in depth at low water, (or 11 feet at high water,) in its lowest summerstages. The work that remains to be done for completing all the projected improvements of this river consists in the removal of several dangerous sunken ledges lying in its channel in "the narrows" below Richmond. Contracts have been made for the removal of all these, with the exception of Dry Rock, and it is probable that their removal will be completed before the close of the present season. Dry Rock contains, down to the 12-foot plane below mean low water, about 1,850 cubic yards, the removal of which it is estimated will cost about $40,500. Of the funds heretofore appropriated there will be available for removing Dry Rock the sum of about $14,500, but it is not deemed advisable to expend any portion of this sum upon that work until the additional sum required for its completion is appropriated. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check.. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874. $14,000 00 1,482 80 12,000 00 Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 9,495 05 17,987 75 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876..... 26,000 00 (See Appendix Y 7.) S. Portland Harbor, Maine.-On the 1st of July, 1873, the following work had been done for the improvement of this harbor, viz: 1. The capping of the breakwater extended for a length of 7334 feet, leaving 217 linear feet more to be done; 2. A channel dredged through the Middle Ground Bar to a width of 500 feet and to a depth of 21 to 22 feet at mean low water, or 31 feet at ordinary high water; and 3. A channel dredged through the "Spit," opposite the Grand Trunk wharves. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, the following additional work has been done under the several contracts previously made therefor, viz: The breakwater-extension, completed in October, 1873, for a length of 217 feet, and the old portion of the breakwater repaired throughout the granite pier at the outer end of the breakwater, also completed in October, 1873; 24,938 cubic yards of dredging done in Black Bay, by which a channel has been opened up to the "Stone-shed wharves" to a width of 100 feet and a depth of 8 feet at mean low water; the sunken wreck lying in the main ship-channel off Fort Scammel broken up and scattered into deep water; and 49,609 cubic yards of dredging done below Central wharf, in the inner harbor, in front of the harbor commissioners' line. All the work projected for the improvement of this harbor has therefore been completed, with the exception of about 200,000 cubic yards of dredging in front of the harbor commissioners' line in the inner harbor. The contract of May 10, 1873, provides for about 100,000 cubic yards of this, of which about 80,000 cubic yards are above Central wharf. But, for reasons stated by the officer in charge, it has not been deemed advisable to continue this work above that wharf until several projecting wharves above shall have been shortened, steps for doing which, it is understood, are now being taken by the municipal authorities. As soon as this matter is accomplished, dredging operations will be continued above Central wharf under the existing contract, and a contract will be made for additional dredging under the appropriation of June 23, 1874. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. $80,000 00 9,439 19 Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874.. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. (See Appendix Y 8.) $20,000 00 41, 113 20 64,816 37 30,000 00 9. Richmond's Island, Maine.-The improvement projected for this place consists in making a harbor of refuge by means of a rubblestone breakwater, to connect the island with the mainland. The length of the proposed breakwater is about 2,000 feet, with an average thickness of 30 feet, and a height of 13 feet above mean low water. Under the three contracts for furnishing the stone for this breakwater, 33,330 tons of stone were delivered during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, making a total delivered to that date of 43,189 tons, in completion of two of the contracts, and leaving about 4,000 tons to be furnished under the other contract. This contract has, since that date, been reported completed, and the appropriation for the work is exhausted. About 13,000 tons of additional stone will be required for completing this work, the estimated cost of which is $25,000.00. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $2,561.55 percentage due on contracts not yet completed).. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount available July 1, 1874... Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix Y 9.) $65,000 00 4,972 36 60,708 49 8,568 53. 25, 000 00 10. Saco River, Maine.-The stone breakwater at the mouth of this river has been completed to the extent at present contemplated, and all the piers in the river have been rebuilt or repaired, where necessary. The channel has also been improved by the removal of several sunken rocks near Little Islands, and some dredging has been done in the harbor of Saco and Biddeford. These are all the improvements that have hitherto been projected for this river. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874.. (See Appendix Y 10.) $5,000 00 896 20 5,896 20 11. Wells Harbor, Maine.