have been able to stand it as they have. Great credit is due my predecessor for the construction of boats as good as we have. But four years of this service has brought them to such a condition that already the annual cost of repairs is a large percentage of their original cost. This percentage will increase constantly, and, under the most favorable circumstances, two or three years more will render the hulls entirely worthless.

The machinery is all that could be desired. The upper works, as a general thing, are yet sound, and could be largely used on new hulls. I am satisfied that it is the true policy to at ouce prepare for replacing the hulls, which, in my opinion, should be of iron. The advantage of iron would be, superior durability, less weight, and no water-soaking to increase the weight, no calking to be jarred out by butting, greater strength, and less expense in annual repairs.

The construction of at least one iron hull should be commenced at once, so that we could have the advantage of the experience gained in the construction of the first before commencing the others. The hulls should be longer than those now in use, in order to gain floating power, and thus secure the lighter draught which is requisite.

I have little data upon which to base an estimate of the cost of such hulls as we require, but I do not think it would be safe to estimate the cost of rebuilding the boats in the manner deemed necessary at less than $50,000 each, or, for the three, $150,000, and I would respectfully recommend that an appropriation of that amount should be asked for. Respectfully submitted.

W. F. RAYNOLDS, Lieutenant Colonel of Engineers.

Brigadier General A. A. HUMPHREYS,

Chief of Engineers, U. S. A., Washington, D. C.

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, October 15, 1871. COLONEL: I have the honor to report that, in accordance with your instructions of the 15th ultimo, received while working at Turkey Island, I left that place on the 16th, reaching St. Louis the same day. Having procured a pilot, we left St. Louis for the Missouri River on the 17th. I also dispatched a messenger to the snag-boat Long, by way of Booneville, Missouri, with instructions to start down the river at once. Our progress up the river was necessarily slow, owing to the very low stage of water and the great number of breaks to be avoided. On the 19th we met the snag-boat De Russy at Portland, Missouri. They had managed to lighten over Ewing's Bar and spar over St. Aubert's.

I directed Captain Birch to proceed carefully down the river, not taking any unnecessary risks, and also to remove such snags as would be in our way coming down. I then kept on up the river, and at midday of the 20th came up to the Long, hard aground on Sandy Hook Bar, not two miles from the place where my orders had reached her. It was a piece of gross carelessness on the part of her pilot, who had neglected to make his preliminary soundings extensive enough before starting in. During the balance of the day we worked at her, taking off extra weights and trying to pull her through. But it was no kind of use, as there was barely 3 feet on the bar, and the Long was drawing nearly 4 feet.

The next morning I had the chute of 1000 Islands examined, and found over 44 feet through it. We worked all the balance of the day and half the night to get the Long up off the bar, and the next morning started down through the chute with her. She came through all right, and both boats reached Ewing's without serious detention the evening of the 22d. There were two channels at this place, both long and shoal, and with about 34 feet of water.

On the 23d, I attempted to dredge a channel through one of these places, but I found that it would consume too much precious time if any other method was feasible. We had discovered by this time, too, that the channel depth would vary to the extent of 3 or 4 inches in the course of a few hours. I therefore determined to lighten

the Long to the greatest extent possible, and watch for a favorable chance to rush her through.

During the morning of the 24th, everything movable was taken off her, leaving her only the tackle, &c., necessary for sparring. We then dropped down below the bar, sounded, and found 3 feet 8 inches. I signaled the Long to try it. She came in and got nearly through before she stuck, and a couple of hours' sparring brought her through. On the 25th we got over St. Aubert's, but the Long stuck on Portland Bar, and failed to get over after working nearly all night. The next day she got up out of it to try it again, after we had dredged down some of the rough places. On the 27th she made another attempt, and got through by mid-day. That night she stuck again at Pannell's Island, but got over by morning.

The 28th we were more fortunate, reaching Emily Bend by night. Here we found the De Russy waiting for us, as she was stopped by shoal water (3 feet 8 inches) below her.

After sounding this place carefully on the 29th, the Long started in and got through safely. We then lightened the De Russy, as we had done to the Long, and she started in, but stuck, and did not get over till morning.

The lightening operation had brought the snag-boats up to 4 feet 1 inch in their deepest place, (amidships,) their ends drawing a little over 34 feet.

The Octavia was loaded down to 34 feet, and trimmed about even.

