dredging 120,000 cubic yards of material from the two channels leading to Perth Amboy and South Amboy, the amount of money applicable for expenditure upon the channel leading to South Amboy being limited to $8,000. Work under the contract will begin in July. The channel from the deep water at the head of Raritan Bay, past Seguine's Point to Perth Amboy, exceeds 5 miles in length, is crooked, and is subject to constant shoalings. As the amount appropriated, any one year, for the execution of the project was much less than the esti mated cost of the improvement, and as the channel excavated under each appropriation was impaired by shoaling in a greater or less degree before work was resumed under the succeeding appropriation, the previous estimates for this improvement have little value and can not be used for determining the amount required for completing the project at this date. The estimated cost for completing the project, if all the re quired money could be made available at this time, is $175,375. A survey was made in July, 1888, along the shoal parts of the channel leading to Perth Amboy, and at that time the channel from Ward's Point eastward to buoy No. 8 was 300 feet wide and 21 feet deep, mean low water; from No. 6 to Prince's Bay the width was the same, and the depth 20 feet mean low water, and from Seguine's Point eastward over the shoal the channel was 18 feet deep only, and the width was irregular, varying from 100 feet to 300 feet. The channel leading to Perth Amboy should be deepened as early as practicable to 21 feet mean low water, and that to South Amboy to 1 feet mean low water, as the project provides. An appropriation of $50,000 is recommended for continuing the pro ject of improvement under the revised estimate." July 1, 1888, amount available.... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888...... $1,007.7 25,000.0 26,007.7 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888 $610.30 July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts 22,200.00 22,810,3 July 1, 1889, balance available.. 3, 197.4 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project (See Appendix E 10.) 175,375.0 50,000.0 11. Removing sunken vessels or craft obstructing or endangering naviga tion.-(1) Steamer Atlas, New York Harbor.-This steamer was sunk b collision with a ferry-boat October 23, 1888, off Barclay street, Nev York City. The owners have employed the Merritt Wrecking Com pany, of New York, to remove the vessel, who are still engaged upo the work. Sealed proposals for removing the vessel were received after public advertisement, May 4, 1889, and the contract will b awarded to William E. Chapman, the only bidder, should the owner abandon the vessel after an unsuccessful effort to raise her. (2) Two canal-boats were removed June, 1889, from the Gowanu Channel, under contract with the Atlantic Dredging Company, of New York, for the gross sum of $450, the expenses being charged to the ap propriation for that improvement. (See Appendix E 11.) EXAMINATIONS AND SURVEYS FOR IMPROVEMENT, TO COMPLY WITH REQUIREMENTS OF THE RIVER AND HARBOR ACT OF AUGUST 11, 1888. The required preliminary examination of Tarrytown Harbor, New York, was made by the local engineer in charge, Captain Derby, and reported by him as not worthy of improvement, with facts and reasons for such opinion. The Chief of Engineers, concurring in the conclusion reached in this instance, has given no instructions to make fur ther survey with the view to its improvement. (See Appendix E 12.) The act also provides for an examination or survey from the pier Lithe [pier line] to the main channel, a distance of about 1,650 feet, and 700 feet north by northeast from Ellis Island for a ship-channel or basin between the deep water of Hudson River and Ellis Island. This provision of the act is thought to have been complied with in the information submitted in reports on preliminary examination and survey for a ship-channel between Jersey City and Ellis Island, New York, which were submitted to Congress at its last session and published in House Ex. Doc. No. 107, Fiftieth Congress, second session. (See also Appendix E 13.) It appearing from the report of the preliminary examination made by the local engineer that the following localities are worthy of improvement, and the public necessity therefor being apparent from the facts and reasons reported, which are concurred in by the Chief of Engi neers, Lieutenant Colonel Gillespie was charged with their survey, the results of which will be submitted when received. 1. Wappinger's Creek, New York, from Wappinger's Falls to its mouth. 2. East River, New York, with a view to the removal of a ledge of rocks in the same, from the foot of Broome street to the foot of Twenty-third street, in New York City. IMPROVEMENTS OF SHEEPSHEAD AND CANARSIE BAYS, AND SUMPAWANUS INLET, NEW YORK-OF ARTHUR KILL, NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY-OF CHANNEL BETWEEN STATEN ISLAND AND NEW JERSEY OF RIVERS IN NORTHERN NEW JERSEY, AND OF THE HARBOR OF KEYPORT. Officer in charge, Capt. Thos. L. Casey, Corps of Engineers. Division engineer, Col. H. L. Abbot, Corps of Engineers. 