PORTSMOUTH.

(Population 1860, 9,335-1880, 9,690.)

Revenue collected in year ending December 31, 1882, $50,217.24. Principal imports on which duty was collected, wool, barley, coal, and salt. No merchandise exported. Foreign arrivals, 68. Foreign departures, 61. Coastwise arrivals and departures, 850. One vessel builttonnage 591.

(Portsmouth has at present no important manufacturing interest excepting beer. The Kittery navy-yard is opposite the city.)

NEW MARKET.

(Population 1860, 2,034-1880, 2,368.)

General Thom's statement, in his special report dated December 5, 1874, and repeated in his annual report for 1881 and 1882, is as follows: As I have been credibly informed it (New Market) has forty stores, four large cotton factories (the largest of which is driven by steam), one steam lumber-mill, and within about 2 miles two large paper-mills, which draw their material and supplies from New Market. New Market and the immediate vicinity, as I am informed by the same authority, consumes annually about 5,000 tons of coal, which comes largely by water from Portsmouth, and would entirely if the navigation of the river were improved as proposed. In addition to which, lime, salt, iron, plaster, cement, fish, and other heavy articles are also brought to New Market by water, while wood, hay, and lumber in large quantities, annually, are taken back to Portsmouth and other places along the coast.

In my own annual report for 1883 I state as follows:

Assuming the correctness of these statements (i. e., those made to General Thom), I am not able to add anything thereto, although, so far as my own information goes, the factories at New Market are the immediate and principal gainers by the improvement (of the Lamprey River) in the increased facilities for their coal supply.

EXETER.

(Population 1860, 3,309-1880, 3,569.)

SOUTH NEW MARKET.

(Population 1860, 786-1880, 829.)

General Thom states as follows, in his special report of December 9, 1874:

*

The manufacturing towns of South New Market and Exeter both lie upon this river (the Exeter), and are benefited by its navigation. South New Market is a thriving village, and has a very large iron machine-shop and foundry, in which are manufactured a great many steam-engines and a great many castings.

*

Exeter is also a thriving village, of about 3,500 inhabitants. It has a large iron machine-shop and foundry, with several other manufacturing concerns, with some thirty or forty stores; also a very large cotton factory, driven to a great extent by steam. It is estimated that about 5,000 tons of coal are used there annually, which, with other heavy articles, are carried there by water from Portsmouth. Large quantities of hay, fruit, and potatoes are also shipped from these river towns to Boston and other places farther south. In the transportation of coal it costs about $1 per ton extra for its transshipment in gondolas and small vessels at Portsmouth, which would be saved if brought direct to these river towns, and so with all the heavy freight for the cotton-mills, foundries, and other manufactories on and near this river.

(Compare these latter remarks with the suggestions made to me (see ante) as to the possible effect of the proposed dam on the business of Portsmouth.)

General Thom repeats these statements in his annual reports for 1880 and 1881. I have no later information.

DOVER.

(Population 1860, 8,502-1880, 11,687.

In his annual report for 1879 General Thom says:

An attempt has been made to ascertain the nature and extent of the commerce on this river, but to no purpose. It has, however, greatly increased during the last two years, owing to the improvements already made in its navigation, and arrangements are being perfected for a much greater increase of it by the building of new wharves and storehouses, with a view to direct importation of coal, lime, and other articles, which have hitherto been brought up in limited quantity on barges, on which they were transshipped at Portsmouth.

The italics are my own.

In my own annual report for 1883 I give a copy of a communication made to me by a committee of the Dover Board of Trade on the subject of the business of Dover. After enlarging on the increase due to the improvements made in the Cocheco River (which are still in progress), these gentlemen say that

There were in 1882 106 coal arrivals, bringing 20,000 tons; 62 other arrivals, covering lumber, cement, lime, stone, and general merchandise, including reshipment at Portsmouth.

As Dover is the largest, most active, and most prosperous of the towns whose business would be affected by the execution of this proj ect, it is believed that her citizens are the most interested therein.

As has already been said, the most economical expenditure for this work would be under oue appropriation for its whole estimated cost; but as that is not to be expected, a grant of not less than $100,000 for the commencement of operations is recommended in case the project meets the approval of Congress.

A large tracing of the results of the survey, scale, is transmitted herewith. A much smaller drawing, on a reduced scale (but showing all the important points of the survey), and a sketch showing the position of Great Bay and the places and rivers connected with it, are also sent. It is respectfully suggested that the latter two be printed with this report.

Respectfully submitted.

Brig. Gen. H. G. WRIGHT,

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A.

CHAS. E. Blunt,
Colonel of Engineers.

APPENDIX B.

IMPROVEMENT OF HARBORS AND RIVERS IN MASSACHUSETTS.

REPORT OF MAJOR CHARLES W. RAYMOND, CORPS OF ENGINEERS, OFFICER IN CHARGE, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1884, WITH OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THE WORKS.

IMPROVEMENTS.

ERRATA.

APPENDIX B OF THE ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, 1884.

For r=1+ 3d and s = 1 + 3D read r = 1 + 3d and s = / + 3D, ever they occur in the paper.

where

UHAN.

wv. KAYMOND, Major of Engineers.

The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A.

B 1.

IMPROVEMENT OF NEWBURYPORT HARBOR, MASSACHUSETTS.

The object of this improvement is to create at the outer bar a permanent channel 1,000 feet in width at its entrance, with a least depth of 17 feet at mean low water, or 24 feet at mean high water, so that ves

sels of as large draught as can reach Newburyport may enter the river. Previous to the commencement of the work there was, on the bar, a depth of about 7 feet at mean low water.