The next day (30th) we proceeded "cautiously down the river, and by evening had reached Dozier's Bar, where we expected to have the most trouble. That evening and all the next day were spent in sounding, but the ouly channel we could find was about as bad as could well be, crooked and narrow, with two reefs to cross, and only 34 feet in the best of it, for the width of the snag-boat hulls only 3 feet. Its shape was so peculiar that the Octavia could not work at it for want of room, and all our efforts to dig another channel were fruitless.

The least increment of the current, such as dredging of course produces, was suffi cient to set in motion such masses of sand as almost to make a dry bar above us. I then determined to fall back on an expedient which I had resolved to adopt in such an emergency as this, viz: to build docks, and place them between the hulls of the boats.

October 3 I went down to St. Charles and procured lumber for this purpose. Work began in the afternoon of October 4, under the direction of Captain Wherry, of the Long. Everybody in the fleet assisted that was able to do anything useful.

The docks were built in three sections, and as large as could be introduced between the hulls. The total length was 140 feet, width 10 feet 4 inches, depth 3 feet 6 inches. They were light, flimsy structures, but served our purpose admirably. Their ultimate lift was 113 tons, which I had calculated would raise boats to 3 feet 2 inches, but the actual result was 3 feet 4 inches on the outside bilges, the inner ones being raised to about 3 feet. The ends of the boats came up to 24 feet.

While the work on the docks was progressing, the condition of the bar got worse and worse. The river was steadily falling and contracting, and the frequent grounding of boats was gradually closing the gap up. The docks were finished, placed in position under the De Russy, and pumped out by the evening of the 9th. The next morning there was only 2 feet 10 inches on the bar. spar through, and hard work at that, as she was drawing 34 feet.

The Octavia had to

All the arrangements having been made, the De Russy came in about 6 p. m. The crews of the three boats were on hand to boat wood from below the bar, lay hawsers, &c. Three and a half hours' conscientious sparring and hauling brought her over the upper reef, the shoal one, and in the morning she dropped over the lower one without much trouble.

The docks were at once filled, got out from under her, pumped out, and taken up to the Long. By evening they were under her, and she was ready to start in by 9 a. m. Unfortunately a small steamboat got the start of her, grounded, and lay in channel till late in the afternoon, and nearly filled it up. As soon as she was out, the Long started in. A high wind which was blowing prevented her striking it as favorably as the De Russy, but by midnight she was over the upper reef, and came over the lower one in the morning of the 13th. We made a late start that day, owing to the precautions necessary to tow the docks safely. That night we were at Hamburgh Landing. The 14th we reached Holmes's Island, five miles below St. Charles, and to-day, after much hard scrambling, we got out of the river, and came on down to St. Louis.

The logs of the different boats will give you an idea of the sounding, sparring, &c., incidental to this most arduous trip. I can only say that everybody on the boats, both officers and men, have worked faithfully and uncomplainingly whenever required. That the boats got out with no greater damage, is a matter of wonder. We were constantly dodging breaks, and hitting them also too frequently for comfort. The Long ran on one at L'Outre Island, which broke seventeen floors, and shivered two or three planks, but did no real damage. It would have sunk her, if it had not been for the additional bulkheads put in last spring.

Before concluding, I wish to state that the present low stage of water is unprecedented at this season. The lower end of Missouri River is now as low as it ever gets in the dead of winter, and the fall was so rapid and unexpected as to deceive every one. The De Russy neither experienced nor expected trouble until they got below Jefferson City, and the Long was in blissful ignorance of the state of things below them when they got my letter. Moreover, Captain Wolf, of the Abert, reported the river low, but plenty of water when he came out in the latter part of August. But the river fell some 3 feet in the meanwhile, about three weeks.

I have always been prepared for trouble of this kind, since the De Russy was caught in the same way in 1868, and have, therefore, always accompanied the large boats with the Octavia until this season, when she was ordered to other duties.

I am free to confess that this close supervision on an independent boat, free to come and go whenever and wherever necessary, is the only safe way to work in Missouri or Arkansas Rivers, and is desirable wherever the boats may be working.

But more important even than this is the necessity of some radical change in the boats themselves. They drew originally about 4 feet; now they draw 4, which their great width renders fully equivalent to 5. Another season they will probably draw 5 feet actually, and then they will be almost useless. Even now we must submit to the mortification of being driven below Cairo, at the very time when our work between there and St. Louis can be done so thoroughly.

The Abert has already had to turn back from Turkey Island, and will probably need assistance to enable her to get back to Cairo. The other two boats will also have to get below Cairo before taking on their outfit agam.

