Probably 90 per cent. of this commerce goes through the sound to or from New York Harbor, and this does not include that which goes beyoud Long Island Sound, which would probably make the amount double. It should be observed, however, that perhaps half the tonnage and more than half the value is carried by regular lines of large steamers, which seldom seek harbors except in very foggy weather. A large and increasing part of the commerce of Long Island Sound is carried in tows of barges and canal boats. These tows are frequently long and heavy, and in storms become unmanageable, and if they break from the tugs are generally lost. For commerce of this kind, more than for sail vessels and steamers, frequent harbors of refuge are a necessity. There are small harbors, at not very great distances apart, along the north shore of Long Island Sound, the nearest one to Black Rock being Bridgeport Harbor, about 3 miles to the northeast, where a basin of 22 acres area 12 feet deep has been dredged on the west side of the channel to provide shelter for vessels driven in by storms. This area, as well as part of the main channel, is often occupied by vessels of moderate draught; vessels drawing over 12 feet can not enter Bridgeport Harbor when the tide is low. West of Black Rock the nearest harbor of refuge is bebind Sheffield Island, near Wilson's Point, about 14 miles by water from Black Rock Harbor. There the anchorage ground for vessels of 15 feet draught or deeper is exposed on the south and west. There is no doubt that transportation companies and vessel owners would be glad to have a harbor of refuge here, as they would at every other available point along Long Island Sound. The question of a harbor of refuge on Long Island Sound, in view of the large expenditure needed, should not be decided from an examination of one locality; and I am of opinion that for a large and costly harbor, money can now be expended at other points than Black Rock with greater benefit to commerce. An improvement, however, could be made at Black Rock Harbor, which would be of very considerable benefit, at much less cost than the above estimate. This would be done by making the breakwater from Fairweather Island only 1,500 feet long, and obtaining additional anchorage ground by dredging in the upper part of the harbor so as to give a depth of 12 feet over an area of 75 acres. The estimated cost is as follows: For breakwater 1,500 feet long, nearly south from Fairweather Island, to be 4 feet above high water, with top width of 8 feet, onter slope 1 on 2, inner slope 1 on 1, 43,475 tons of riprap, at $1.75 per ton... Dredging 560,000 cubic yards at 12 cents per cubic yard.. Contingencies, 10 per cent... Total... This plan admits of extension in the future. From the experience at Bridgeport there is every reason to believe that Black Rock Harbor, if improved, would be sought for safety by tows. It is also probable that the business in the harbor will be greatly in creased by the improvements which have and will be made in the channels connecting with the head of the harbor. This business belongs to the city of Bridgeport. I would therefore report that, in my opinion, the harbor is worthy of improvement. No further survey is needed, as the Coast Survey chart of Black Rock Harbor of 1884 gives all the information needed at present for plans and estimates. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. D. C. HOUSTON, Lieut. Col. of Engineers. D 24. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF NEW LONDON HARBOR, CONNECTICUT. ENGINEER OFFICE, U. S. ARMY, New York, November 20, 1888. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report of a preliminary examination of New London Harbor, Connecticut, made in pursuance of the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, and directed in letter from the Chief of Engineers, dated August 28, 1888. The necessary information has been collected by Mr. Henry N. Babcock, assistant engineer. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. The harbor is that part of the Thames River which lies in front of the city of New London, extending from Winthrop's Point to Long Island Sound, a distance of 3 miles, with widths ranging from one-fourth to 1 mile. It has a channel from 30 to 50 feet deep and of ample width, the 18-foot contours on opposite sides of the harbor being over 800 feet apart. The deepest water lies on the east side, opposite New London, and the principal wharves are separated from the main channel by a shoal of soft mud and sand 9 to 18 feet deep at mean low water. New London Harbor is considered one of the best refuge harbors on the Atlantic coast; it is sought by vessels of every class when overtaken by stormy weather in the vicinity, and is also regular rendezvous of the yacht clubs which cruise through Long Island Sound. The mean rise of tide is 23 feet. There is a naval station on the east bank of the Thames River about 2 miles above the city. At Winthrop's Point a railroad bridge is now being built across the river. New London, the port of entry for the collection district of New London, is situated on the west side of the harbor, the wharves being about 2 miles from the harbor's mouth. Fort Trumbull, on the west shore, and Fort Griswold, on the east shore, command the harbor channel, There is a light-house at the harbor entrance on the west shore. PREVIOUS IMPROVEMENTS BY THE UNITED STATES. The only work done by the United States toward improving this harbor is the removal to 16 feet depth of part of a shoal lying east of the New London Northern Railroad wharf; this was begun in 1880 as part of the improvement of the Thames River, no previous survey hav. ing been ordered, but $2,500 from the appropriation for improving Thames River being specified as for that work. Subsequent appropriations were made for New London Harbor separately, the last one being made August 5, 1886, and the total appropriated amounting to $19,800; the project was completed in November, 1886. The area dredged has not shoaled since. DESIRED IMPROVEMENTS AND ESTIMATES OF COST. The improvement desired now is distinct from that previously made; it consists in deepening part of the shoal between the city wharves and the main channel. It is represented that access to the wharves is seriously impeded by this shoal; that vessels of over 12 feet draught are compelled to wait for tides, and that then the deeper ones have to lighter before going to the wharves. It is desired that so much of that shoal be removed as wil make the approach to the wharves 15 feet deep at mean low water. The most economical way of accomplishing this would be by making a channel of that depth along the water-front at a short distance, say 50 feet, from the pier-heads, leaving the approach to each wharf to be dredged out by the owner; and this plan, I am informed, would satisfy the present needs of those desiring the