full moon tides, from eight to nine hours. He considers the impediments to the trade on the river, by locking vessels through the dam, so objectional, that he is induced to conclude that the project cannot be beneficial. To raise the dam higher, appears to be out of the question, as it would not only destroy all the wharf and store property of the city, above the dam, but would also destroy so much land as to occasion the damage claims alone, a reason for abandoning the project. He thinks the advantages calculated on by the proposer of the plan, if they could be trebled, would not compensate for the injury to the navigation of the river ; and after having incurred the expense, we should still be deficient in the primary object of giving to New York a copious and wholesome supply of pure water. He is of opin- ion, if a bridge could be built across the Hudson, without injury to the trade of this great river, a supply of water might be obtained from the Passaic Falls ; but, as that, in all pro- bability, will not be done, it appears to him that the only safe resource to be relied on is the Croton, which may be introduced at a less expense than the proposed object of dam- ming the Hudson. The elevated situation of the Croton will allow the artizan to make it applicable and certain to give a copious supply of water without hazard The plan proposed, he says, could not be effected but at an expense of more than four millions of dollars. It would still be insufficient for a permanent water power. It would destroy the navigation, and it would not benefit the shoals near Albany ; he is of opinion, there- fore, that it would do all harm and no good ; it would dissipate the funds that might en- sure a copious supply of water from another source, and which could be relied on, pro- vided the work shall be properly executed. Thus much, the Commissioners have deemed it expedient to say on this important subject, leaving it to the Common Council to decide, whether the inquiry shall be further prosecuted, or whether they will adopt the plan which the Commissioners may recom- mend pursuant to the letter and evident intentions of the act of the Legislature, by which they have been guided in their examinations and researches, and under which they hold their office. The Commissioners then proceed to present a synopsis of the report made by Mr, Douglas, Mr. Martineau, and Mr. Cartwright, as well as the results of information ob- tained by them from Mr. A. Stein, relating to the route, modes of construction, and cost 34 134 MEMOIR OF THfi thereof, of an aqueduct from the Croton, that on all hands being adopted as the only ad* visable plan. As in a subsequent part of this Memoir, we shall have occasion to detail with some minuteness, the particulars, on all these heads, of the route finally adopted and perfected, our readers will feel that analagous details here would be superfluous. Suffice it here to say, that upon striking an average of the various estimates of the cost of introducing and distributing the Croton water, the Commissioners report it at five and a half millions of dollars. They next estimate the source and amount of revenue. Proceeding upon the facts furnished, and by the experience of other cities, both in the United States and Europe, and upon calculations founded in most cases upon information derived from personal inquiry at the houses, hotels, taverns, livery stables, shipping, &c.j as to the amount annually paid for water obtained from the water carriers, and other sources of supply, and as to the sum that would willingly be paid for water, if brought to the premises or establishments of the persons inquired of, the Commissioners compiled the table, on the following page, relative to the probable receipts from the Croton water. After entering into copious details in justification of their estimate, they still further justify their calculation by this statement. An opinion is gaining ground with many of those who require large quantities of water for conducting their business, that the supply on this island is annually diminish- ing. The Commissioners have understood that at the chemical works on the North river, at 33d street, and at an extensive turpentine distillery on the East river, some dis- tance above the Alms House, water cannot be procured in sufficient quantity from the large wells on their premises, where but a few years past, it was obtained in abundance j and, consequently, they are now compelled to cart a portion of their water from a distant place on the island. At the gas