I am perfectly certain that new hulls could be built, and the present machinery, &c., transferred to them, and all desirable changes made, for $40,000 for each boat, the new boats to draw only 24 feet, to be as strong and substantial as the present ones, and even better provided with the means and appliances for their special work.

If money or authority could be obtained for repairs of this character, it would be an immense benefit to western river commerce.

I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

CHARLES A. SUTER,

Captain U. S. Engineers, Asst. in charge F. O. U. S. Snag-Boats. Lieutenant Colonel W. F. RAYNOLDS,

Corps of Engineers, U. S. A.

APPENDIX K 1.

UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE,

Improvement of the Ohio River, Cincinnati, Ohio, July 3, 1871. GENERAL: I have the honor to submit the following report of operations for the improvement of the Ohio River for the year ending June 30, 1871. The work has been under my direction throughout the past year. Mr. Thomas P. Roberts, for four years the principal assistant in this office, was finally compelled last January to give up his situation on account of severe and prolonged ill-health. I was fortunate enough to secure in his stead the services of Mr. William Weston, formerly one of General Warren's assistants. To both of these gentlemen, as also to Captain G. W. Rowley, consulting pilot, I am under great obligations. The office, which had been in Pittsburgh for over four years, was removed to this city, by your order, on the 1st of June.

WORKS ON THE RIVER.

Owing to the great irregularities in the depth of water in the river, and to the fact that the appropriation bills seldom pass until the lowwater season is well advanced, it is generally necessary to permit contracts to run until the close of the second summer, in order to secure for contractors at least one full season of low water. The delays, required by law, of sending advertisements to Washington for examination before publication, of publishing thirty days in advance, of getting awards

approved, and of executing contracts and bonds, are such that at least two months are always thus consumed between the date of receiving notifications of an appropriation, and the commencement of work by contractors. As these delays always occur at the time most favorable for river work, and as no work can be done during high water, or when the river is frozen, it is impossible to complete work as rapidly as at places where the depth of water is unchangeable, and hence the apparent slowness of operations on non-tidal rivers. An indirect disadvantage arises from the fact that though contracts may be made at once for the expenditure of the whole of an appropriation, it is generally impossible to actually make the expenditure during the fiscal year, and therefore the sum reported on hand at the end of the year conveys an erroneous impression of large available resources. As a general rule, the entire surplus of the old appropriation is expended within two months after it is reported as on hand.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT.

Available July 1, 1870, per last annual report
Appropriated July 11, 1870

Allotted September 29, 1870, for special local surveys.
Received from sale of public property.

Total

Less overestimate of amount available from appropriation for snag-boats and apparatus for clearing western rivers.

Available for year 1870–71....

Expended during year............

Balance

Appropriated March 3, 1871...

Available July 1, 1871 ....

At the commencement of the fiscal year the following unfinished contracts were outstanding:

*Employed to complete the dam after the failure of the original contractor.

The amount necessary to complete these contracts, increased by the amount yet to be paid on Medoc Dam, (the contractor for which failed to comply with his contract,) being $26,700 80 in all, should properly be deducted from the nominally available $93,754 61, leaving available for new works at the commencement of the fiscal year, $67,053 81..

Yet due to

complete contract.

8718 00

The following contracts were made for river-work, in accordance with an advertisement dated August 22, 1870:

No contracts were made for removing wrecks or snags, as I was informed that the balance of the appropriation from which I expected to pay for such work was to revert to the Treasury, under a law of the last Congress. My subsequent information that this balance was not affected by the law in question, came at too late a date to permit contracts to be made for its expenditure last season. A small amount was expended for the removal of dangerous obstructions in cases that admitted of no delay. The amount left over is now being expended under contracts made last spring.

The following table shows the sums expended upon the improvement of the river during the past fiscal year:

Expended for work on Ohio River during year ended June 30, 1871.

In accordance with a long petition received by me soon after my arrival in Pittsburgh, signed by the president of the Pittsburgh Coal Exchange and the principal coal-owners and coal-fleet and packet captains and pilots, requesting the closing of the left channel at Brunot's Island, and the concentration of all the water in the right or glass-house channel, I let a contract in September for this work. During the winter the contractor was employed in quarrying stone near Rochester, Pennsylvania, and on the 20th of May he commenced putting the stone in the dam. In order to accommodate local interests, I placed the dam at the foot of Chartier's Creek Ripple, instead of at the head, as I would otherwise have done. Work is progressing very satisfactorily, and the