upon the river, and are distant by water from Portsmouth, N. H. (the port of entry), respectively, about 15 and 19 miles. South New Market is a thriving village, and has a very large iron machine-shop and foundry, in which are manufactured a great many steamengines and castings. About 4,000 tons of coal are used there annually, as well as a large amount of iron and casting-sand, which are brought there by water from Portsmouth, a distance of about 15 miles. Exeter is also a thriving village of about 3,650 inhabitants. It has a large machine-shop and foundry and several other manufacturing concerns, with some forty stores; also a very large cotton factory, driven to a great extent by steam. It is estimated that 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. July 1, 1881, amount available.. Money statement. July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881 $31,973 08 31,973 08 A 15. IMPROVEMENT OF PORTSMOUTH HARBOR, NEW HAMPSHIRE. The work originally projected for the improvement of this harbor consisted of 1. A rubble-stone breakwater for closing the side channel between Great Island and Goat Island, near the "Third Bridge," so as to stop the strong tidal current through it, by which vessels coming up the harbor were liable to be thrown upon Goat Island Ledge, which projects far into the channel, here very narrow, thereby creating one of the greatest difficulties encountered in entering this harbor. 2. Breaking up and removing Gangway Rock, lying in the channel between "South Beacon Shoal" and the navy-yard. The shoalest part of this rock has but 12 feet of water on it at mean low-water, and 201 feet at mean high-water, and only 9.7 feet at extreme low-water of spring tides. Owing to the strong tidal currents in this harbor, Gangway Rock has proved to be a serious difficulty to navigation, and especially so to United States vessels which have visited this port and the navyyard, as well as to other vessels of large draught. It is projected to remove this rock to a depth of 20 feet at mean low-water (making 281⁄2 feet at mean high-water), especially in the interests of United States vessels, a greater depth not having been adopted on account of the great increase of cost attending it. This improvement would increase the width of the channel for the projected depth about 3.70 feet, which would be of great benefit to this part of the harbor. 3. The removal in part of the ledge at the southwest point of Badger's Island. This ledge projects into the channel about 150 feet, where it has only about 4 feet of water at mean low-water. It thereby presents serious difficulties to vessels coming down the harbor on the ebb-tide, which, after passing Noble's Island, and in their endeavors to avoid being thrown by the powerful current upon the projecting point of Portsmouth, opposite Badger's Island, are very liable to be, and often have been, thrown upon the point of ledge which projects from Badger's Island. To prevent this difficulty it is projected to remove this ledge for a length of 135 feet to a depth of 10 feet at mean low-water, which would give 7.7 feet at extreme low-water at spring tides. For the improvements projected as above the following estimates of cost have been submitted, to wit: 1. For the breakwater between Goat Island and Great Island. $12,600 85,200 3. Breaking up and removing ledges at the southwest point of Badger's 2. Breaking up and removing Gangway Rock to a depth of 20 feet at mean low-water, 2,840 cubic yards, at $30 per cubic yard 35,700 16,500 Total 150,000 The following appropriations have been made by Congress for the improvement of this harbor, to wit: By the river and harbor act of March 3, 1879... Total..... $10,000 25,000 20,000 17,000 72,000 Under the appropriation of March 3, 1879, a contract was made, August 27, 1879, for 12,000 tons of rubble-stone for the projected breakwater, at 69 cents per ton of 2,240 pounds (the lowest of nine bids for the same). This contract was completed on the 31st day of May, 1880, by which the breakwater was built throughout its entire length of 785 feet to a height of about 2 feet above the plane of mean high-water. Under the appropriation of June 14, 1880, a contract was made, August 20, 1880, with Messrs. Curit & Bowen, of Cumberland, Me., for additional rubble-stone for this breakwater, at 77 cents per ton of 2,240 pounds (the lowest of four bidders for the same), under which contract about 2,400 tons of rubble-stone were placed on the work, in completion of the same, on the 24th of November, 1880. Under the appropriation of June 14, 1880, a contract was