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Show CalllorulH River and Harbor Appropriation. Washington, 18. The reports of the army engineers in charge of the California river and harbor improvements improve-ments make the following recommendations recom-mendations for the next fiscal year: Major Mendel recommends an appropriation appro-priation of $200,000 for continuing the improvements on the Oakland harbor. He says io will be necessary, in order to give the requisite declining declin-ing power to the tidal flow, to raise the height of the jetties which, by tbe settlement of the rock and the action of the waves, have been lowered several sev-eral feet below high water. Ho reports re-ports that the results thus far obtained have justified expectations and proved the correctness of the plan of improvement im-provement adopted, and mentions, aa tbe principal arguments in favor of the construction of artificial arti-ficial harbors, the following, namely, tbe inconvenience of transferring trans-ferring passengers and freight in the middle of a bay, the insecurity of a wooden pier, exposed to the hidden attacks of marine insects, and tho possibili:y of accidents involving a fngctful loss of life. The total ap-propriati ap-propriati ins thus far bave been $355,000, aud about $1,000,000 will be required for the completion of ihe project. Major Mendel recummends the appropriation of $20,000 for the improvement of the navigation ot Sacramento and Feather rivers, by removing snags and for a thorough survey of that portion of the Sacramento Sacra-mento river which is affected by mining debris, the latter work to he undertaken in conjunction with the investigation ordered by the state legislature, and to serve as a basis for permanent improvements. He also urges that the appropriations should be made promptly, in order to prepare the river for navigation before tbe wheat transportation gannon begins, He estimates that 167,000 tons of wheat were moved by the river in 1S76. Col. Stewart reports that a small balance of the last appropriation appropria-tion is available to make a survey of tbe worst portions of the San Joaquin river, and makea no recommendation for further appropriation this year. He estimates that $80,000 will be re quired to complete a permanent improvement im-provement of the "Wilmington harbor, har-bor, aud u commends that $40,000 be appropriated this year, mainly for the protection of the timber line from the attacks of boredo by tbe use of stone, and for raising the jetties jet-ties three feel higher. He reports that the depth of the water has in creased from two feet originally to Dine feet at present, and that this depth will undoubtedly be increased by the action of the tidal current passing pas-sing through the jetties about one foot each year until it equals the depth which has been established by dredging in the reef at the entrance, namely, twelve feet. He adds, however, how-ever, lhat the enjoyment of a lull measure of the full benefit of tbis improvement U temporarily prevented pre-vented by the convicting inter est of the Southern Pacifie railway corporation, which, by controlling trie lighterage system, etc., forces ireublB to pass over its lines instead ot allowing them to seek the natural and chi apest channel. Tue to:al cot of this improvement, up to the present pres-ent fiical year, has been $55,000. |