waterway is 7 feet (2.1 m), and in 1936 this depth controlled to Beaufort, South Carolina, thence the route to Fernandina via Archers Creek 4 feet (1.2 m) and via Port Royal Sound 61⁄2 feet (2.0 m), and thence to the Saint Johns River 7 feet (2.1 m).

St. Johns to Miami. This section of the waterway extends from the St. Johns River by way of the old Florida East Coast Canal through natural and connecting waterways to Miami on Biscayne Bay. A project depth of 8 feet (2.4 m) at mean low water is being maintained, although the controlling depth in November 1936 was reduced to 7.3 feet (2.2 m).

Miami to Key West.-Hawk Channel-The route north of the Florida Keys and thence via Hawk Channel had a controlling depth of 5 feet (1.5 m) in September 1936. Anchorages, sheltered from all ordinary weather, may be found anywhere along the passages in the lee of reefs and keys.

Key West to Apalachicola. From Key West to San Carlos Bay the most protected route is via Hawk Channel, Florida Bay and then along the west coast (Florida). The limiting depth is about 6 feet (1.8 m). Shelter from weather is afforded in Shark River, among Ten Thousand Islands, and in the passes back of Cape Romano.

From San Carlos Bay there is an inland channel with a controlling depth of about 6 feet (1.8 m) through Pine Island Sound to Charlotte Harbor.

Outside passage is necessary from Charlotte Harbor to Venice Inlet.

An inland channel through shoal areas is available from Venice Inlet by way of Tampa Bay to Clearwater Harbor with controlling depths of 3 feet (0.9 m) from Venice to Sarasota, 7 feet (2.1 m) from Sarasota to Tampa, and about 32 feet (1.1 m) from Tampa Bay to Clearwater Harbor and Saint Joseph Sound.

Outside passage is necessary from St. Joseph Sound to St. George Sound, the eastern approach to Apalachicola. The controlling depth is about 7 feet (2.1 m) from St. George Sound to Apalachicola River. Apalachicola to Pensacola.-The channel from Apalachicola River to St. Andrews Bay provides a protected route with a controlling depth of 5 feet (1.5 m). Dredging is in progress to deepen the channel to 9 feet (2.7 m); this depth was made available in February 1937.

Outside passage is necessary between St. Andrews Bay and Choctawhatchee Bay, but an inside passage 9 feet (2.7 m) deep is being dredged and the route is to be opened for traffic in 1938.

An inland waterway by way of the Narrows and Santa Rosa Sound affords a passage with a controlling depth of 9 feet (2.7 m) between Choctawhatchee Bay and Pensacola Bay.

Pensacola Bay to New Orleans.-The controlling depth in the waterway between Pensacola Bay and Mobile Bay is 8 feet (2.4 m).

The major portion of the waterway between Mobile and New Orleans is subject to rough weather as it follows the open waters of Mississippi Sound and Lake Pontchartrain. The controlling depth is 9 feet (2.7 m).

New Orleans to Galveston.-The controlling depths in this section (1936) are 9 feet (2.7 m) to Port Arthur and thence 8 feet (2.4 m) to Galveston.

Galveston to Corpus Christi.-The construction of a new inside route westward of Galveston is under way. The old waterway is no longer

maintained and it has shoaled to such an extent that it is no longer navigable throughout.

Corpus Christi to the Rio Grande.-There is no inland route between these places.

Charts covering the routes along the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf of Mexico are published by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey.

The inland waters are covered in the following publications of the Coast and Geodetic Survey:

United States Coast Pilot, Section B, covering the coast and inland waters from Race Point, Cape Cod, to Sandy Hook, including Long Island Sound, New York Harbor, and tributaries.

United States Coast Pilot, Section C (this volume) covering the coast and inland waters from Sandy Hook to Cape Henry, including Delaware and Chesapeake Bays, and the inside route from New York to Norfolk.

United States Coast Pilot, Section D, covering the coast from Cape Henry to Key West.

Inside Route. Pilot, New York to Key West.

United States Coast Pilot, Gulf Coast, covering the coast and inland waters of the Gulf of Mexico.

Additional information concerning the latest controlling depths in the Intracoastal Waterway can be secured at the various United States Engineer offices along the route.

ROUTE ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA

The passage across Florida from the Intracoastal Waterway on the East Coast to San Carlos Bay on the Gulf of Mexico is by way of the St. Lucie River, St. Lucie Canal, Lake Okeechobee, and the Caloosahatchee River. When the improvement of this waterway is completed early in 1937, it will have a controlling depth of 6 feet (1.8 m).

Latest information concerning this route can be secured at the United States Engineer District Office at Jacksonville, Fla., or at the office of the United States Engineers at Clewiston, Fla.