also made, August 23, 1880, with Mr. Isaac A. Sylvester, of Newton, Mass. (the lowest of six bidders), for breaking up and removing 700 cubic yards, more or less, Gangway Rock, at $27.90 cents per cubic yard, measured in situ. Operations were commenced by the contractor about the 1st of April, 1881, and were continued by him up to the 23d of August, when, owing to the destruction of his platform and drilling apparatus (caused by the collision of a war vessel which swung from her moorings at the navy-yard), they were suspended until the 27th of October. They were then resumed and continued up to, the 11th of November, when they were suspended for the winter. On the 5th of April, 1882, operations were resumed, and have been continued up to the end of the fiscal year. The quantity of sunken ledge removed by the contractor during the past year amounts to 260 cubic yards, making an aggregate of 360 cubic yards broken up and removed by him under his contract, and leaving 340 cubic yards to be removed by him for completing his contract. It is expected that it will be completed not later than the 1st of December, 1882. Under the appropriation of $20,000, made by the river and harbor act of March 3, 1881, a contract was made April 15, 1882, with Mr. James Andrews, of Biddeford, Me., the lowest of four bidders (see abstract of proposals herewith), for the breaking up and removal of 600 cubic yards, more or less, of the sunken ledge on the southwest point of Badger's Island, to the projected depth of 10 feet at mean low-water, at $18 per cubic yard, measured in situ, the same to be completed on or before the 30th of June, 1883. Operations were commenced under this contract on the 5th of May, and have been continued up to the end of the fiscal year, resulting in the breaking up and removal of about 50 cubic yards under said contract. With a view to the further improvement of this harbor, to which my attention has been called by the members of the Portsmouth Marine Society, the Portsmouth Board of Trade, and other citizens of Portsmouth, I have caused surveys to be made of the sunken ledges at the point of Goat Island, and that near and southeast of Portsmouth Pier; also of the shoal in the small harbor of refuge near Jerry's Point, with results as follows, to wit: 1. Ledge at southwest point of Goat Island.-This ledge projects into the main channel, which is here very narrow and tortuous, in such a manner as to render navigation difficult and dangerous, and specially so when combined with the very strong tidal currents at this locality. In order to remedy this evil in part, it is recommended that this ledge point should be removed to a depth of 15 feet at mean low-water, so as to add 110 feet to the width of the channel for that depth. This would require the breaking up and removal of 1,835 cubic yards of sunken ledge, the estimated cost of which, including contingencies, is $50,000. 2. Ledge near Portsmouth Pier.-This ledge is of small extent, but as it has but 73 feet of water on it at mean low-water, it is a dangerous obstacle to vessels moving about in that part of the harbor. To remove this ledge to a depth of 10 feet at mean low-water would require the breaking up and removal of 10 cubic yards, the estimated cost of which, including contingencies, is $300. 3. Shoal in channel of harbor of refuge near Jerry's Point.-This is a small harbor used by coasters and fishing vessels on the coast near Portsmouth. Its inner anchorage ground has a depth of 9 feet at mean lowwater, but the channel leading to it has a least depth of only 3 feet at mean low-water. It is desired to have this channel opened to a depth of 9 feet at mean low-water for a width of 100 feet; also to have the inner basin enlarged to a width of 300 feet for an average length of 700 feet. This would require 61,000 cubic yards of dredging in situ, the estimated cost of which, including contingencies, is $20,000 But for the protection of this channel and basin against the easterly storms, to which it is much exposed, a rubble-stone breakwater would be required at Jerry's Point, the estimated cost of which, including contingencies, is.. 13,000 Making the total estimated cost of the desired improvement of this harbor of refuge 33,000 It is proposed to apply the amount appropriated for the improvement of Portsmouth Harbor by river and harbor act of August 2, 1882 (viz, $17,000), to continuing the removal of Gangway Rock to the projected grade. The several works above projected are located in the collection district of Portsmouth, of which Portsmouth is the port of entry. The nearest