the cutoff and high level fixed highway bridges at Reedy Point and Summit, and dredging an anchorage in Elk River 35 feet deep and 1,200 feet wide. The total length of the section included in the foregoing project is about 46 miles.

The dredging and widening of the channel for the transiting of large oceangoing vessels between Baltimore and Delaware River ports and New York, New England and European ports cannot be accomplished until the inadequate and hazardous bridge clearances over the channel are eliminated. Collapse of the bridges would halt traffic in both directions. Accordingly, first consideration was given to the work of removing the old Summit Bridge with its high masonry piers within the channel and replacement of this bridge with a high level highway bridge having adequate clearances which was completed with fiscal year 1960 appropriations. High level highway bridges authorized under the existing project have already replaced old bridges which constituted obstructions to navigation at St. Georges and Chesapeake City. Following elimination of the bridge obstruction and construction of high level bridges, work on the deepening and widening of the channel from Delaware River to Chesapeake Bay should be started. In order that the latter work may be commenced as promptly as praeticable, the institute strongly recommends that the Congress appropriate $1.200000 to complete construction planning for the Pennsylvania Railroad bridge and to start the dry excavation for the channel widening.

8. Baltimore Harbor and channels, Md.

The existing project for Baltimore Harbor provides for a 42-foot channel over the existing 39-foot waterway with a realinement at Rappahannock Shoal and increases in width from 600 to 800 feet in those sections applicable; increased depth in the connecting channel to the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal to 5 feet and width of 600 feet; and increased depth in certain branch channels to 42 feet.

The present channels serving Baltimore are inadequate both in depth and width for safe and efficient operation of fully loaded supercarriers and supertankers in import of ores and petroleum products. Commerce at this port is increasing very rapidly and it is important from a national defense standpoint. This project is needed to accommodate larger vessels and to provide expansion of port facilities. Savings of over $5 million would accrue annually on the cost of transportation of iron ore, petroleum and a short route to the C. & D. Canal.

Port-dependent industries in 1951 included 956 establishments with about 140.000 employees and an annual payroll of about $535 million, while port-serviced industries included 1,000 establishments employing about 50,000 workers with an annual payroll of about $150 million. Because of favorable rail transportation rates and excellent railroad facilities, the areas that can be considered tributary to Baltimore and would share in the benefits from the improvement of the channels includes the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan along with portions of New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, and Missouri which have a population of about 30 percent of the total population of the United States.

Two factors are of prime consideration in navigating Baltimore Harbor and channels: the tidal range and salinity of water. The mean range of tide at Baltimore is only 1.1 feet. While there are advantages to this limited range, there is little to be gained in available depths by navigating at high tide. The water in upper Chesapeake Bay is almost fresh, affording far less buoyancy than sea water. Large deep draft vessels raw about 1 foot more at Baltimore than they do at sea.

The American Merchant Marine Institute, Inc., therefore, urges an initial appropriation of $5 million which would enable the provision of partial width and full depth in the Curtis Bay and Ferry Bar Channels and initiate dredging in the Craighill and Brewerton sections and in lower bay.

9. Morehead City Harbor, N.C.

The existing project would provide for a bar channel 35 feet deep and 400 feet wide, increased to 600 feet at the bend; thence an inner channel 35 feet deep and 300 feet wide to the terminals at Morehead City and an enlarged turning basin deepened to 35 feet.

The controlling depth of 30 feet in the channel and basin are inadequate for the efficient operation of petroleum tankers which handle most of the commerce of the harbor. The benefits that would result from the elimination of delivering petroleum products to Morehead City in partly loaded tankers and benefits from

he decrease or elimination of delays awaiting favorable tides have been evaluted by the Board of Engineers of Rivers and Harbors to be about $100,000 nnually for a benefit-cost ratio of about 1.8 to 1.

The institute, therefore, recommends appropriation of $942,000 requested by he President to complete the project during fiscal year 1961.

0. Port Everglades Harbor, Fla.

The authorized project provides for a 40-foot entrance channel of varying vidths, thence a channel, 37 feet deep, to a turning basin.

The $750,000 requested by the institute could be utilized to permit initiation f construction in the north turning basin and seaward entrance channel. This mproved channel in a growing port would accommodate the four supertankers which could now be operated into Port Everglades, and the six additional which re scheduled for delivery the early part of this year. The benefit-cost ratio valuated by the Corps of Engineers is 2.2 to 1 in favor of the improvement. 1. Tampa Harbor, Fla.

