COMMMERCIAL STATISTICS. I am indebted to Mr. William Poillon, president of the Salamander Works at Woodbridge, N. J., for the following information relative to the commerce of the creek. Statement of the shipments of fire brick, clay, &c., and receipts of coal, merchandise, &c., from July 1, 1881, to July 1, 1882, through Woodbridge Creek, New Jersey. The original project for this improvement was adopted in 1879, and had for its object the improvement of the river and opening and protecting its inlet from the Atlantic Ocean so as to make it available for purposes of commerce and to afford a harbor of refuge for coasters upon the long reach of unbroken shore of New Jersey. In execution of this plan of improvement a contract was entered into with C. F. Drake April 18, 1879. The contractor, however, failed to commence operations under the contract, and it was annulled. The project was subsequently referred to the Board of Engineers for Fortifications and River and Harbor Improvements. In accordance with the suggestion of the majority of this Board, and with the views of the local engineer expressed in his report submitted to the Chief of Engineers September 17, 1880, the idea of constructing a harbor of refuge was abandoned, and the object to be sought by the improvement confined to the "opening of a direct channel-way across the beach, and protecting the same from the flow of the tidal currents between the river and the ocean." In accordance with the above, contract was entered into with Henry Du Bois & Sons for the construction of timber jetties at the mouth of the river, the north jetty to be first constructed, the construc. tion of the south jetty being optional with the officer in charge. On July 1, 1881, the amount available for the work was $28,581.91, and operations under the above contract had just commenced. Work on the construction of the north jetty was continued to March 8, 1882, when the contract was closed, the total length of jetty built on the north side being 1,515 feet. When the construction was begun the site of the projected jetty was quite shoal. After the inshore part was finished an increased velocity was given to the currents, which caused a deepening of the inlet in advance of the improvement, and, in addition, the entrance had moved to the northward so that the line of the jetty crossed the gorge of the inlet, and it seemed impossible to make any work of the character adopted stand the force of the currents. It therefore became necessary, as the work progressed, to modify the construction of the outer section of the work. This was done by driving an extra row of round piles having greater penetration than was provided by the original specifications, and also by placing alongside the outer 200 feet of the jetty, as built, an equal length of diking of the kind described in the specifications as "channel sections." The injurious scour inshore and near the outer end continuing, a crib 130 feet long was placed in front of the outer end of the inshore piling and adjacent to the outer section, and the whole line from outside to inside was further protected by placing fascine mats with a pitching of stone along the river face of the jetty, and bags filled with sand on the inner side. Spur-dams of plank, fascines, and sand bags were also built at right angles to the line of the works on the north side, with a view to arrest and hold the sand drifted by the winds and to relieve the north side of the sheet-piling from the pressure of the tidal reservoir against it by inducing a sand accumulation between the piling and the reservoir. The fascine mats and stone pitching on the south side extend back from the outer end of the jetty a distance of about 850 feet. The jetty is now believed to be stable and in a condition to withstand the further action of the elements. fect of the jetty on the condition of the inlet has been so far beneficial; the present depth on the outer bar is 4 feet approximately at low-water, the crest of the bar being generally about 300 feet seaward of the end of the jetty; the position of the line of deepest water across the bar is less changeable than heretofore, but considerable wanderings still take place in the same. The ef It is probable that the further extension of the north jetty, and the construction of the jetty on the south side of the inlet will tend to restrain this movement, and keep the crest of the bar at a lower level. The work, however, is of so experimental a nature that a prediction of definite results does not seem warranted at the present time. To extend the north jetty 255 feet seaward to its full projected extent and to build 905 feet of jetty on the south side will require, it is esti mated, the sum of $40,000. The Manasquan River has at present but little significance as a place of commerce. It is believed, however, that permanent trade would rapidly follow in the accomplishment of any successful improvement. Manasquan River is in the collection district of Perth Amboy, N. J., which is the nearest port of entry. Nearest light-house is Barnegat light, and nearest fort, fort at Sandy Hook. Amount appropriated from March 3, 1879, to June 14, 1880, both inclusive. $32,000 00 Total amount expended.... 30,481 08 Money statement. July 1, 1881, amount available.... $28,581 91 July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881... 27,062 99 July 1, 1882, amount available.... 1,518 92 Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882 .... 7,000 00 Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883..... 8,518 92 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project...... 33,000 00 25,000 00 No. Names of bidders. Abstract of proposals for the construction of a timber jetty at Manasquan Inlet, New Jersey, opened December 27, 1880, by Lieut. Col. N. Michler, Corps of Engineers. Contract awarded to the lowest bidders, H. Du Bois & Sons, with the approval of the Chief of Engineers. E 9. IMPROVEMENT OF RARITAN BAY, NEW JERSEY. The project for this improvement was adopted in 1880, and provides for dredging a channel 300 feet wide and 21 feet deep at mean low-water, across the shoal off Seguine Point. This shoal separates the deep water of the main ship-channel in Raritan Bay from the deep water to the west of Seguine Point, Staten Island, and is a serious obstruction to deep draught vessels seeking the harbor of Perth Amboy, N. J. The least depth on the shoal is 14 feet at low-water; the distance between the 21-foot contours on either side of the shoal, measured along the axis of the projected cut, is 8,000 feet. By the river and harbor act of March 3, 1881, an appropriation of $50,000 was made for this improvement. The amount available for the execution of the project on July 1, 1881, was $49,684.32. In answer to public advertisements, sealed proposals for dredging were submitted and opened June 17, 1881, and the contract awarded to the Atlantic Dredging Company, the lowest responsible bidders, at 28 cents per cubic yard. Operations under this contract were commenced October 15, 1881, and continued to December 15, 1881, at which time, owing |