The adopted project is to build out from the shores, north and south of the harbor outlet, two converging rubble stone jetties, so located as to give proper direction to the channel, and by scour to produce and maintain the desired depth. The location of these jetties is shown on the map in the report of the Chief of Engineers for the year 1883. Their form and dimensions are shown on the map in the report for the year 1881. The project further contemplates the protection of the shores in the vicinity of the jetties, if necessary, and the construction of a dike across the basin at Plum Island to prevent the opening of a new channel should the outer shore be broken through. The location and the details of construction of the dike are shown on the map in the report of the Chief of Engineers for the year 1883.

The cost of this improvement as originally estimated is $365,000. This, however, does not include the cost of dike, the construction of which was not contemplated when the original estimate was made. It was estimated to cost $10,000, making the total estimate $375,000. The following appropriations have been made by Congress, to wit:

By the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880
By the river and harbor act of March 3, 1881.
By the river and harbor act of August 2, 1882
By the river and harbor act of July 5, 1884..

Total....

$50,000

40,000

40,000

40,000

170,000

The total amount expended to June 30, 1883, is $86,105.32. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, the following work has been done:

Under contract of December 28, 1882, with Messrs. Isaac Hamilton and Samuel Teague, both of Portland, Me., the dike across the basin at Plum Island was completed, with the exception of the central part, which was left partly open, for reasons stated in my letter of November 13, 1883, a copy of which is hereto appended. The contract was closed December 17, 1883. The central opening having been closed by ice during the high course tides of March, 1884, the leaks resulting from the increased pressure were repaired by hired labor. The necessity of this work is set forth in my letter of March 28, 1884, a copy of which is hereto appended.

Under contract of January 23, 1883, with Messrs. Thomas A. Rowe and Robert G. Sylvester, both of Boston, Mass., the shore extension of the south jetty at Plum Island was completed and the jetty was finished, with its full dimensions, for a distance of 1,077 feet. This contract was closed December 10, 1883.

A catch-sand, consisting of open frames containing sea-weed, was constructed by hired labor in the prolongation of the shore-extension of the south jetty, for the purpose of checking the eroding action of wind. The main line is now 468 feet in length. The spurs aggregate 426 feet in length. The necessity of this work and its details are set forth in my letter of May 6, 1884, a copy of which is hereto appended.

During the months of April and May, 1884, a hydrographic survey was made and plotted for the purpose of comparison with the surveys of 1878, 1880, and 1883, in order to study the changes in progress, and the relations of the jetties thereto. Comparative charts exhibiting these changes were constructed, and the relative quantities of fill and scour were computed.

The present condition of the works of improvement is shown on the map herewith transmitted. The north jetty, upon which no work has been done during the fiscal year, is in good condition, although its reg. ularity was somewhat injured by the great freshet of April, 1884. On the north side the shore has rapidly advanced, and for some distance the surface has attained a level considerably higher than the top of the jetty. Within the jetty the high-water line has receded, and the area of inclosed high water northwest of the beach has increased. Between high and low water an immense amount of sand has filled in between the jetty and the beach. Salisbury Point does not appear to change its position permanently, although it has fallen back a little.

The south jetty, which has been extended for a distance of 500 feet beyond the high-water line during the fiscal year, is in good condition. The method of construction employed, which is described in my letter of March 8, 1883 (see Annual Report of the Chief of Engineers for 1883, page 436), proved successful, and the work was executed by the contractors in the most satisfactory manner. On the outside of the jetty the shore has advanced rapidly, and the surface is nearly on a level with the top of the shore-extension. Within the jetty the high-water line has retreated. The low-water line has straightened and advanced. There appears to be no permanent change in the high-water line directly opposite Salisbury Point.

The jetties are not yet sufficiently advanced to produce decided beneficial results. Nevertheless the projection of the south jetty beyond the shore-line has exerted a marked influence, as is shown by the recent survey. It has completely arrested the sand moving from the southward, which was previously caught and held by the north jetty, and to remove which the outflowing current had not sufficient power. Between the ends of the jetties the average depth has increased about six-tenths of a foot. The depth has increased along the axis of the channel and the sand has been rolled up along its sides, forming natural parallel jetties whose crests are between high and low water. These sand jetties will greatly assist in the concentration of the current. The axis of the channel, which was bent southward by the influence of the north jetty, has now been straightened. The depth of water on the bar has increased about eight tenths of a foot; but this deepening may not be due to the influence of the jetties, since similar changes occurred before their construction. In brief, the effects produced by the jetties, so far as they can be interpreted at this early stage of the work, are satisfactory, and seem to promise the ultimate success of the improvement.

The falling back of the high-water lines within the jetties requires special notice. On the north there is danger of a breach forming a connection between the high water of the outer harbor and the high-water area within the beach; on the south the sea threatens to turn the shoreextension of the jetty, cutting through the ground in rear of it, which has gradually been lowered by the erosive action of the wind. These effects are due to two causes. The jetties in their present condition do not protect the shores from the run of heavy seas; indeed, to some extent they act as training-walls by which the action of the waves is concentrated and directed. The wear thus produced is no longer compensated for by the supply of new material moving along the beaches, since this material is now arrested by the jetties. The effects due to the action of the sea can only be checked by rapidly pushing out the jetties. As long as they converge they can furnish only a partial protection, but when they become parallel (as contemplated by the project of the Board of Engineers) the shelter may be made practically perfect. When