tion. The ruling depth in the channel was about 6 feet at mean low water, and it has been about the same as far back as we have any record of it. In 1829 a project for dredging a channel through the bar was adopted, and in the years 1829 to 1832, inclusive, the sum of $40,924.12 was expended in carrying it out. No permanent improvement resulted from this expenditure. The present approved and adopted project consists in extending jetties of riprap stone from the eastern and western sides of the entrance across the bar, to deep water outside, for the purpose of concentrating the strength of the tidal currents and the excavation of a deep channel by natural forces. The western jetty was to be built first and the other as developments should show its necessity. The amount expended on this project, up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, including liabilities outstanding at that date, was $65,769, and the result was the construction of the western jetty to a point 3,075 feet from its initial point on shore. The amount expended during the last fiscal year, including liabilities outstanding June 30, 1884, was $22,412.11. The western jetty was extended 440 feet, making a total distance of 3,515 feet from the initial point on the shore. The distance, at the close of the year, of the end of the jetty from the 12-foot curve on the outer side of the bar was about 2,371 feet. With the available remainder of the appropriation of August 2, 1882, it is proposed to complete the current contract for extending the western jetty. This contract will expire July 31, 1884. It will probably carry the outer end to a point about 4,016 feet from the shore end, or to about 1,870 feet from the 12-foot curve on the outer slope of the bar. The small amount remaining after the completion of the current contract, about $400, will be reserved for lighting the extremity of the western jetty, until work shall be resumed, and for repair of possible damages by waves and ice. It was intended to devote the next appropriation to the commencement of the construction of the eastern jetty, it having been found that the scouring of a deep channel through the bar will require more concentration of the strength of the tidal current than can be effected by a single jetty, but the inner part of the eastern jetty, which will have to be left at a low level so that it will not interfere with the proper filling of the tidal prism by the flood tide, should not be undertaken before sufficient means are provided for finishing it in one working season; for otherwise its construction might prove temporarily inconvenient to the local commerce of the port. It is proposed by the officer in charge to hold the amount appropriated by the act of Congress of July 5, 1884, $10,000, until the whole amount of the estimated cost of this portion of the eastern jetty, not less than $85,000, can be made available. It is hoped therefore that not less than $75,000, may be appropriated at the next session of Congress, so that by commencing early in the summer of 1885 this part of the work can be completed before the winter of that year. The original project for this important harbor of refuge was estimated to cost $238,000, if it should become necessary to carry both jetties to deep water, and the amount (estimated) required for completion of the existing project, which will be found below, is the part of this originally estimated cost of the whole work which has not yet been appropriated. This estimated cost will, however, be found to fall short of the actual cost of the completed work, since the cost of riprap stone per ton delivered in the jetty on the bar at Nantucket has been found to be much in excess of what was anticipated, and the length of the eastern jetty must be greater than that of the western jetty, instead of the same length, as was contemplated. A revision of the amount necessary to complete the works will be made as soon as the proposed location of the eastern jetty has been adopted. The amount thus far appropriated for the work is $110,000. July 1, 1883, amount available.... July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883... July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1884, amount available Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885...... $34, 231 00 $16,707 82 22,412 11 11,818 89 10,000 00 21,818 89 128,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project..... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix C 2.) 100,000 00 3. Wood's Holl and Harbor of Refuge at Wood's Holl, Massachusetts.Before the commencement of the improvement the channel of the strait, which was obstructed by bowlders that covered the bottom, was very narrow and crooked, and the tidal currents were from 4 to 5 miles an hour. Even with steam only small vessels of about 8 tons draught could pass it at all times, and for them it was dangerous. In Little Harbor there was a bar which obstructed the approach to the wharf and on which there was but 73 feet at mean low water, or 5 feet at extreme low water. In 1853 and 1854 $2,482.76 was expended in the construction of a breakwater on the northern side of Great Harbor, to close a passage through which water passed in storms between it and Buzzard's Bay. The amount was insufficient for the work, and the remainder of