If the river should ever be made navigable, by the removal of the mills at Kingsbridge, and of the obstruction of the dam at Macomb's Bridge, the facility afforded by the low bridge, of an archway of 80 feet in width, and 50 feet in height above full tide, will admit the passage of vessels of sufficient burthen and capacity, for every useful and necessary purpose, and the high bridge could do no more. Although the Commissioners have thus decided, based upon the foregoing reasons, and in accordance with what they deemed their duty, they nevertheless admit, so far as architectural display is involved, that the high bridge has the preference and if your ;

honorable body should be of opinion, notwithstanding the great additional expense, that the aqueduct should cross the Harlem River on a high bridge, and will fortify that opinion by an ordinance, passed by both Boards, and approved by the Mayor, the aqueduct shall be constructed in accordance with the provisions of such ordinance. The necessary surveys and levels, to ascertain the most suitable course for the aqueduct on the island of New York, have only recently been effected some demonstration, ;

however, towards completing a plan, had been made, under the direction of Major Douglas but it was found necessary to go over the whole ground again, in order to arrive ;

at a result satisfactory to the present chief engineer and an earlier attention to the subject ;

was prevented by the pressing necessity of preparing the first and second divisions of the aqueduct for contract, and also the great care required in a work of such magnitude and