The existing project for Tampa Harbor provides for channels from the Gulf f Mexico through Tampa and Hillsboro Pass and upper Tampa Harbor to the ity of Tampa and through Tampa Bay to Port Tampa, 36 feet deep and 600 feet vide in Egmont Channel, thence 34 feet deep with widths of 500 feet in Mullet Key cut, 400 feet in Tampa Bay, Hillsboro Bay, Port Tampa, and Sparkman Channels, and 30 feet deep with widths of 500 feet in Ybor Channel and 300 feet n Seddon and Garrison Channels; and turning basis 30 feet deep at the mouth of Hillsboro River, 34 feet deep at the entrance of Ybor Channel, 34 feet deep, ,000 feet long and 750 feet wide at the entrance of Port Tampa terminals, and ther improvements of lesser importance. The project was about 99 percent omplete at the end of the last fiscal year.

There is a single high tide in Tampa Harbor on most days and delays awaiting uitable tides are as long as 10 hours. On the basis of present receipt of etroleum products, these delays result in losses estimated at over $150,000 ach year. In addition, the loading of vessels destined for this port must be imited to drafts of 28 feet 6 inches instead of 30 feet 2 inches, which is the Iraft of a fuly loaded T-2 tanker. This reduced draft results in a loss of about 1,200 tons for a tanker of the T-2 type. The loss would be greater for he larger types of tankers. The restriction on the loading of the T-2 tanker esults in an additional annual loss of more than $200,000. The funds recomhended by the President in the amount of $117,000 will permit completion of he project during the early part of 1961.

2. San Juan Harbor, P.R.

The existing project for San Juan Harbor provides for an entrance channel 5 feet deep and 500 to 1,200 feet wide in the bar section; thence 36 to 42 feet eep and 880 to 1,200 feet to Army terminal channel, an approach channel 35 eet deep and 600 feet wide to San Antonio Channel and deepening to 35 feet in area 300 to 1,100 feet wide and 2,800 feet long in San Antonio Channel, leepening Army terminal channel and basin to 36 feet and enlarging the basin to a width of 2,000 feet and a length of 2,100 feet; a new anchorage basin 36 eet deep, 1,550 feet wide, and 3,200 feet long; and a new channel (Puerto Nuevo Channel) 32 feet deep and 300 feet wide.

The limitations of San Juan Harbor under present conditions results in a se of outmoded and inefficient vessels or the uneconomical method of using he T-2 with a partial load. Further, it is totally impracticable to operate upertankers, even under partial loadings, in San Juan Harbor under present hannel depth limitations.

The institute therefore urges an appropriation of $70,000 which would comlete all engineering required to initiate construction and provide an up-to-date stimate of cost.

3. Mississippi River, Baton Rouge to Gulf of Mexico

This project was about 77 percent complete at the end of the last fiscal year. The completed portion now consists of a channel 35 feet deep and 500 feet wide rom Baton Rouge to the upper port limits of New Orleans, a distance of 128.6 miles, 35 feet deep and 1,500 feet wide within the limits of the port of New Orleans, a distance of 17.2 miles; thence 40 feet deep and 1,000 feet wide to he head of the passes, a distance of 86.7 miles.

The work remaining to be done is the deepening of Southwest Pass from 35 to 40 feet by 800 feet wide to the outer entrance of the jetties, a distance of 20 miles, and 40 feet deep by 600 feet wide through the Southwest Pass bar channel. This will provide a 40-foot channel through Southwest Pass up to the lower port limits of New Orleans. Thereafter, in accordance with the existing authorized project, the depth of the channel is 35 feet to Baton Rouge. South Pass is, for the most part, now at its project depth of 30 feet.

It is most important that this navigation improvement be completed as soon as practicable in order that work may be authorized and commenced on the 40-foot channel from New Orleans to Baton Rouge. At present, T-2 type tankers now transport the major portion of petroleum products on the Mississippi River through Southwest Pass at the fully loaded draft of 30 feet 2 inches However, these tankers soon are being replaced by larger vessels of greater drafts, which makes it impossible for them to operate fully loaded on the $ foot channel to terminals on the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The dimensions and drafts of these larger vessels which are operating on the Mississippi River and Southwest Pass are as follows: 37,80 deadweight tons to 47,000 deadweight tons, having overall lengths from 715 to 740 feet, beams from 93 feet to 102 feet, and drafts of 36 feet 9 inches (37 feet 6 inches fresh water) to 37 feet 10 inches (38 feet 9 inches fresh water). Be cause of the present 35-foot depth in Southwest Pass and in the Mississippi River above New Orleans, a maximum fresh-water draft limitation of 35 feet is imposed on these large vessels. One company has stated that if the depth of these char nels is not increased to 40 feet, its 37,800 deadweight tons and 47,000 deadweig tons tankers will be forced to operate with a total of about 560,448 tous d dead freight per year. If the depth of the channels is increased to 40 feet. then the 37,800 deadweight tons tankers will be able to operate at their ful loaded fresh-water draft without incurring dead freight. On the other hand this company reports that its 47,000 deadweight tons vessels would still have to operate about 15 inches light at that draft and the amount of dead freight incurred would be about 108,859 tons per year.

