RAILROADS.

The statements in the foregoing tables may be regarded as nearly correct, so far as they relate to distances; but, in all other respects, and especially in relation to the duration of transits and the charges for conveyance, they are to be regarded merely as average results the stages of water, the state of the weather, and the season of the year being favorable in all cases for transportation. Moreover, in so far as relates to the conveyance of troops, the average charges in all cases may no doubt be materially reduced according to the number or magnitude of the force to be conveyed.

For the following list of steamboat accidents occurring during the year ending on the 30th of June, 1857, I am indebted in part to the pamphlet before quoted, from the office of the Missouri Republican, partly to Captain Davis Embree, supervising inspector of steamboats of the 5th district, and partly to Captain John Shallcross, supervising inspector of the 6th district.

Name of boat.

STEAMBOAT DISASTERS—Continued.

APPENDIX D.

WILMINGTON, N. C., September 1, 1857. SIR: I have the honor to submit the usual annual report required by the regulations. By special order No. 160, dated War Department, Adjutant General's Office, Washington, December 11, 1856, I was assigned to the charge of the improvements of Cape Fear river, and for reopening a communication between Albemarle sound and the Atlantic ocean.

The subject of reopening Roanoke inlet has been reported upon by several engineers of distinction: first, by Mr. Fulton, an English engineer, employed by the State of North Carolina, in 1820; second, by Captain Bache, topographical engineers, in 1829; third, by Mr. Gwyn, a well known civil engineer, employed by the State of North Carolina ; and, fourth, by Lieutenant Woodbury, of the corps of engineers, in 1853, all of whom agree in the necessity of building dams across Croatan sound, which, according to Lieutenant Woodbury's report, is "three miles over, and averaging 8 feet deep, with a greatest depth of 13 feet;" another communication, “east of Roanoke island, called Roanoke Sound, with a principal channel one half mile over, and averaging 4 feet deep, and several smaller channels above three-fourths of a mile over and 1 foot deep;" in addition to which are the marshes, 18 inches above ordinary level, one and three quarter mile, making the dam seven miles in length, for which the item of stone, alone, is estimated by Mr. Fulton at $2,450,000.

Lieutenant Woodbury proposes, first, to excavate a channel 150 wide commencing at 6 feet water in the sound, and continuing to the sand banks, for which he estimates $105,500 ; he then proposes to cut a canal 900 yards in length, 150 yards wide, and 6 feet deep, from the sound to the ocean, for which he estimates $40,500; the ocean end of the canal to be protected by piers of masonry extending, respectively, one-half and one-quarter of a mile into the sea, the estimate for which is $500,000, which makes in all $646,000, which, added to the estimate of Mr. Fulton, for the item of stone alone, makes $3,096,000, to which must be added other items of material, machinery, labor, contingencies, &c., which would, in my opinion, swell the estimate to $5,000,000.

Congress appropriated $50,000 to commence the operation. $40,000 have been expended, and at this time there is scarcely a trace to be seen of what has been done, the drifting sand filling in the trench as fast as it was excavated by the dredging machine. In fact, the machine was very near being imbedded in the sand, it filling in so rapidly behind it; but it was gotten out in time to save it. On my first visit to Nag's Head, in company with Lieut. Whiting, of the corps of engineers, previously in charge of the work, I was perfectly satisfied of the entire impracticability of the scheme, and in consequence reported to the bureau, recommending that the work should be bandoned, and the machinery and other public property sold, which report was approved of by the honorable Secretary of War, and th. property was sold on the 15th of August. On reference to the