improvement. The general form of the water-front is curved, convex to the river, and at the ferry near the middle of this curve there is now access to the deep water channel with more than 15 feet; if the improvement were made in this manner, vessels would come up to this point and then turn off either way to their wharves. To remove the entire shoal to 15 feet depth, so that after rounding Fort Trumbull Point vessels could head directly for their wharves, would be a more complete improvement; it would cost from three to four times as much as the other plan, and does not seem to be required at present. To make a 15-foot channel at a distance of about 50 feet from the wharves, to be 200 feet wide and 3,000 feet long, extending from the upper end of the steam-boat wharf to Chappell's lower wharf, would require the removal of 84,000 cubic yards of material, principally mud and soft sand, at a cost estimated as follows, viz: Dredging 84,000 cubic yards, at 16 cents per yard.... Total $13, 440 1,560 15,000 COMMERCE TO BE BENEFITED. The commerce that would be benefited by the desired improvement is nearly all (probably nine tenths) of the local water commerce, and such through cargoes as are carried by the regular line of steamers to and from New York; also occasionally vessels running in for coal and water are obliged to receive them from lighters when with better depths they would take them directly from the wharves. All of the principal wharves would receive more or less benefit from such deepening of the approaches, except the New London Northern Railroad wharf, where the business is mainly through freights. The chief object for which the improvement is desired is the benefit to the commerce of the city of New London and its suburbs, including a population of about 1,000. The following statistics show the amount of commerce by water that would be directly interested in such works of improvement. They are compiled from detailed statements of the amount of business done at fourteen wharves, from Darow's wharf on the north to Chappell's wharves on the south. The detailed statements referred to nine months, from January 1, 1888, to September 30, 1888, but in the following table of totals 33 per cent. is added, to make the figures represent the annual commerce of these wharves. Tons of freight received and shipped.. Number of arrivals and departures of vessels 272,800 $3,679, 300 2,511 The draught of these vessels ranges from 9 to 18 feet; but few of them exceed 15 feet draught. SUMMARY. It is desired that the approaches to the several New London wharves be deepened so as to admit vessels of 15 feet draught at low tide, a work which would involve dredging about 84,000 cubic yards of mud and sand, at a total estimated cost of $15,000. The amount of commerce that would receive benefit from such work is estimated at 272,800 tons per annum, valued at $3,679,300, being the greater part of the commerce by water of the city of New London, and a not inconsiderable amount of through freight. It is not to be understood that all of this commerce is now subject to detention by reason of shoal water; the larger part of it is carried by vessels which can go to the wharves without lightering. The trouble experienced results from he fact that all business now done at these wharves must either be done with light-draught vessels, or must be subject to delay while waiting for the tide or while lightering. The accompanying sketch from the United States Coast Survey chart of 1884, scale zoooo, shows the location of the desired improvement. No further survey is necessary for the purpose of making up a plan of improvement with fairly accurate estimate of cost. In view of the amount of commerce to be benefited, I am of opinion that the harbor is worthy of improvement. SIR: I have the honor to submit the following report on a preliminary examination of Mystic River, Connecticut, made in pursuance of the river and harbor act of August 11, 1888, and directed by letter of the Chief of Engineers, dated August 28, 1888. The accompanying report of Mr. Henry N. Babcock, assistant engineer, gives a description of the river, an account of the present and prospective commerce, an estimate of the cost of desired improvement, and other information. The business interests to be benefited by this improvement consist in ship-building, manufacturing, stone and silex quarrying, and the distribution of fuel and building materials over a district covering 15 square miles and containing 7,000 inhabitants. During the past year the value of freight and merchandise carried by vessels amounted to about $400,000. The channel from the mouth of the river to Mystic, a distance of 3 miles, while generally of sufficient depth, has several sharp bends. which render navigation difficult for vessels of the increased length now in use. To remedy this difficulty the following estimate is submitted: Cubic yards. Highway bridge to railroad bridge, 2,300 feet, deepening channel part of the distance Railroad bridge to Oldfield ship-yard, 2,600 feet, deepening channel and re- Reducing two bends at either end of the reach south of Sixpenny Island and just above Noank, or cutting a channel 100 feet wide through the lower bend, which would serve the same purpose with about the same amount of work... 4,000 35,000 21,000 60,000 Reducing the bend at the mouth of the harbor between the harbor channel and the northeast channel. 40,000 Total.... 160,000 Supervision and contingencies, say One hundred and sixty thousand cubic yards of dredging at 16 cents per cubic yard...... Total.. 30,000 To maintain these channels it is estimated that an average expendi ture of about $2,000 would be required. In view of the amount of commerce to be benefited and the rela tively small amount required for improvement, and from a personal examination, I am of opinion that the river is worthy of improvement. Accompanying this report is a tracing from the Coast Survey chart of 1882, showing the depth of channel and the location of the desired improvements. No further survey is needed for the purpose of making estimates. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, D. C. HOUSTON, Lieut. Col. of Engineers. The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. REPORT OF MR. HENRY N. BABCOCK, ASSISTANT ENGINEER. ENGINEER OFFICE, U. S. ARMY, COLONEL: I have the honor to submit the following report upon a preliminary examination of Mystic River, Connecticut, made September 15, 1888, in compliance with your letter of instructions dated August 30, 1888. GENERAL DESCRIPTION. Mystic River is a narrow tidal stream in the eastern part of the State of Connecticut, about 7 miles west from the boundary of the State of Rhode Island. The navigable part of the river extends in a general north-northeasterly direction for nearly 4 miles from Fisher's Island Sound, past the villages of Noank, Mystic River, and Mystic |