The institute strongly recommends that $2,500,000 be appropriated for the work of dredging Southwest Pass to the authorized project depth of 40 feet at the widths indicated above.

14. Mississippi River-Gulf outlet channel, Louisiana.

The following plan of improvement was authorized by Congress in 1966: construction of a seaway canal 36 feet deep and 500 feet wide, extending miles in a southeasterly direction from New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico, provision for a turning basin at the landward end of the canal 36 feet deep and 1,000 feet by 2,000 feet and a connecting channel 36 feet deep and 500 feet wide extending westerly along the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway from the turning basin to the industrial canal. The plan also provides for construction at some future time of a connecting channel between the Tidewater Harbor at Ne Orleans and the Mississippi River.

The distance from New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico via South Pass is 113 miles and via Southwest Pass 120.2 miles. The construction of the seaway canal will reduce the distance from New Orleans to the gulf by about 40 miles. The benefit-cost ratio, as computed by the U.S. Army Engineers, is 1.54 to 1.

The proposed outlet canal and tidewater harbor will permit expansion and improvement of port facilities to serve all waterborne commerce that may be attracted to the port of New Orleans, as the gateway to the Mississippi Valley with resulting benefits to present and prospective seagoing navigation, and wil greatly enhance the capacity of the port for service in time of emergency. The installation and operation of improved terminals on a tidewater harbor would effect a saving of 14 days per vessel trip, with resulting economies in port charges and in construction and operation costs of terminal wharves.

The institute recommends appropriation of the $8,750,000 requested by the President to continue the dredging in this waterway.

15. Sabine-Neches Waterway, Tex.

The existing project for the Sabine-Neches Waterway will be about 34.5 per cent complete at the end of fiscal year 1960. The work remaining to be done which was authorized by the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1954, is as follows. (1) Rectification of certain reaches of the Sabine Pass Channel, Sabine-Neches Canal, and Neches River and Sabine River Channels, including completion of the

nstruction of a cutoff channel in the Sabine Neches Canal to eliminate the arp turn at the intersection with Neches River; (2) widening to 350 feet the trance channel to the Port Arthur turning basins; (3) widening curve at action of Port Arthur and Sabine-Neches Canals; relocation and enlargement Sabine Pass anchorage area to a depth of 34 feet, width of 1,500 feet and gth of 3,000 feet; (4) widening to 200 feet the Sabine-Neches Canal from the uth of the Neches River to the mouth of the Sabine River and the Sabine ver Channel to Orange, except for the channel around Harbor Island at ange; (5) deepening to 30 feet the Sabine River Channel from the cutoff ar the Orange Municipal Slip to the upper end of the project, except around rbor Island; and (6) enlarging the area at the entrance to the Orange MuniciSlip for maneuvering purposes.

The Sabine-Neches Canal affords deep-water navigation for oceangoing vessels, marily tankers, from the Gulf of Mexico to the cities of Port Arthur, Beau›nt, and Orange. About two-thirds of the cargo transported on this vital terway is made up of petroleum and its products.

The navigation of large tankers to oil terminals on the Sabine-Neches Watery is a very difficult operation because of the narrowness of the channels d several sharp turns. In accordance with the terms of a congressional comttee resolution adopted last year, the district engineer, Galveston District, Il soon conduct a survey and study, commencing probably within a few months, determine further improvements that should be made in the Sabine-Neches aterway in order to more adequately accommodate and facilitate the navigan of increasing number of large deep-draft tankers that are now and will in e future be operating to terminals in the waterway. It is certain that a subintial increase in the presently authorized project depth of 36 feet will be commended for the foregoing purpose.

Accordingly, since the presently authorized project is hardly adequate for e operation of large tankers navigating the Sabine-Neches Waterway, it is perative that the existing project be completed within the next 2 years so that ork may not be held up on the further improvements in this waterway that 11, no doubt, be recommended by the district engineer as the result of his rvey and study.

The institute, therefore, strongly urges that an amount of $3,800,000 be approiated in order to expedite the work on the existing authorized project. . Brazos Island Harbor, Tex.

The authorized improvement project provides for depths of 38 feet and widths 300 feet in the channel from the Gulf of Mexico through Brazos Santiago Pass d 36 feet in all other channels and turning basins; 200 feet wide in the channel ross Laguna Madre, 200 feet wide in the Port Isabel Channel, including the junction with the Brownville Channel, 200 feet wide in the Brownville Chan1 for a distance of 12.6 miles and 300 feet wide for a distance of about 1.4 des; from 550 feet to 1,000 feet in the Brownville turning basin from this point r a distance of 2,640 feet over a bottom width varying from 550 feet to 1,000 et and for 36 feet in the Port Isabel turning basin for a distance of 2,900 feet er a bottom width varying from 200 feet at its entrance to 1,000 feet, connectg with the existing turning basin.

