The above statistics were furnished by Mr. D. S. Brockway, of Greensboro, Md., and the Maryland Steamboat Company of Baltimore.

H 14.

IMPROVEMENT OF HARBOR AT CAMBRIDGE, MARYLAND.

Nothing was done during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892. The appropriation of $5,000 made September 19, 1890, is still unexpended, pending the construction of a new draw in the bridge across the harbor. The present draw being deemed too small for the passage of large vessels, an increase in width to 60 feet had been proposed, to which the commissioners of the county in charge of the bridge at the time agreed, without, however, taking any active steps towards making the proposed change. An application recently made by them for a reduction in the proposed width of the draw from 60 to 40 feet was submitted to the Department on June 15, 1892. The existing draw is 29 feet wide

The approved project is based upon a survey made in 1887. It provides for a channel 150 feet wide and 12 feet deep at mean low water from that depth in the Choptank River to the railroad wharf; for dredg ing a certain irregular area in the harbor to a depth of 10 feet below mean low water, and for a channel 150 feet wide and 8 feet deep at the same stage of the tide, from the drawbridge to the upper end of the harbor.

The harbor has been under improvement by the General Government since 1871. Previous to that year the citizens of Cambridge had expended $7,500 in its improvement. A project was submitted in 1871 by Col. William P. Craighill, Corps of Engineers, which was approved, providing for a channel 150 feet wide across the bar at the entrance and

for dredging the same, together with the interior harbor to a depth of 8 feet at mean low tide. This project was completed in 1879. As the channel at the entrance needed enlargement soon thereafter, an appropriation of $2,500 made the same year was expended in 1884 in increasing the width as far as the funds would permit. The amount expended under the first project was $32,500; up to the close of the fiscal year ending June 30, 1891, the sum of $4,918.72 had been expended under the existing project, making a total of $37,418.72.

The general result of the improvements is such that the larger class of schooners engaged in carrying ice and ship timber, which heretofore were compelled to anchor outside the harbor in the Choptank River and to discharge and receive their cargoes by means of lighters, can now sail into the harbor as far as the railroad wharf. The freight on these staple articles has been reduced, and the demand for a larger class of vessels is on the increase. It is proposed to expend the amount asked for in completing the approved project.

Cambridge Harbor is in the collection district of Baltimore, which is the nearest port of entry. The amount of revenue collected there during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, is $3,178,558.44.

The harbor is constantly full of large schooners. The above statistics were furnished by the Maryland and the Choptank River Steamboat Companies of Baltimore.

H 15.

IMPROVEMENT OF WICOMICO RIVER, MARYLAND.

At the beginning of the past fiscal year a contract had been made for the expenditure in dredging of the appropriation of $10,000 made by the river and harbor act of September 19, 1890. Operations were begun on September 26, 1891, and on January 14, 1892, were completed, 65,918 cubic yards of material, principally sand and gravel having been removed under the contract. A channel was dredged to 9 feet below mean low water of a general width of 30 feet, which extended from a point about 100 feet above Goose Island Wharf to the iron county bridge at Salisbury, Md., a distance of 9,250 feet. The material was carried away in scows and deposited in deep holes 7 and 9 miles below Salisbury, respectively.

The adopted project for improvement is based upon a survey made in 1889, and is for a 9-foot channel from the natural 9-foot depth in the river below to the drawbridge at Salisbury, the width of the channel to be 100 feet. The estimated cost of the improvement is $23,200. The work done during the past fiscal year was the first under this project. It is proposed to expend the amount asked for in completing the project as approved.

Wicomico River is in the collection district of the eastern district of Maryland. Crisfield is the nearest port of entry, and the amount of revenue collected there during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, is

Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1893................

(Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30,1894 Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

$10, 914.63 10, 145. 67

768.96 6,500.00

7,268.96

6, 700.00 6,700.00

A large three-masted schooner is now running regularly with lumber from Suffolk, Va.; also a large number of smaller craft is engaged in a general carrying trade to and from Salisbury.

The above statistics were furnished by the Hon. E. Stanley Toadvin, of Salisbury, Md., and the Maryland Steamboat Company, of Baltimore.

Н 16.

IMPROVEMENT OF MANOKIN RIVER, MARYLAND.

There were no operations during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892. The appropriation made by the act approved September 19, 1890, was expended during the year ending June 30, 1891, in dredging a channel 30 feet wide and 5 feet deep across the "Mud Flats," between Locust Point and Sharp Point, for a total length of 13,515 feet.

The project for improvement adopted in 1890 is for a 6-foot lowwater channel 100 feet wide between Locust Point and Sharp Point, embracing the section called the "Mud Flats." The estimated cost is $30,000.

It is proposed to expend the amount asked for in widening the channel already commenced in accordance with the project.

Manokin River is in the collection district of the eastern shore of Maryland. Crisfield is the nearest port of entry, and the amount of revenue collected there during the fiscal year ending June 30, 1892, is $—

AMOUNT APPROPRIATED.

By act approved September 19, 1890..

$7,500

Money statement.

July 1, 1891, balance unexpended

June 30, 1892, amount expended during fiscal year

July 1, 1892, balance unexpended

Amount appropriated by act approved July 13, 1892

Amount available for fiscal year ending June 30, 1893..

$139.88

10.80

129.08

7,500.00

7,629.08

Amount (estimated) required for completion of existing project
Amount that can be profitably expended in fiscal year ending June 30, 1894
Submitted in compliance with requirements of sections 2 of river and
harbor acts of 1866 and 1867.

15,000.00 10,000.00

Besides one steamer of 4 feet draft making daily trips, there are about 300 schooners, sloops, pungies, etc., engaged in the coast wise trade sailing from the river. The above statistics were furnished by Mr. H. P. Dashiell, general manager of the Manokin River Steamboat Company.

H 17.

IMPROVEMENT OF ONANCOCK HARBOR, VIRGINIA.

At the beginning of the past fiscal year a contract had been made for the expenditure, in dredging, of the appropriation of $6,000 made by the river and harbor act of September 19, 1890. Operations were begun on July 23, 1891, and were completed September 19 following, the total amount of material removed under the contract being 26,778 cubic yards, which was all fine, white, compact sand. The dredged material was carried away in scows and deposited in deep water in Chesapeake Bay, about 14 miles from the work. At the close of operations an examination was made which showed that a channel had been dredged 150 feet wide at the outer bar and another 100 feet wide at the inner bar or Middle Ground, the former about 1,100 feet and the latter about 500 feet in length. The depth made in both channels was 8 feet at low water. It is reported that the offshore end of the channel at the bar has slightly narrowed, from sand moving northward along the shore.