proposed harbor, and also occupy the shoalest and most favorable sites in regard to cost. These works are designed to be built of rubble-stone, to a height of 4 feet above the plane of mean high-water, and with a width of 20 feet on top, of which the exterior slope is to be 1:2, and the interior 45°; and the channel extremities to be enlarged and raised to a height of 10 feet above mean high water, so as to afford conspicuous guides for the entrance. The estimated cost of these two breakwaters, as revised, is as follows, viz: 55,000 tons of rubble-stone placed in the works, at $1.65 per ton of 2,240 pounds, is.. Engineering and other contingent expenses.. Total cost of the two breakwaters $90,750 9,250 100,000 The estimated cost of the dredging for a harbor of refuge only (1,450 feet in length by 750 feet in width) is as follows, to wit: 2. Inner barbor for a depth of 10 feet at mean low-water, and to be 12 feet in 1. Entrance, so as to have a depth of 15 feet at mean low-water up to the end of outer breakwater, and thence sloping from 15 to 12 feet to the end of the inner breakwater, 165,000 cubic yards of dredging, at 35 cents per cubic yard, measured in situ... $57,750 117,250 15,000 190,000 100.000 290,000 Total for dredging for harbor of refuge.. Total estimated cost for harbor of refuge If, in addition to the foregoing work projected for a harbor of refuge, the deepening of the harbor above for the benefit of the local commerce of Scituate should be favorably considered, the following is an estimate of its cost, viz: Dredging of the upper portion near the wharves of Scituate to a depth of 3 feet, and thence increasing to a depth of 10 feet at mean low-water, 106,500 cubic yards, at 35 cents per cubic yard, measured in situ Engineering and other contingent expenses $37, 275 2,725 40,000 Total additional cost of deepening the harbor up to the wharves............... For the improvement of this harbor the following appropriations have been made by Congress, viz: By the river and harbor act of June 14, 1880 Total...... $7,500 10,000 10,000 27,500 Under the two appropriations of 1880 and 1881, a contract was made with Mr. Charles H. Edwards, of Quincy, Mass. (the only bidder), for 10,000 tons, more or less, of "granite quarry grout," at $1.56 per ton of 2,240 pounds, placed in the work, or for an inferior and smaller kind of rubble-stone, at $1.25 per ton. Operations were commenced by the contractor in the latter part of June, 1881, and were completed on the 28th of June, 1882, resulting in his having furnished and placed in the work 10,024248 tons of rubblestone, in completion of his contract, whereby the outer portion of the breakwater has been partially built for a length of about 470 feet and to a height of about 3 feet above the plane of mean low-water, with a thickness of about 10 feet on top, so as to form a partial protection to the harbor. · The appropriation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, it is proposed to apply to the extension and enlargement of the northern breakwater. July 1, 1881, amount available.. Money statement. July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881..... July 1, 1882, amount available.... Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882 . Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883.... $17,279 94. 17,076 40 203 54 10,000 00 10,203 54 262,500 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.. Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June, 30, 1884. 72,500 00 A 20. IMPROVEMENT OF PLYMOUTH HARBOR, MASSACHUSETTS. The existence of this harbor depends entirely upon the protection and preservation of Long Beach, which is a narrow strip of land that extends 23 miles out from the mainland, in a northwesterly direction, nearly parallel to the shore of the town of Plymouth, and distant from it about 1 mile. It affords to the harbor its only shelter from easterly storms. In late years it has been washed away in some places, and much weakened in others, to an extent seriously threatening the ruin of the harbor. For the protection and preservation of this beach various works have been built from time to time, until they have finally proved to be efficient and successful. These works consist of bulkheads, jetties, and groins, built for the accumulation of sand and the planting of beach grass; also to accumulate sand and give permanency to the beach thus formed, whereby a ridge has been formed throughout the whole extent of the beach, which is, for the most part, covered with beach grass, and is now generally in an efficient condition. A history and description of the several works built on Long Beach will be found in the Annual Report for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1877. The following sums have been appropriated by Congress, and allotted for the preservation and improvement of this harbor from 1864 up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882, viz: Amount allotted in 1866 from appropriations made July 2, 1864, for harbors on Amount allotted under act of July 25, 1868. By river and harbor act of March 3, 1871 Total.... $8,300 7,500 10,000 10,000 2,500 3,000 5,000 10,000 5,000 3,500 10,000 10,000 14,000 98,800 The project for the improvement of this harbor provided for a channel of 100 feet in width up to Long Wharf, to be extended southward to the mouth of Town Brook, a distance of about 90 feet above Long Wharf, so as to form a basin in front of the wharves of the city not less than 150 feet in width, with a depth of 8 feet at mean