is to be performed, in excavating and tunnelling through an almost impenetrable rock, or of mechanical labor in preparing materials, and in the erection of the bridges, culverts, stone and foundation walls, together with the aqueduct for conveying the water to the city, and other erections of a permanent and durable character, to attempt a description of which, by words, is out of the question they must be seen to be properly understood and the ; ;

Commissioners think they may appeal with confidence to those members of your honorable body, who made an excursion over the line of aqueduct in the month of August last, for the correctness of this opinion.

The operations of the masons were suspended on the 8th of November last, and the work placed in a condition to secure it against the frosts of winter. Provision is made in the contracts, that no hydraulic masonry shall be laid up between the 15th of October and the 1st of April ; but the weather continuing mild, the importance of forwarding this part of the work, as far as possible, with safety, induced an extension of the date of suspension to the 8th of November aforesaid. It will be observed there is a much larger quantity of excavation or open cutting performed, than of any other description of work. This was owing, in a measure, to the pressure of the times, which brought forward a great number of laborers seeking employment and to meet this emergency, permission was given to proceed with this descrip- ;