OTHER MOTORBOAT ROUTES IN FLORIDA

Much information on the waterways of Florida can be found in Senate Document No. 14, Seventy-first Congress, First Session, entitled "Inland and Coastal Waterways of Florida." Copies of this document can be secured from the Superintendent of Documents, Washington, D. C.

NEW YORK STATE CANAL SYSTEM

The New York State Barge Canal, known as the Erie Canal, affords an all-water route from the Hudson River on the east to Lake Erie. The canal is free for the use of both commercial and pleasure vessels. The canal was constructed for a depth of 12 feet throughout. Barges loaded to about 11 feet (3.4 m) use the canal with safety.

There are 35 locks, the usable dimensions being 300 feet in length, 442 feet in width, and 12 feet (3.6 m) over the sills. The controlling clearance under fixed bridges is about 141/2 feet (4.7 m).

If bound to Lake Ontario, the Erie Canal is followed to Three Rivers Point where the canalized Oswego River is entered and followed to Oswego on Lake Ontario. There are seven locks in the Oswego Canal,

which is 24 miles in length. The locks are the same dimensions as those in the Erie Canal.

Troy to St. Lawrence River.-The Champlain Canal, Lake Champlain, and the Richelieu River afford an all-water route from Troy to the St. Lawrence River. The size of vessels using this route is limited by the locks in the Chambly Canal (Canadian), which have usable dimensions of 118 feet in length, 22 feet in width, and 612 feet (2.0 m) of water over the sills. The locks of the Champlain Canal are the same design as those in the Erie Canal. The distance from Albany to Montreal via this route is 309 statute miles. The Canadian Government requires permits or let-passes from pleasure boats entering Canadian waterways, which may be obtained at their canal statistical offices at St. Johns and Prescot. American vessels when leaving Canada should report at the customs office.

Charts of the Erie Canal, Champlain Canal, Lake Champlain, and Great Lakes are published by the United States Lake Survey Office, Detroit, Mich., and sections of the New York State canals by the Superintendent of Public Works, Albany, N. Y.

Ice.-Navigation in the upper Hudson River and the New York State Canal System is usually obstructed by ice from the middle of December to the latter part of March.

LAKES TO GULF WATERWAY

The Lakes to Gulf Waterway by way of the Illinois Waterway System and the Mississippi River affords passage for vessels from Chicago on Lake Michigan to the Gulf of Mexico, a distance of 1,630 statute miles.

The Illinois Waterway System permits a draft of 9 feet (2.7 m) to be taken from Chicago to the Mississippi River. The limiting clearance under fixed bridges between Chicago and Grafton, Ill., is 131⁄2 feet (4.1 m) at high water.

Charts of the Illinois Waterway System may be obtained from the District Engineer, First District, United States Engineer office, 333 North Michigan Avenue, room 1325, Chicago, Ill.

The Mississippi River. This section of the waterway follows the natural and improved channels of the Mississippi River.

Grafton to Cairo.-The project depth is 9 feet (2.7 m) throughout, but this has not been attained between Grafton and St. Louis during very low waters. Between Grafton and the mouth of the Missouri River a channel depth of at least 6 feet can usually be depended upon, though during periods of very low water the controlling depths may be as little as 5 feet (1.5 m). Except for some delays during periods of very low water, navigation is relatively easy. The least vertical clearance of 44.6 feet (13.6 m), extreme high water, is at Merchants Bridge, St. Louis, Mo.

Cairo to Baton Rouge. The project depth of the channel is 9 feet (2.7 m). This dimension is greatly exceeded during medium and high stages, and at low stages except across under-water sand bars where channel dredging is necessary. Year-round navigation is easy except during periods of exceptionally low water, when some difficulty is experienced with large tows. The controlling vertical clearance is 56 feet (17 m) above the highest water on record at the fixed bridge at Vicksburg, Miss.

Baton Rouge to the Gulf of Mexico.-This section of the waterway is a ship channel navigated by large ocean-going vessels. Navigation is safe and easy at all seasons. The river current is sluggish for low water flows but during times of high water reaches 6 miles per hour. The effect of tide is felt as far north as Baton Rouge. On the completion of the bridge now being constructed 2 miles above New Orleans the controlling vertical clearance will be 135 feet (41.1 m) above ordinary high water.

Charts of the Mississippi River may be obtained from the office of the Mississippi River Commission, Box 665, Vicksburg, Miss.

Ice.-Navigation of the Illinois Waterway System is stopped by ice from about December 1 to March 1, and in the section of the Mississippi River between Grafton and Cairo usually between December 15 and February 15.

OTHER RIVER CHANNELS TRIBUTARY TO THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER

Upper Mississippi River. A 9-foot (2.7 m) project depth has been adopted for the channel improvement of the Upper Mississippi from Grafton to St. Paul and Minneapolis. At present a channel with a controlling depth of 6 feet (1.8 m) is available to Minneapolis.