the cost was borne by private parties. In the years 1879-81 there was expended $14,094.26 in cutting a channel through the bar into Little Harbor 130 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water and in widening and deepening the strait into Buzzard's Bay. At no place in the main channel of the strait was it less than 120 feet in width at 9 feet depth at mean low water, or 140 feet in width at 74 feet depth at the same stage of tide. The present approved and adopted project consists in the construction of retaining walls and a hollow pier for the use of the United States Fish Commission, and to serve also as a coaling station for the Revenue Marine and other branches of the public service and as a harbor of refuge. The amount expended on the present project, at the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, including preliminary survey and liabilities outstanding at that date, was $2,914.64, and the result was the removal of 269.84 cubic yards of bowlders from the site of the pier and retaining walls in depths of water from 3 feet to 20 feet at mean low water. By reason of delay in procuring title to the land, and the approval of title by the Attorney-General, no other work was done during the fiscal year 1882-'83, beyond the preparation of plans and specifications for the retaining and pier walls and the issuance of advertisements for proposals. 5908 EN-6 The amount expended during the last fiscal year, including liabilities outstanding on the 30th of June, 1884, was $33,903.18. The eastern, southern, and western retaining-walls and the excavation of the trenches for the foundations of all the pier-walls were completed. The riprap foundation of the east pier-wall was wholly, and that of the south pierwall was nearly, completed. About one-fourth of the masonry of the east pier-wall was completed, and the masonry of the south pier-wall was commenced. With the remainder of the funds available from the former appropriation, and the appropriation made by act of July 5, 1884, it is proposed to complete the pier-walls; to dredge inside the pier; to provide the wharfing required by public vessels, and to fill in behind the retainingwalls as far as the funds will permit. The estimate of the cost of improvements originally contemplated and of additional work was $77,775, and there has been appropriated $77,000. For reasons which will be found in the report of the officer in charge, this work will require an additional appropriation of $8,669. A plat of Great Harbor, Wood's Holl, showing the works in progress, accompanies this report: July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of July 1, 1883, amount available.. outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883 July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities. Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix C 3.) 8, 669 00 8,600 00 4. Wareham Harbor, Massachusetts.-This harbor is an estuary at the head of Buzzard's Bay. Its commerce is chiefly connected with the manufacture of iron, and depends largely on the transportation of material used therein. Before improvement, the ruling depth in the harbor was about 7 feet at mean low water in a narrow and very crooked channel. Long Beach, a narrow sand-spit at the mouth of the harbor, was washed and abraded by the waves and currents at high water, and the material was carried into and shoaled the channel inside. The original and adopted project of 1871 for the improvement, and its subsequent modification, was to straighten the channel and widen it to 100 feet in the upper and 300 feet in the lower part. The depth in the upper part was to be 9 feet, and in the lower part 10 feet at mean low water. Work under this project was finished in 1876 by the completion of a channel from 250 to 300 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water in the lower part of the harbor, and a channel from 100 to 300 feet wide and 9 feet deep through and above the upper bar. The cost, including the cost of some work at Long Beach, was $40,000. The present enlarged plan, the one now in progress, provides for making a channel 250 feet wide and 10 feet deep at mean low water from Barney's Point down to the entrance to the harbor. Above Barney's Point the width of the channel is to be 350 feet, with the same depth 10 feet-as below that point. The plan includes also the raising and strengthening of Long Beach to carry it above the storm waves and currents and to hold it there, in order to prevent the filling of the improved channel above by material abraded from the beach. The amount expended on the present project up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, including liabilities outstanding at that date, was $13,008.74, and the result was a channel through and above the upper bar to the wharves with a width not less than 100 feet and a depth of 10 feet at mean low water. No work was done in the lower part of the harbor under this project. Long Beach, of which a large portion was originally submerged at low water, was raised above high-water storm-tides except in a few places, so that the major part of the wash of sand into the improved channel inside the beach had been stopped. By reason of the small amount available for this harbor, operations during the past fiscal year have been confined wholly to the works of protection at Long Beach. The results of the works erected during the year are very satisfactory. The amount expended during the year was $1,730.06. With the available remainder of the appropriation of August 2, 1882, and the appropriation made by the act of Congress of July 5, 1884, it is proposed to carry on the work of improvement according to the present approved and adopted project, and as far as the funds will permit. The estimated cost of this project was $44,050. Of this amount there has been appropriated $25,000. July 1, 1883, amount available $1,991 26 July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883.. 