light-houses are Portsmouth Harbor light and Whaleback light, at the outer entrance of the harbor. The nearest forts are Fort McCleary and Fort Constitution, in the lower harbor. The United States navy-yard at Kittery, Me., is also in this harbor. The following information as to the revenue and commerce of the port of Portsmouth, N. H., for the year ending December 31, 1881, has been furnished by the United States collector of customs at that port, viz: About one-seventh in number of these coast wise arrivals go up the river to Dover, Exeter, New Market, &c. The vessels proceeding up to the river to Dover, &c., are proportionally smaller than those remaining here, which makes the proportion of tonnage much less than that mentioned above. No vessels built within the period named. Money statement. July 1, 1881, amount available. July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881 July 1, 1882, outstanding liabilities.. $40,409 85 $7.947 71 2,043 00 9,990 71 30.419 14 17,000 00 47,419 14 83,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. 50,000 00 Abstract of proposals received April 10, 1882, for breaking up and removing about 600 cubic yards of sunken ledge on the southwest point of Badger's Ísland, in Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire. Abstract of contract made during the fiscal year. ending June 30, 1882, for the improvement of Portsmouth Harbor, New Hampshire. Date of contract. Contractor. 1882. Nature of work. Apri 15. James Andrews, Biddeford, Me... Breaking up and removing 600 cubic yards, more or less, of sunken ledge on the south- * Measured in situ. Price per cubic yard.* $18.00 A 16. IMPROVEMENT OF NEWBURYPORT HARBOR, MASSACHUSETTS. The object of the improvement projected for this harbor is to create at the outer bar a permanent channel, with a depth of not less than 17 feet at mean low-water, or 243 feet at mean high-water. The project adopted to accomplish this object is to build out from the shores north and south of the harbor outlet two converging rubble-stone jetties, located as shown on the drawing accompanying the last annual report, so as to give a proper direction to the channel, and by the scour to produce the desired depth, of not less than 17 feet at mean low-water. The estimated cost of these jetties on the plan adopted is $365,000, for which the following appropriations have been made by Congress, to wit: By the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880 Total...... $50,000 40,000 40,000 130 000 Under the appropriations made as above in 1880 and 1881, a contract was made June 23, 1881, with Mr. Edward P. Shaw, of Newburyport, Mass. (the lowest of six bidders), for furnishing and placing in the northern jetty 60,000 tons, more or less, of rubble-stone, at $1.32 per ton of 2,240 pounds. Under this contract the contractor commenced work in July, 1881, and has continued it without interruption up to the end of June, 1882, during which period he has delivered and placed in the work 30,366 tons of rubble-stone, by which it has been built out for a distance of about 1,200 feet, of which no portion has been fully completed. It is expected that all the stone called for by this contract will be delivered and placed in the work not later than the 31st of December next. It is recommended that the appropriation to be made for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, be applied to the commencement of the southern jetty at the shore end with a view to the protection and preservation of the shore, and to the closing of the basin inside the northern end of Plum Island by a dam of sheet-piling and rubble-stone (about 750 feet in length), so as to prevent the opening of a new channel at weak and exposed places, the estimated cost of which dam is $17,000. Newburyport Harbor lies in the collection district of Newburyport, Mass., of which Newburyport is the port of entry. The nearest light-house is on Plumb Island, at the entrance to the harbor. The accompanying letter from the special deputy collector of customs at the port of Newburyport, furnishes a statement of the amount of revenue and commerce for the year ending December 31, 1881. Money statement. July 1, 1881, amount available.... July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881.. July 1, 1882, outstanding liabilities July 1, 1882, amount available Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882 .. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883 ... $87,414 18 $38,041 00 41,975 41 45,438 77 40, 000 00 85,438 77 235,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1884. 70,000 00 |