low-water. Under the appropriation of $10,000 made by the act of March 3, 1875, for the improvement of this harbor, the channel was opened by dredging from the "Middle Ground" up to Long Wharf, a distance of about 2,500 feet, for a width of 50 feet, and to a depth of 6 feet at mean lowwater, or 16 feet at mean high-water. Under the appropriation of $10,000 made by the act of June 14, 1880, for this harbor, a contract was made August 24, 1880, with Messrs. Robert Hamilton, jr., of Cheteague Island, and Solomon Sawyer, of Yarmouth, Me., the lowest of four bidders, for 60,000 cubic yards, more or less, of dredging, at 17 cents per cubic yard, measured in scores. Under this contract 43,950 cubic yards of dredging was done up to the end of that fiscal year, whereby the main channel was completed to its full projected width (viz, 100 feet), and to a depth of 6 feet at mean low-water, or 16 feet at mean high-water, from deep water near the Middle Ground up to the wharves of Plymouth, and a portion of the projected basin in front of the wharves was dredged to a depth of 8 feet at mean low-water. Operations were continued under this contract up to the 1st of September, 1881, resulting in an aggregate of 58,998 cubic yards of dredg ing in completion of the same, by which the basin was nearly completed for a distance of about 50 feet above Weston & Harlow's Wharf. Under the appropriation made by the river and harbor act of March 3, 1881, for this harbor, proposals have been invited (see abstract herewith) and contracts made as follows, viz: 1. With Mr. Cummings M. Holden, of Tremont, Me., August 10, 1881, for 200 tons, more or less, of small bowlders, at $1.55 per ton of 2,240 pounds, for repairing works on Long Beach. 2. With the Eastern Dredging Company, of Portland, Me., June 14, 1881, for 40,000 cubic yards, more or less, of dredging, at 23 cents per cubic yard, as measured in scows, for completing the basin in front of the Plymouth wharves. 2240 Under the contract with Mr. Holden 1861368 tons of small bowlders were furnished up to the 6th of March, 1882, in completion of his contract. Under the contract with the Eastern Dredging Company, operations were commenced on the 28th of October and completed on the 23d of December, 1881, resulting in 44,969 cubic yards of dredging in completion of said contract, and in completion of the projected channel and basin. All the works projected for the protection and preservation of Long Beach were completed in 1879. Some of these works (bulkheads and jetties) were built of crib-work about fifteen years ago, but owing to their exposed position at the outer end of the beach, and particularly to the unusually severe storms that occurred in February and March last, they have become much decayed and broken up, so much so that the beach has been much abraded, and weakened to such an extent as to render it liable to immediate destruction. The attention of the department was called to this matter in a special report, dated March 30, 1882, with a recommendation that Congress be requested to make an appropriation of $14,000 for the purpose of extending the stone bulkhead along the western shore of the beach for an additional distance of 1,000 feet, so as to protect in a more permanent manner this the weakest part of the beach. 2240 With the unexpended funds available 2194448 tons of rubble-stone have been placed in the bulkhead during May and June, 1882; and it is proposed to apply the appropriation for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1883, to the continuation of this work. Plymouth Harbor is in the collection district of Plymouth, of which Plymouth is the port of entry. The nearest light-houses are the Gurnet lights, about 5 miles from the city of Plymouth. The accompanying letter from the United States collector of customs at Plymouth furnishes a statement of the amount of commerce and navigation for that port during the year ending December 31, 1881; also, the benefits to the same by the improvements made and projected; and the tables give a list of proposals received, and the contracts made during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882. Money statement. July 1, 1881, amount available. July 1, 1882, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1881. $14,919 70 July 1, 1832, amount available.. Amount appropriated by act passed August 2, 1882. Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1883. 14,830 03 89 67 14,000 00 14,089 67 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project.... 1,000 00 1,000 00 Abstract of proposals received August 8, 1881, for furnishing about 600 tons of rubble-stone for the bulkhead on Long Beach, Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts. Abstract of contracts made during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1882, for the improvement of Plymouth Harbor, Massachusetts. Date of con tract. Contractor. Nature of work. Price per ton of 2,240 pounds. 1981 Cummings M. Holden, Tremont, Furnishing and delivering 200 Aug. 10 Me. tons, more or less, of small $1.55 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. CUSTOM-HOUSE, PLYMOUTH, MASS.. SIR: I have the honor to present to you the following report of the amount of receipts and disbursements of the United States revenue, the amount of merchandise in bond, the amount of foreign and domestic imports and exports, the number of cargoes received, and the number of vessels arriving and sailing into and from the port of Plymouth for the year ending December 31, 1881, as follows: |