navigation. He probably intends that a series of locks shall be made, in connection with it, to raise and lower the boats between the two levels, which would be from 25 to 28 feet. This plan is practicable in an engineering point of view, but there are several objections to it as a means of improving the navigation of the river. In the first place is its cost. The dam at Holyoke, of about the same height and less width, has cost $600,000; the main dam having been built twenty years ago, when prices were much lower than now. The proposed dam, with its locks, would be, roughly, say, $250,000 more, or $850,000; an amount that it is not at all probable would ever be appropriated for the navigation that exists above Hartford. The dam proposed would prevent all navigation except through the locks. No opening could be left, as in the present dam at the head of the falls, for boats to pass at high water. The cost for attendance on the locks would probably amount to more than the tolls through the present canal, which is stated to be $1,200 for the year 1869. If a dam were possible on account of the expense, the proposed plan is probably not the best. A dam at the head of the falls, and a canal around the rapids, would probably prove cheaper and safer, and could be built more permanently, at less cost. It appears to me, however, that all such questions involve too great outlay for the benefit derived. If the river between the points embraced by the canal can be improved so as to be passable for boats to a greater extent than at present, it would seem desirable to expend any future appropriations in that direction, especially as the dimensions of the locks in the present canal are far too small. The canal is owned by the Connecticut River Company, chartered by the State of Connecticut for the purpose of improving the navigation of the river between Hartford and Springfield; and they have the right to make improvements anywhere on the river above Hartford. It does not appear, however, that they have ever done any other work than build the canal and dam, which latter, the charter provides, shall not interfere with boats ascending and descending the river. This it certainly does at the present time. The opening originally left in the dam has since been partially filled up by the company with blocks of stone. The charter provides for commissioners, appointed by the governor and confirmed by the senate, who have power to stop the tolls on the canal whenever the company do not comply with the terms of the charter, and it is extremely doubtful if the present state of the canal and river would not warrant them in so doing. A full investigation of all the facts connected with the river, and also with the rights of the Connecticut River Company, as well as a full and complete survey, will be necessary before deciding where future appropriations should be expended. List of accompanying maps and charts. 1. Chart of Higley's Point Bar. 2. Chart of Barber's Landing Bar. 3. Chart of Tunxis River Bar. 4. Chart of Strong's Island and Scantic River Bars. 5. Map of the Connecticut River, from Hartford, Connecticut, to Hadley, Massachnsetts, compiled from the latest county and town maps. The river from Hartford to Scantic is from actual survey. Very respectfully, yours, Major General G. K. WARREN, Major United States Engineers. THEO. G. ELLIS, Civil Engineer. T 11. IMPROVEMENT OF NEW HAVEN HARBOR, CONNECTICUT. The appropriation made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, approved July 11, 1870, was $15,000. At the time of my annual report, dated September 30, 1870, I had begun work on Middle Rock by employing Mr. G. W. Townsend, as there stated, and already the results, as there reported, were unsatisfactory, and not in accordance with expectations formed from results previously reported. On the 9th of September, 1870, Mr. Townsend began actual operations upon the rock, and the work was stopped by me on the 13th of October. I made a full report of the condition of the work on the 20th of January, 1871, (printed H. Ex Doc. No. 95, third session Forty-first Congress,) to which I now refer and annex to this report. It is chiefly interesting in showing the uncertainty of the information there extant. There was then a balance unexpended of $9,000. The act approved March 9, 1871, appropriated $40,000 in addition to what was on hand. There is nothing in either act specifying the manner in which the improvement shall be made; I therefore set out this year with the idea of making a thorough survey of New Haven Harbor, and this was begun on the 1st of April. The field-work was finished about June 23, 1871, and the maps are now in an advanced state, but not ready for transmis sion at this time, although sufficiently so to guide us in carrying on the improvement. The United States Coast Survey published chart was made from a hydrographic survey in 1846. This does not give full enough information to determine the size and form of the rocky ledges at the entrance, and was not considered