Information relative to improvements and navigation may be obtained either from the District Engineer, U. S. Engineer Office at Rock Island, Ill., or at St. Paul, Minn.

Missouri River.-A 6-foot (1.8 m) project has been adopted for the Missouri River from its outlet into the Mississippi River 15 miles above St. Louis, to Sioux City. The section between the mouth and Kansas City is now open to navigation.

Charts and information relative to improvements and navigation may be obtained from the United States Engineer Offices, 232 Manufacturers Exchange Building, Kansas City, Mo., and City National Bank Building, Omaha, Neb.

Ohio River. A 9-foot (2.7 m) project on the Ohio River has been completed and an excellent channel to Pittsburgh, and beyond, is available.

Charts and information relative to improvements and navigation may be obtained from the United States Engineer office, Custom House, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Red, Arkansas, and Ouachita Rivers.-These rivers flow into the Mississippi River between New Orleans and Cairo. The Red and Arkansas Rivers have not been improved to any great extent, but will accommodate light-draft river boats. The Ouachita River has been canalized to Camden, Ark., and provides a depth of 61⁄2 feet (2.0 m).

Charts and information relative to improvements and navigation may be obtained from the United States Engineer Offices, P. O. Drawer 667, Vicksburg, Miss., and P. O. Box 97, Memphis, Tenn. Intracoastal Waterway.-Connection with the Intercoastal Waterway is made at New Orleans, La.

Ice.-Navigation in the upper reaches of the Mississippi River, and in the Missouri and Ohio Rivers is obstructed by ice in the winter months.

MISCELLANEOUS

Bridge Regulations.-Regulations for the lighting of bridges over navigable waters, also for lights on sheer booms, piers, dams, and similar obstructions to navigation are prescribed by the Department of Commerce. (See list of Publications, p. 319.)

The following regulations have been prescribed by the War Department (see list of Publications, p. 319) to govern the operation of drawbridges which are now or may hereafter be constructed across all navigable waterways of the United States discharging their waters into the Atlantic Ocean south of and including Chesapeake Bay and all navigable waters emptying into Chesapeake Bay, and the Gulf of Mexico, excepting the Mississippi River and its tributaries:

1. The corporations or persons owning or controlling a drawbridge shall provide the same with the necessary tenders and the proper mechanical appliances for the safe, prompt, and efficient opening of the draw for the passage of ressels.

2. If the weather conditions are good and sound signals can be heard when a vessel approaches a drawbridge and desires to pass through the draw, three distinct blasts of a whistle, horn, or megaphone shall be sounded from the vessels when within reasonable hearing distance of the bridge.

When the draw of the bridge can be opened immediately, the draw tender shall reply by three distinct blasts of a whistle, horn, or megaphone or by three loud and distinct strokes of a bell.

When the draw of the bridge cannot be opened immediately or when the bridge is open and is to be closed immediately, the draw tender shall reply by two long distinct blasts of a whistle, horn, or megaphone or by two loud and distinct strokes of a bell.

3. When weather conditions prevent hearing the sound signals when a vessel approaches a drawbridge and desires to pass through the draw, signals shall be made from the vessel by swinging in circles at arm's length a lighted lantern at night and a flag by day.

When the draw of the bridge can be opened immediately, the draw tender shall reply by raising and lowering in vertical plane a number of times a lighted lantern at night and a flag by day.

When the draw of the bridge cannot be opened immediately or when the bridge is open and is to be closed immediately, the draw tender shall reply by swinging to and fro horizontally a number of times a lighted lantern at night and a flag by day.

4. When a vessel wishes to pass two or more bridges close together or, crossing a section of the waterway less than 500 feet in length, signals as prescribed above shall be given from the vessel for opening the first bridge, followed at an interval of about 5 seconds by the same signals for the second bridge, and so on, thus giving at intervals of about 5 seconds, separate signals for each bridge the vessel desires to pass.

5. When two or more vessels are approaching a bridge at nearly the same time from the same or opposite directions with the draw opened or closed, each of these vessels shall signal independently for the opening of the draw, and the draw tender shall reply as prescribed and in turn to the signal of each vessel.

6. Where bridges are less than 500 feet apart, the signals to govern the movements of the approaching vessel shall be given from the bridge nearest the vessel. If that bridge can be opened immediately, the bridge tender shall await the reply signals from the other bridges and then give the signal circumstances require. If the nearest bridge cannot be opened immediately, the prescribed signal shall be given the approaching vessel at once, to be followed as soon as possible by the signal from that bridge that the draws are about to open.

7. The draw shall be opened with the least possible delay, upon receiving the prescribed signal: Provided, That the draw span shall not be opened when a train is approaching so closely that it cannot safely be stopped before