-The improvement projected for this har bor consisted in the repairs of an old Government pier at the mouth of Webhannet River. This pier was built from thirty to forty years ago for the purpose of straightening and deepening the channel over the bar at the entrance to this harbor. It was made of crib-work, ballasted with stone, and was about 250 yards in length. By act of June 10, 1872, the sum of $5,000.00 was appropriated for this work. The projected repairs were commenced with hired labor in the latter part of September, 1872, and were completed on the 30th of June, 1873, and in September, 1873, they were entirely finished. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check.. (See Appendix Y 11.) $324 93 324 93 12. Cocheco River, New Hampshire.-This river has a good navigable. channel, with 6 feet of water at mean low-water (or 133 feet at high-water) in its lowest summer stages, from the harbor of Portsmouth up to the lower narrows, distant one and a half miles below the bridge at the head of navigation in Dover. Previous to 1871 its navigation at and above the lower narrows was much obstructed by ledges, bowlders, and shoals, having but 6 inches to 2 feet of water over them at mean low-water, so that freight destined for Dover by water had to be transshipped at Portsmouth and forwarded in scows to Dover. The average rise and fall of the tide at the lower narrows is 6.8 feet. The improvement projected for this river consisted in widening and deepening the channel through the several ledges and shoals, so as to have, in the lowest summer stage, a depth of 4 feet at low water (or 103 feet at high-water) for a width of not less than 40 feet, as far up as the landing, and thence up to the bridge a depth of 2 feet at low water for a width of not less than 30 feet. The progress made in this work up to the 1st of July, 1873, consisted in opening a channel through the ledge at the lower narrows to a width of 75 feet and a depth of 4 feet at mean low-water, and in the removal of all sunken rocks from the channel between the lower and upper narrows. Since the 1st of July, 1873, a channel has been opened for a length of about 300 feet through the ledge at the upper narrows to a depth of 4 feet and a width of 40 feet at mean low-water, leaving about 130 lineal feet more to be done for its completion. Under the appropriation of June 23, 1874, a contract has been made for this work, by which it will be nearly if not quite completed before the close of the present season. To complete all the other improvements projected for this river, the estimates for which are given in the last annual report, will require the additional sum of $65,000. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874.. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. (See Appendix Y 12.) $17,000 00 3,563 82 10,000 00 20,563 10,000 00 65,000 00 13. Merrimac River and Newburyport Harbor, Massachusetts.-All the work projected for the improvement of this river and harbor (including that already done) consists of the following, viz: 1. The removal of North and South Gangeway Rocks in Newburyport Harbor. 2. The removal of the rocks known as The Boilers, near the customhouse wharf, in Newburyport Harbor. 3. The removal of the wreck of the schooner Globe, a coal-vessel, sunk near Newburyport light-house. 4. Work for improving the navigation of the river between Newburyport and Haverhill. 5. Excavating and removing obstructions at Hazeltine Rapids and at the Upper and Lower Falls, above Haverhill, Mass., so as to have a channel 60 feet wide and 4 feet deep in the lowest stages of the river. Up to the 1st of July, 1873, the work done under the appropriations of 1870, 1871, 1872, and 1873 was as follows, viz: 1. The main (south) Gangeway Rock, in Newburyport Harbor, was broken up and removed in 1870 to a depth of 93 feet at mean low-water, and a commencement was made upon North Gangeway Rock. 2. The wreck of the schooner Globe removed in 1870. 3. Four hundred and seventy-five cubic yards of clay, bowlders, &c., excavated and removed in 1870 from the channel of the Lower Falls, above Haverhill, Mass.; 2,100 cubic yards in 1871, and 156 cubic yards in June, 1873, making a total of 2,731 cubic yards, by which the work done in these falls had been about half completed. 4. The following contracts had also been made under the appropriations of June 10, 1872, and March 3, 1873, viz: September 9, 1872, for 4,400 cubic yards of excavation in the Lower Falls and Hazeltine Rapids, and May 30, 1873, for 5,000 cubic yards of excavation in the Upper Falls. In June, 1873, 156 cubic yards were excavated in the Lower Falls, as stated above, under the contract of September 9, 1872; after which work was commenced (July 4) at the Upper Falls, under the contract of May 30, 1873. This work was continued at the Upper Falls until the 21st of October, when, owing to the high stage of the river, it was suspended until the 25th of July, 1874. The dredging up to the 21st of October, 1873, done at the Upper Falls amounted to 3,755 cubic yards, leaving about 2,800 cubic yards yet to be done for its completion. Additional amount required for completing the work projected for the improvement of this river, $41,000. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873 Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $154.62 per centage due on contracts not yet completed).. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874. Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Amount available July 1, 1874 $45,000 00 3,694 47 10,000 00 15, 665 50 39, 471 09 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876. (See Appendix Y 13.) 41, 000 00 14. Gloucester Harbor, Massachusetts.-Under the appropriation of June 10, 1872, the removal of the following sunken rocks has been completed, viz: Clam Rock, Pinnacle Rocks, rocks off J. Friend's wharf, rock off Pew's wharf, and Babson's ledge, to the extent projected. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874 Amount available July 1, 1874 (See Appendix Y 14.) $9,470 64 8,783 80 686 84 15. Salem Harbor, Massachusetts.-The work projected for the improvement of this harbor consists of the excavation of a channel 1,730 feet long and 300 feet wide, to a depth of 8 feet at mean low-water or 173 feet at mean high-water, from deep water to the entrance of South River, and for the construction of a sea-wall and breakwater for the protection and preservation of Long Point, at an estimated cost of $48,000. Under the appropriation of March 3, 1873, 31,496 cubic yards of dredging was done by contract, whereby the channel was opened to the required depth of 8 feet at mean low-water, from deep water to the entrance of South River, for an average width of 160 feet. The appropriation of June 23, 1874, will be applied to the completion of this channel. The additional amount required for the completion of the projected improvements, as estimated by Lieutenant-Colonel Thom since the transmission of the estimates from this office, in August last, is $23,000. Balance in Treasury of United States July 1, 1873.. Amount in hands of officer and subject to his check, (including $15.54 percentage due on contracts not yet completed). Amount expended during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874. Amount appropriated by act approved June 23, 1874. Amount available July 1, 1874 Amount required for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1876 (See Appendix Y 15.) $5,000 00 3,455 51 10,000 00 11, 455 51 10,000 00 23,000 00 16. Boston Harbor, Massachusetts.-The several works projected and in progress for the preservation and improvement of this harbor are as follows, viz: 1. The sea-wall for the protection and preservation of Point Allerton. 2. The sea-wall for the protection and preservation of Great Brewster's Island. 3. The sea-walls for the protection and preservation of Lovell's Island. 4. The sea-wall for the protection and preservation of Gallop's Island. 5. The sea-wall for the protection and preservation of the north head of Long Island. 6. The sea-walls for the protection and preservation of Deer Island. 7. Straightening, widening, and deepening the main ship-channel in the Narrows. (a.) At the west end of Great Brewster Bar; (b.) At the southeast point of Lovell's Island; and (c.) At the southwest point of Lovell's Island. 8. Widening and deepening the channel through the Upper Middle Bar. 9. Removal of Nash's Rock. 10. Completing the removal of Kelly's Rock. 11. Removal of a sunken ledge situated in the Narrows, between George's Island and Great Brewster Spit. 12. Removal of State and Palmyra Rocks on the southern spurs of the Lower Middle. 13. Surveys of sunken rocks. The following is a statement of the progress made upon these several works, and their condition, during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1874, viz : 1. Sea-wall on Point Allerton.-This wall was completed by contract, in May, 1874, the work done since July 1, 1873, being as follows, viz: 132 linear feet of granite wall built, (including facing, concrete foundation, backing, and coping;) 595 cubic yards excavation for the foundation; 3,351 cubic yards of earth back-filling; 1,905 superficial yards of granite paving; whereby the sea-wall was entirely completed to its projected length of 1,202 feet. For the protection of the concrete foundation of this sea-wall from injury by the storms and currents to which it is exposed, 1,005 linear feet of stone apron was laid in front of its faces, and eight stone jetties built at the angles and elsewhere, where most necessary. 2. Sea wall on Great Brewster's Island.-This work was completed in 1870. It is in good condition, and does not require repairs. 3. Sea-walls on Lovell's Island.-There are two sea-walls on this island, one of which was built thirty years ago, for the protection of the north head, and the other in 1867-'68, for the protection of the southeast bluff, for a length of about 800 feet. During the past year all the projected apron-work has been built, and all the necessary repairs made on these walls, (they were completed in August, 1873,) as follows: The stone jetty at the southern end of the north head, taken down and relaid in concrete, and a stone apron built for the protection of the shore south of it, for a length of 620 feet; also a stone apron, 110 feet in length, built for protecting the shore south of the wall, at the southeast bluff. 4. Sea-wall on Gallop's Island.-This wall was completed in September, 1871. The violent storms and currents to which it is exposed, having laid bare its concrete foundation in places, with a probability of still greater injury occurring, it was decided to build for its protection and preservation a rubble-stone apron, with jetties, where necessary. This work was commenced in August, 1873, and completed in April, 1874. The apron extends along the faces of this wall for a length of 1,655 feet, |