recent enough to be taken as a guide for the improvement of the upper portions of the channel-way. The survey, however, determined the depth up to Long Wharf to be now very nearly as represented on that chart, being about 74 feet at mean low water, and the bottom composed of soft material. It was thought best to deepen this channel-way to 13 feet at mean low water, and at the same time renew operations upon the rocky ledges at the entrance. These rocks are probably projections on the continuous ridge of granite rock extending southwesterly from Morgan's Point, and are known as Quixe's Ledge, Big Boil, Middle Rock,(rocks marked B and C on Dutton's map,) Southwest Ledge, and Luddington's Rock. All should be removed except Quixe's Ledge, and perhaps Southwest Ledge. Before the survey had been prosecuted far enough to determine the exact quantities, proposals were advertised for doing the dredging and removing the rocks. The following is an abstract of the bids received: Abstract of proposals for improvement of New Haven Harbor, Connecticut, received at the Engineer Office, United States Army, Newport, Rhode Island, Wednesday, June 7, 1871. (*) If whole appropriation is expended for dredging, we could complete in about five months. Abstract of proposals for improvement of New Haven Harbor, Connecticut, &c.—Continued. (*) Measured in its bed, and to be paid for at that rate, for the number of cubic yards each month delivered on board scows or vessels until the work is done; then to be paid for according to the measurement in the bed before the work is commenced. I certify that the above abstract is correct. G. K. WARREN, The dredging was awarded to Morris & Cummings, of New York, at 17 cents per cubic yard, (the material having all to be carried outside of the Southwest Ledge,) and the removal of the rocks to Mr. Eugene Sullivan, of Boston, at $25 a cubic yard, both offers being considered very advantageous to the Government. Morris & Cummings commenced work with one of their powerful diggers on the 10th of July, and at the date of August 26, notwithstanding interruptions from passing vessels, had already excavated and removed 70,615 cubic yards. The cut made is from 600 to 700 feet long; is now about 150 feet wide and 13 feet deep up to Long Wharf. It is undetermined yet whether it is best to widen this channel-way to 300 feet, which is desired, or to extend it of the same width about as much farther, and give 13 feet draught up to the steamboat wharf. The contractor, Mr. Sullivan, began work with a vessel well fitted out on Luddington Rock, and the 1st of August and during the month blasted and brought up 54 cubic yards of stone. The contents of the different ledges of rock have been calculated from the surveys made this season, and the following table shows the amount to be removed to give a depth on them of 17 feet at mean low water. These determinations are believed to be more reliable than those given in my report dated January 20, 1871: Cubic yards. Middle Rock, (least depth of mean low water 10,4 feet). ... 818 141 624 822 Total.. 2,405 This, at the price of Sullivan's contract, is $60,125. At present rate of progress, $9,000 will be sufficient to pay all of Sullivan's work up to June 30, 1872, and remove 360 cubic yards from Luddington Rock, leaving 462 cubic yards, which, at $25, will cost $11,550. The appropriation of $40,000 will, besides making the survey, do all the dredging that seems especially required for the present. If the complete removal of these rocks is determined on, as I think it should be, there should be double the force, and I recommend the appropriation of $20,000 for continuing this improvement. New Haven is a port of entry and has a collector. The revenue collected during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1871, was $349,726 76. T 12. ENGINEER OFFICE, UNITED STATES ARMY, Newport, Rhode Island, January 20, 1871. GENERAL: I have the honor to transmit the following report on "the improvement of New Haven Harbor, Connecticut." This is the only one of the improvements of rivers and harbors under my charge that requires more information for the guidance of legislation in the present Congress than is to be found in my annual report. In that report, in relation to New Haven Harbor, I promised a more detailed report. The experience of the present year (to be given further on) showed, at the time that was written, that we could no longer rely upon former estimates of cost and work to be done derived from earlier reports. The work required was not fully stated, and there was an erroneous idea given out of the cost of what was stated. When the last appropriation of $15,000 was made, it was believed that $10,000 was sufficient to complete the removal of Middle Rock down to a level 17 feet below mean low water. Our survey this year showed that the operations of 1867 had had but little effect in removing Middle Rock; that there were still but 10 feet water on it at mean low water; and that hence the estimate based upon that year's work