brought into port only by lightering. The duties paid on her cargo aggregated nearly $19,000. The American bark Garibaldi, just arrived with a full cargo from China, was delayed for some time on the St. Helen's Bar. Duties on her cargo exceeded $15,000. The British ship Bristolian, drawing 19 feet of water, is now in the mouth of the Columbia River, and steamboats are going down from here a distance of one hundred and ten miles to lighter her ere she can ascend the river to this point. All these ships are chartered to take return cargoes, one-half of which they will take at the wharves of this city, then dropping down below St. Helen's, a distance of thirty-five miles, will there receive the remainder from steamboats. In order to secure return cargoes of wheat, &c., vessels from distant ports must arrive here in the latter part of the summer, which is the season of extreme low water in these two rivers. In view, therefore, of the rapid increase of the commerce of these rivers, and the material injury thereto by the obstacles presented by these two bars, I would respectfully recommend that I be authorized to make such examinations at St. Helen's and the mouth of the Willamette as will be necessary to determine the best method of removing these obstructions to navigation. The dredger hitherto used on the improvement of the Lower Willamette is the property of the city of Portland, has been in use five years, during four of which it has been loaned to the engineer officer in charge by the city authorities, is an ordinary single-dipper dredge, built hur riedly by contract, and will not last much longer. It is too small for the work, cost originally $25,000, coin, and the annual expense of keeping it in repair has been about $3,000. There is no other dredger in this part of the country, and as one will be needed from time to time on Swan Island Bar, annually at the mouth of the Willamette, and on the new bar at St. Helen's, I would respectfully recommend that an appropriation be asked, for the construction and fitting out of a steam-dredger and two scows, of $35,000 for the former, and $4,000 for the latter. The probable operations for the year 1871-72 will consist of a continuation of dredging on Swan Island Bar, the cut through which will not be completed until the summer of 1872; also of such examinations and work as I may be authorized to make on the bar at the mouth of the Willamette, and which may be necessary to keep that channel open. During the fiscal year the following amounts were received and expended on account of the improvement of the Willamette River at Portland, Oregon, and to mouth of river: Estimated cost of completing Swan Island work with the present dredger.. 17,000 00 Estimate for the fiscal year 1872-73. Construction and fitting out of a steam-dredger for use on Total UPPER WILLAMETTE RIVER. A survey was made by Major Williamson of the worst bars, with a view to estimating the cost of improving the navigation on this river. (See Major Williamson's report of December 12, 1870, Senate Ex. Doc. No. 14.) Amount appropriated. $16,000 00 16,000 00 The probable operations for the ensuing year will consist of an examination of the points most favorable for work during the coming lowwater season; the construction of a Long's scraper, and a snag-boat with snag-pulling apparatus, and work with these appliances whenever and wherever it may be found to be most needed. Wing-dams will also be built in several places. After the experience of this summer's work, a report will be made, with an estimate for such funds as may be required for next year's work. UMPQUA RIVER. A reconnaissance by Major Williamson was made of the rapids of this river, (Senate Ex. Doc. No. 14,) and appropriation made by Congress of $22,500, which was available July 1, 1871. An examination of this stream will be made immediately and a project submitted for the expenditure to best advantage of the appropriation. Probable operations during the ensuing year will consist of blasting a channel through the most dangerous rapids. No appropriation asked for the year ending June 30, 1873. HENRY M. ROBERT, Major of Engineers, United States Army. Tonnage arrived and departed from the customs district of Willamette, from October 1, 1870, to June 30, 1871, nine months inclusive. 52 steamers, 1 ship, 19 barks, 6 others, inward coasting, tonnage.. 18 steamers, 4 ships, 4 barks, 2 others, inward foreign, tonnage.. 70 steamers, 5 ships, 23 barks, 8 others, total....... 58 steamers, 5 others, outward coasting..... 21 steamers, 3 ships, 12 barks, 1 other, outward foreign.. 59,426 14,288 73,714 52, 611 20,901 5 sail... Tonnage owned in customs district of Willamette, June 30, 1871. 30 steamboats.. 6 barges... Total tonnage.......... 73, 512 Tonnage. 749.77 7,043.24 334.58 8, 127.59 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, August 3, 1871. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations, under the appropriation for examinations and surveys on north and northwest rivers and lakes, and Atlantic and Pacific coasts, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871. Under this appropriation I have made examinations and surveys of Upper Willamette and Umpqua Rivers' in Oregon, and of the Sacramento River, California. Full and detailed reports of each work, accompanied by maps and estimates of the cost of proposed improvements, have been forwarded to the Chief of Engineers. The following statement shows the amount received and expended during the year: Respectfully submitted. $0.00 10, 000 00 10, 000 00 4,526 58 5, 473 42 0.00 R. S. WILLIAMSON, Major, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations, under the appropriation for "surveys of military defenses," for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871: The work of reducing meteorological observations has been continued from time to time during the year; the computer, however, was em ployed during most of the time on other work, which was paid for out of other appropriations. Finally he resigned, on the 31st of May last, and his place has not been filled. A quantity of observations are still uncomputed. The following are the amounts received and expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871: On hand July 1, 1870.. Received during the year. Total..... Expended during the year.. Balance on hand June 30, 1871............. Respectfully submitted. $563 85 600 00 1, 163 85 1, 103 34 60 51 R. S. WILLIAMSON, Major, Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS, GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations, under the appropriation for "surveys and examinations on the Pacific coast," for fiscal year ending June 30, 1871: No field work has been done under this appropriation during the past fiscal year. I am directed by the Chief of Engineers, United States Army, to make examinations of Eureka and Santa Cruz Harbors during |