1. Sheepshead Bay, New York, in charge of Lieut. Col. Walter McFar land, Corps of Engineers, until July 22, 1888, after which in temporary charge of Capt. George McC. Derby, Corps of Engineers, until December 6, 1888.-The original condition of the navigable channel was, for the entrance a depth of a little over 2 feet at mean low water, and for the interior channel not less than 4 feet, except at two narrow bulkbeads across said channel. The originally adopted project (1879) was to deepen the entrance by means of converging jetties, and to improve the interior channel by longitudinal dikes, so placed as in some instances to form tidal reservoirs for the scour of the channel. The project was revised in 1881, and provides for excavating a channel at the outlet 100 feet wide and 6 feet deep at mean low water, to connect the bay with Dead Horse Inlet, and to dredge the interior channel. The amount expended under the revised project to end of the year ending June 30, 1888, was $15,882 44. An examination made in March, 1889, shows that the chann been slowly improving since the permanent outlet into Dead Ho let was dredged in 1884-'86. A 5-foot channel over 60 feet wide as far as Hog Creek, a distance of 4,500 feet from the entrance. The expenditures during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, a to $1,022.41, for surveying, administration, and part purchase boat. July 1, 1888, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888. July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities. July 1, 1889, amount covered by existing contracts July 1, 1889, balance available... 1 $1,022. 41 60.75 8,000.00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix F 1.) 2. Canarsie Bay, New York.-In charge of Lieut. Col. Walter land, Corps of Engineers, until July 22, 1888, after which in ten charge of Capt. George McC. Derby, Corps of Engineers, until ber 6, 1888. The original condition of the channel leading to C answered to a depth of 4 feet mean low water. The original project adopted in 1879, provides for obtaining gable channel 6 feet deep at mean low water from Canarsie Lau the deep water in Jamaica Bay, by means of diking and the fo of a tidal basin. In the Annual Report of the Chief of En 1880, Part 1, page 574, General Newton expressed doubt as quate appropriations being made for carrying out the aut project, and suggested that dredging be tried as an expedient. The amount expended to the close of the fiscal year ending 1888, was $24,563.63. With this amount a pile-dike 1,058 feet been built on the north side of the outer end of the channe channel from 5 to 6 feet deep and from 50 to 125 feet wide l kept open from the 6 foot curve in Jamaica Bay to the doc narsie Landing. There has been expended during the fiscal year ending June 2 $16,827.11; with this amount a pile-dike 820 feet long was bui south side of the channel, and the channel dredged to a depth mean low water, with a width of from 50 to 125 feet from the Landing to the deep water in Jamaica Bay, and a cut 100 feet feet wide, and 6 feet deep was made on the east side of the st landing at Canarsie for the convenience of the steam-boats in July 1, 1888, amount available...... Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888... July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888. July 1, 1889, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1889, balance available............. $8,437.61 2.00 (Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. (See Appendix F 2.) $45,000.00 10,000. 00 3. Sumparanus Inlet, New York.-In charge of Lieut. Col. Walter McFarland, Corps of Engineers, until July 22, 1888, after which in temporary charge of Capt. George McC. Derby, Corps of Engineers, until December 6, 1888. The channel depth at the time of the adop tion of the project varied from 5 feet in the bay at mean low water to 2 feet at the wharf at the mouth of the creek, a distance of a little over half a mile. The project for the improvement of this inlet, known locally as Sumpawams Creek, adopted in 1880, provided for dredging a channel about 4.500 feet long, and from 100 to 150 feet wide and 5 feet deep at mean low water, beginning at the 5-foot curve in the Great South Bay and extending up to the town of Babylon, Long Island. The amount expended under this project to June 30, 1888, was $6,928.12, with which a channel 75 feet wide and 5 feet deep from the steam-boat wharf to a point 750 feet below it, was dredged, besides dredging two cuts, each 25 feet wide, alongside of the wharf. Outside of the cuts so made and extending to the 5-foot curve in the bay a shoal was left, on which the depth was only about 43 feet. An examination made in 1886 showed that since the last dredging was done, in 1883, both the cut and the flat outside had shoaled from 6 inches to 1 foot, the depth in the cut being about 5 feet, while on the flat it was from 4 to 4 feet. This was to have been