1,730 06 July 1, 1884, amount available..... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. 261 20 10,000 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885... 10,261 20 19,050 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.......... Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. (See Appendix C 4.) 19,000 00 5. Taunton River, Massachusetts.-Taunton, at the head of navigation, requires large quantities of coal, iron, clay, molding sand, and other heavy articles, for its extensive manufactures, which depend on water transportation for successful competition. The condition of the river before its improvement was commenced was as follows: Beginning at the mouth, near the city of Fall River, for 6 miles to Somerset, it had sufficient width and depth for the largest coasting vessels. At Somerset it is crossed by a railroad bridge with two very narrow draw-openings. Thence to Dighton the ruling depth was about 11 feet at mean high water. From Dighton to Berkeley Bridge the channel was narrow and obstructed by bowlders, with a depth of not more than 7 or 8 feet at mean high water. Berkeley Bridge has but one available draw-opening; this is 50 feet wide. From Berkeley Bridge to Weir the channel depth was not, in places, more than 5 feet at mean high water. A vessel of 30 tons burthen was as large as could go up to Weir. Just above Weir a bridge, without a draw, crosses the river. The original and adopted project of 1871, and its subsequent modifications, provided for a channel not less than 60 feet wide and 11 feet deep at mean high water above Berkeley Bridge Shoal, and not less than 80 feet wide and 12 feet deep at mean high water through and below that shoal, with additional widths at the bends. The ledge which crosses the bottom of the river at Peters's Point, and the numerous bowlders which laid on the bottom and sides of the channel from Weir to Dighton, were to be removed. The amount expended on the improvement of the river up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, including liabilities outstanding at that date, was $109,561.65, and the result was a continuous channel not less at any place than 11 feet deep at mean high water from the bridge at Weir to and partly through Briggs's Shoal. The improvement below Briggs's Shoal had increased the navigable depth to about 10 feet. The amount expended during the last fiscal year, including liabilities outstanding on the 30th of June, 1884, was $19,071.14. The excavation of the 11-foot channel was continued through Briggs's Shoal, and from Briggs's Shoal to Berkeley Bridge Shoal. The 12-foot channel was carried through Berkeley Bridge Shoal and down to Wikamount. Some hard material in the channel in the upper part of The Nook and at Wikamount, which was not covered by the existing contract, was left for a future appropriation. The bottom and sides of the channel were cleared of bowlders from Weir down to Berkeley Bridge. This work was thoroughly done, and it is believed that no bowlders remain in this part of the channel, although some may have escaped detection. With the available remainder of the appropriation of August 2, 1882, and the appropriation made by the act of Congress of July 5, 1884, it is proposed to carry on the work of improvement according to the approved and adopted project, for the completion of which it is hoped the funds will be sufficient. The completed improvement will enable three and four masted schooners carrying from 600 to 1,400 tons and barges of equal capacity to reach Taunton. The estimated cost of this project was $94,000, the entire amount of which has been appropriated. July 1, 1884, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of July 1, 1883, amount available.. outstanding liabilities July 1, 1883. July 1, 1884, outstanding liabilities. July 1, 1884, amount available... $20,938 35 $17,892 89 19,971 14 Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1885 (See Appendix C 5.) 967 21 26,500 00 27,467 21 6. Pawtucket River, Rhode Island.-This is an estuary forming a continuation of Providence River from Providence to Pawtucket, a distance of 5 miles, and forms a shoal tidal basin of about 14 square miles. Pawtucket is an important town, rapidly increasing in commerce and manufactures. Before the improvement of the river, commenced in 1868, the ruling depth of water in the channel was about 5 feet at mean low water. From 1868 to 1875 the channel was dredged to a width of 75 feet and to a depth of 7 feet at mean low water, at an expense of $51,470.42 The mouth of the river is obstructed by two bridges with badly-ar ranged draws; but Washington Bridge, which interferes with naviga |