C 8. IMPROVEMENT OF NEWPORT HARBOR, RHODE ISLAND. This harbor is on the main entrance to Narragansett Bay. It is one of the most important harbors on the coast, providing a safe roadstead and anchorage. Newport itself is upon an inner harbor, separated from Narragansett Bay by Goat Island and a breakwater which extends northerly from the island about 1,400 feet. The mean rise and fall of the tide is about 33 feet. ORIGINAL CONDITION. Before improvement the capacity of the inner harbor was limited by shoals, and it was not adequate to the number and size of vessels seeking it for refuge. The southern (the main) entrance was obstructed by a bar which stretched out from Goat Island, and the general business wharves of the city could not be reached at low tide by vessels drawing more than 8 feet. PLANS OF IMPROVEMENT. The original project, and its subsequent modifications, under which work is now carried on, are substantially as follows: Deepening the southern entrance to 15 feet at mean low water, cutting away a portion of the spit which stretches out from the southerly end of Goat Island to the same depth, and constructing a jetty on the southwest shore of the island to arrest the drift of littoral sand and gravel into the entrance to the harbor; deepening to 13 feet at mean low water, the area included between the 13-foot curve on the west, a line drawn from the southwest corner of Perry Mill Wharf to Lime Rock on the south, the harbor line on the east, and a line drawn parallel to and 50 feet from the City Wharf on the north; deepening to 10 feet at mean low water the area northwest of a line drawn from Lime Rock through the spindle which is in the southeast part of the harbor, and excavating a channel 10 feet deep at mean low water along and outside the harbor line south to a point opposite the Gas Company's Wharf. The additional plans of the last year include the excavating of a channel 750 feet wide and 15 feet deep at mean low water around and to the eastward of the Dolphin, which marks the Goat Island Spit; cutting away the spit to a depth of 15 feet at mean low water northward to a line drawn from the Dolphin to clear the permanent dock at Fort Adams by 100 feet, and the construction of additional jetties on the western shore of Goat Island. A plat of Newport Harbor, showing the plans of the work and the work done to June 30, 1885, accompanies this report. AMOUNT EXPENDED AND RESULTS TO JUNE 30, 1884. The amount expended up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1884, including liabilities outstanding at that date, was $73,141.23, with the following results: A jetty on the southwest shore of Goat Island 150 feet long had been constructed, and the northern angle between it and the shore quickly filled with sand and gravel, showing its utility, a considerable portion of the southern entrance, and the spit south of Goat Island had been excavated, first to 12 feet and afterwards to 13 feet at mean low water; of the area to be deepened to 13 feet within the harbor, about 58 acres, or two-thirds, had been completed, except at a few places in the northern part of the harbor where the material was found too hard for the dredge used in the work, and except that a bulkhead was left in the extreme northeast portion of the harbor to protect an anchorage for small vessels. Many large bowlders had been removed from the bottom of the harbor. No work had been done in the area to be dredged to 10 feet at mean low water. OPERATIONS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR. At the beginning of the last fiscal year no work was in progress. On the 28th of August, 1884, advertisements were issued for dredging under the provisions of the act of Congress of July 5, 1884, appropriat ing $20,000 for the further improvement of the harbor. The following proposals were received, and were opened September 23, 1884: With the approval of the Chief of Engineers the contract was awarded to the Hartford Dredging Company, the lowest bidder; contract dated October 4, 1884, to be commenced within thirty days from date of contract, unless otherwise agreed, and completed August 1, 1885. Work under the above contract commenced October 15, 1884, and with the exception of a short suspension during the winter was contin ued until the close of the fiscal year; 8,041.68 cubic yards were removed from the channel outside the harbor line in the southern part of the harbor; 24,147.31 cubic yards were removed in deepening the area southwest of Commercial Wharf to 13 feet at mean low water; 24,646.84 cubic yards were removed from the channel 15 feet deep and 750 feet wide around, and to the eastward of the Dolphin on Goat Island Spit, and 5,800.8 cubic yards were removed from the spit. In addition to the above about 36 cubic yards of bowlders were removed from the bottom of the harbor. Mr. Frank G. Bourn and Mr. John S. Engs, jr., were local inspectors of the work; the former to June 1, 1885, and the latter since that date. AMOUNT EXPENDED AND PROGRESS DURING THE LAST FISCAL YEAR. The amount expended during the last fiscal year was $13,825.43, and the results were the widening to 60 feet and deepening to 10 feet at mean low water, 1,080 feet in length of the channel outside the harbor line in the southern part of the harbor; an increase of about 5.72 acres in that part of the harbor designed to be deepened to 13 feet at mean low water; the completion of the channel 15 feet deep and 750 feet wide around and to the eastward of the Dolphin on Goat Island Spit (the area dredged at this place being 6.5 acres), and an increase of 224 feet in the width between the 15-foot curves at the southern entrance to the harbor. The area of the spit removed to a depth of 15 feet at mean low water in the latter work was about 2.75 acres, and at the end of the fiscal year this work was still in progress. OPERATIONS CONTEMPLATED FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 1886. With the available remainder of the appropriation of July 5, 1884, the removal of the spit south of Goat Island to a depth of 15 feet at mean low water will be continued; the bowlders uncovered in recent dredging within the harbor will be removed, and the jetty on the southwest shore of Goat Island will be repaired, raised, and extended. The current contract is to be completed August 1, 1885. The current appropriation will be exhausted during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1886. WORK REQUIRED TO BE DONE TO COMPLETE THE EXISTING PROJECT. The work required to be done to complete the existing project is the remainder of the cutting away of the spit south of Goat Island to 15 feet depth, and northward to a line drawn from the Dolphin to clear the Permanent Dock at Fort Adams by 100 feet, the remainder of the excavation within the harbor of the anchorage area of 13 feet depth, and the excavation, also within the harbor, of the anchorage area of 10 feet depth. Also the completion of the system of jetties outside of Goat Island to arrest the drift of littoral sand and gravel into the harbor entrance. Newport is in the collection district of Newport, and is a port of entry. The amount of revenue collected in the last fiscal year was $2,554.72. The nearest light-houses are Lime Rock and Newport (Goat Island) lights. The nearest fortification is Fort Adams, Newport, R. I. Money statement. July 1, 1884, amount available.... Amount appropriated by act approved July 5, 1884.. July 1, 1885, amount expended during fiscal year, exclusive of outstanding liabilities July 1, 1884 July 1, 1885, outstanding liabilities.. July 1, 1885, amount available............. $60 80 20,000 00 20,060 80 $11, 217 13 2,608 30 13,825 43 6,235 37 67,000 00 Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project... 50, 000 00 COMMERCIAL STATISTICS. CUSTOM-HOUSE, NEWPORT, R. I., SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letters of the 15th ultimo. During the year ending June 30, 1885, about five thousand vessels of all classes have arrived at this port, either for a harbor or to discharge cargoes; this includes steam and sail vessels engaged in coasting trade, fisheries, and yachting. During the year ending June 30, 1885, twelve vessels have arrived at this port from foreign ports and |