anticipated, as appears by the preliminary report made by General Newton. The 5-foot curve in the bay was about 1,500 feet from the steam-boat wharf, but inside this curve, for about 750 feet, towards the wharf, lay the flat. The commerce of Sumpawams Creek is essentially that of Babylon, a small town of from 3,000 to 5,000 inhabitants, one mile above the mouth of the creek, depending almost entirely upon the summer trade of the hotels and cottages along the north shore of Great South Bay and on Fire Island Beach. The commerce of Babylon by water has been decreasing, apparently because the Long Island Railroad has taken away the sea going business. Babylon itself has improved, and has become a fashionable summer resort. At present its commerce by sea is carried on by three passenger steam-boats, drawing from 4 to 5 feet, and running in summer to Fire Island Beach; three schooners, drawing from 5 to 5 feet, carrying brick, lime, lumber, and other heavy freight to Babylon the year round; 100 sloops and pleasure-boats, drawing from 1 to 2 feet of water, taking out sailing and fishing parties during the summer, of which seven or eight remain in use during the winter, fishing and taking oysters and clams to Patchogue, Sayville, and New York. The expenditures during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1889, amount to $54.75, for office expenses. July 1, 1888, amount available.. $71.88 July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.... 54.75 July 1, 1889, balance available....... 17.13 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project........... Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. 16, 115.00 (See Appendix F 3.) 4. Arthur Kill, New York and New Jersey.-This is a new work, the appropriation for which, amounting to $10,000, is in the act of August 11, 1888. . The improvement consists for the present entirely in the removal of a point of land near and to the south of the Staten Island Bridge, for the purpose of straightening the channel, in order that the currents may be directed more truly in a direction perpendicular to the drawspan of the bridge, thus facilitating the passage of long tows. Certain legal difficulties have presented themselves, involving the purchase of the land in question, and the matter has been placed in the hands of the United States district attorney. At the close of the fiscal year no agreement had been reached, although it was thought that a final adjustment would be obtained by condemnation in about two weeks. Upon the completion of the legal proceedings it is the intention to proceed with the work of improvement immediately. The expenditures during the fiscal year amount to $974.35, for administration and part purchase price of tug-boat. Amount appropriated by act of August 11, 1888... July 1, 1889, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of liabilities outstanding July 1, 1888.. July 1, 1889, balance available.... $10,000.00 974.35 9,025.65 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 16,500.00 Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1891 16,500.00 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867. (See Appendix F 4.) 5. Channel between Staten Island and New Jersey, in charge of Lieut. Col. Walter McFarland, Corps of Engineers, until July 22, 1888, after which in temporary charge of Capt. George McC. Derby, Corps of Engi neers, until December 6, 1888.-Before this improvement was undertaken by the United States there was a navigable channel having a minimum depth of 9.2 feet from the deep water in Newark Bay to Elizabethport. The original project for this improvement provided for obtaining, by means of dredging and a system of training-dikes, of a channel north of Shooter's Island 6,500 feet long, 150 feet wide, and 16 feet deep at mean low water. Under this project 2,237 feet of dike was built. Owing to the opposition mainly of the company engaged in the transportation of freight through the Delaware and Raritan Canal a resolution was passed by the legislature of the State of New York January 22, 1875, protesting against the projected method of improvement. Presumably in consequence of these resolutions, a Board of Engineers, appointed under section 3, act of March 3, 1875, to examine and report upon a plan for the improvement of the channel, convened at New York City May 12, 1875, and on November 20, 1875, sumbitted to the Chief of Engineers a report recommending that a channel 11 feet deep and 500 feet wide be dredged along the general lines of the existing channel. The project was again modified in 1880, so as to obtain a channel 400 feet wide and 13 feet deep over the middle 200 feet and 12 feet deep on the outer 100 feet on each side; and, in addition, if found necessary, dikes were to be built on the opposite sides of the channel. Subsequently it was decided to give the channel 13 feet depth for its full width of 400 feet. The amount expended to June 30, 1888, was $168,189.40. In its present condition the channel possesses depths of from 13 to 20.7 feet, |