The institute urges an appropriation of $100,000 as requested by the President complete the widening and deepening of the Brownsville Channel, which will mplete the 36-foot modification.

. Freeport Harbor, Tex.

The authorized project provides for relocation of the outer bar channel on straight alinement with the jetty channel in lieu of the presently authorized annel, the realined channel to be 38 feet deep and 300 feet wide; and for aintenance of the Brazos Harbor Channel and turning basin, as constructed · local interests, consisting of a channel 30 feet deep, 200 feet wide, and 2,790 et long, flared at both ends, and extending from the existing Federal channel ear the upper turning basin to a basin 30 feet deep, 550 feet wide, and 600 feet ng.

The institute recommends that the amount of $899,000, as requested by the resident, be appropriated to initiate and complete the 38-foot realined entrance

channel, the 36-foot jetty channel, and the 36-foot inside channel. This will complete the authorized project.

18. Port Aransas-Corpus Christi Waterway, Tex.

The plan of improvement for this waterway was authorized by the Rivers and Harbors Act of 1954. It provides for dimensions as follows: Aransas Outer Bar entrance channel 38 feet deep and 700 feet wide; Aransas Pass jetty channe. 36 feet deep and 600 feet wide; inner basin at Harbor Island 36 feet by 650 feet wide and 1,000 feet long, channel from Port Aransas to Corpus Christi turning basin 36 feet by 400 feet; turning basin 36 feet by 1,000 feet wide and 5,50 feet long; industrial canal 36 feet by 200 feet to a turning basin at Avery Poir: 36 feet by 1,000 feet wide and 1,200 feet long; thence a channel to the vicinity of Tule Lake 36 feet by 200 feet and a turning basin at Tule Lake 36 feet by 900 feet wide and 1,000 feet long.

The present controlling depths in the Port Aransas-Corpus Christi Waterway are as follows: Aransas Pass outer bar entrance channel 37 feet; Aransas Pass jetty channel 37 feet; inner basin at Harbor Island 32 feet; channel from Port Aransas to Corpus Christi turning basin 36 feet with project width of 250 feet; turning basin at Corpus Christi 39 feet; industrial canal 39 fee Avery Point turning basin 39 feet; channel to vicinity of Tule Lake 30 feet and Tule Lake turning basin 30 feet.

It is readily apparent from the above statistics that about 55 percent of the work remains to be done to complete the existing authorized project for the Port Aransas-Corpus Christi Waterway. About 95 percent of the commer on this waterway is made up of petroleum and its products of which the are about 20 million short tons transported annually.

The institute urges that $2 million be appropriated toward completion :f this improvement project with fiscal year 1962 funds in order to permit safe navigation and turning of tankers which, as we have pointed out before, an becoming larger and larger.

19. Matagorda ship channel, Texas

The authorized project provides for a deep-draft navigation channel fr the Gulf of Mexico through Pass Cavallo to and including a turning basin a Point Comfort, Tex., consisting of an outer bar and jetty channel, 38 feet deep 300 feet wide and about 6 miles long, from the gulf through Pass Cavallo; inner channel 36 feet deep, 200 feet wide, and about 22 miles long, across Mate gorda and Lavaca Bays to Point Comfort, Tex.; a turning basin at Point Cofort 36 feet deep and 1,000 feet square.

The institute requests an appropriation of $266,000 to complete all engineerir: work required to initiate construction for the proposed deepwater proje which will be used by deep-draft vessels.

20. Corpus Christi Bridge, Tex.

The combination highway and railroad bascule bridge with limited horizon clearance of 97.6 feet which crosses the entrance channel to the Corpus Christ turning basin constitutes a severe hazard to navigation. The sharp turn at th entrance to this channel, the very narrow channel through the bridge, the bridge structure itself, and the turn into the Corpus Christi turning bas present a most difficult navigation problem for oceangoing vessels. The re moval of this bridge was ordered and has been replaced by a new highway railroad vertical-lift bridge across the channel extension to Tule Lake jus above the Avery Point turning basin, and construction by the State of a highlevel highway bridge near the present bridge for highway traffic.

This project will be about 90 percent complete at the end of fiscal year 1990 The work remaining to be done is completion of work on the bascule bridge approaches and initiation and completion of the removal of the old bridge. The institute urges that in order to complete this project, which is so in portant to navigation, the full amount required therefore, namely, $512,00% be appropriated, as requested by the President.

21. Galveston Harbor and Houston ship canal, Texas

Galveston Harbor and Houston ship canal are among the most important major deep-channel ports in the United States for the loading of petroleum i bulk in deep-draft tankers. Petroleum commerce during calendar year 198