of the cost of removing the rock was fallacious. My experience with the same parties at work upon the rock has shown that they are capable of much less rapid progress, and that instead of $10,000 being sufficient to remove the rock, it will require, at the same rate at which the work has hitherto been done, not less than $77,896 to remove Middle Rock alone. I commenced work at Middle Rock because that was a work begun and not finished, but the appropriation of $15,000 was for the improvement of New Haven Harbor, without regard to place, and it was as applicable elsewhere in the harbor as to Middle Rock. Captain Dutton, United States Engineers, in his report, dated November 8, 1853, (printed Ann. Doc., 1853,) states that there are two other rocks near Middle Rock that should also be removed, and for which he made an estimate, as did also Colonel Houston in his annual report for 1868. These before-mentioned rocks all lie on the entrance east of the Southwest Ledge, and in the channel principally used by coasters voyaging east of New Haven. On the west side of the southwest ledge is another entrance, principally used by vessels sailing between New Haven and New York, which are the larger part of those going to and from New In this west channel is Luddington's Rock, which is a more dangerous obstruction, it is thought by many, than Middle Rock itself, and its two adjoining rocks. So that under the general provision to improve New Haven Harbor, it is a question if the removal of Luddington Rock should not take precedence of Middle Rock. Further, there is a very bad sandbar midway in the approach from the entrance to the harbor and the wharves at New Haven, which many New Haven people think should receive attention before either of the rocky ledges before spoken of. Seeing how inadequately the wants of the harbor had been stated, how imperfectly the obstacles to removing the obstructions had been comprehended, at the time the last reports were made to the Depart ment, and feeling how little could be determined without further thorough surveys, I determined to suspend operations upon Middle Rock until the subject could as a whole be thoroughly examined and considered. I was further led to take this course from dissatisfaction with the efficiency of the means I was employing. The work to be done was of too great magnitude to be accomplished with such feeble preparations. It was necessary, in order to go to work in the right way, to expend as much money in preparation, at least, as all that we had available from the appropriation, and, of course, I would not feel justified in recommending this, except upon a full representation of the case to Congress, and have them appropriate enough money to make such preparation of value, by providing enough to work with afterward. If Congress is not willing to do this I hardly think it worth while to expend any more money in removing the rocks at the entrance to the harbor. At the time I ceased operations we had expended about $6,000 in actual work on the rock, and expenses of superintendence, and consequently there is now left $9,000 of the appropriation of $15,000. With this I first propose to make a good survey of the harbor where obstructions exist, and determine all about them. I would have done it this season, but a crowd of other duties made it impracticable at the late season at which I discovered the necessity for it. After the survey I would recommend such use of the remainder of the appropriation as would be clearly beneficial to the harbor, if a suitable object for the amount of money available should be discovered. I, however, at the present time know enough of this harbor to give some general observations which will place the matter in a different light from what it has heretofore been looked at. And first, a history of the attempts to remove Middle Rock shall be given. About the year 1851 Mr. Benjamin Maillefert built an iron beacon in the Southwest Ledge, and he was led to think that Middle Rock presented a fair opportunity to employ his method of operating upon submerged rocky ledges, and, upon the recommendation of the collector of the port of New Haven, an appropriation was made for removing all of Middle Rock above the plane 17 feet below mean low water. A contract was entered into November 23, 1852, by Captain George Dutton, United States Engineers, with Mr. Maillefert, to remove the rock to a depth of 17 feet at mean low water for $6,000. After firing 36 charges, of 125 pounds each, upon the rock, Mr. Maillefert became satisfied from the results produced that he could not accomplish the work, and that it was probable that the estimate upon which he had based his contract had been made from an examination of another rock than Middle Rock, as there were two others near it, which he was not at first aware of. In August, 1853, Captain Dutton made another contract with Mr. Maillefert, which was to remove Middle Rock to a depth of 133 feet below mean low water for $6,000. Mr. Maillefert then exploded 54 charges of |