A report of the Chief of Engineers of the results of the survey of the entrance to Sabine Pass, Texas. MARCH 29, 1882.-Referred to the Committee on Commerce and ordered to be printed. WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington City, March 28, 1882. The Secretary of War has the honor to transmit to the House of Representatives, for the information of the Committee on Commerce, a communication from the Chief of Engineers of yesterday's date, covering copy of a report from Capt. W. H. Heuer, Corps of Engineers, of the results of a survey of the entrance to Sabine Pass, Texas, made with a view of a reconsideration of the plan of improvement, and also copy of a report of the Board of Engineers for Fortifications, and for River and Harbor Improvements on the subject. The SPEAKER of the House of Representatives. ROBERT T. LINCOLN, OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, UNITED STATES ARMY, Washington, D. C., March 27, 1882. SIR: I have the honor to submit herewith a copy of a report to this office from Capt. W. H. Heuer, Corps of Engineers, of the results of a survey of the entrance to Sabine Pass, Texas, made with the view of a reconsideration of the plan of improvement, together with a copy of a report from the Board of Engineers for Fortifications and for River and Harbor Improvements, to which Captain Heuer's report was referred for examination. For the purpose of securing deeper water over the bar at this place it was determined in 1877 to confine the improvement to dredging a channel of a width only sufficient for the needs of commerce and 12 feet deep. This, however, has proved very expensive, owing to the locality being exposed and distant from supplies, and insufficient because the material forming the bottom of the channel is such as to require constant dredging to prevent filling up and has led to the consideration of measures for the preservation of a channel, among others, by jetties with the view of contracting the width of the entrance so as to induce scour. In the reports herewith submitted the subject is treated so fully that I beg leave to suggest they be transmitted to the House of Representatives for the information of the Committee on Commerce. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, H. G. WRIGHT, Chief of Engineers, Brig. and Bot. Maj. Gen. Hon. ROBERT T. LINCOLN, IMPROVEMENT OF SABINE PASS, TEXAS. OFFICE UNITED STATES ENGINEERS, New Orleans, La., January 28, 1882. GENERAL: I have the honor to forward in a separate package by mail this day a report, project, and estimate on Sabine Pass, Texas. The maps will be forwarded by express on the 30th January, 1882. As the estimated cost of the work exceeds $3,000,000, I have to request that the report be referred to a Board of Engineers for consideration, report, and advice. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, The CHIEF OF ENGINEERS, U. S. A. W. H. HEUER, Captain Engineers. REPORT. UNITED STATES ENGINEER OFFICE, New Orleans, La., January 28, 1882. What is known as Sabine Pass is a body of water a little more than 7 miles in length, varying in width from one-third to 14 miles, and, with the exception of about 900 feet in length in the aggregate, has a channel through it carrying a least depth of 18 feet of water, whose average width is about 500 feet. This channel in places has depths as great as 39 feet. The 900 feet exceptional length above referred to contains depths varying from 12 to 17 feet, lies on a shell reef which can be easily and economically dredged through. The pass forms a portion of the boundary between the States of Louisiana and Texas, and connects the waters of the Gulf of Mexico with those of Sabine Lake, into which the Neches and Sabine rivers, each having numerous small tributaries, flow. As we approach the southern or Gulf end of the pass, we find the banks much further apart than they are higher up, thus forming a funnel or bell shaped mouth, beyond which there is a large soft mud bar having a tolerably uniform depth of a little less than 7 feet of water on its crest, and of which the shortest distance across measured between the 18-foot curves in 18,470 feet, or about 3 miles. The inner slope of |