Structures would be required, which, in their design, would find no parallel among the public works of this country, and in forming plans for them he might study with advantage, the works constructed for similar purposes by the Ancient Romans. The examinations embraced all the sources from which a supply of water might be obtained in the neighboring counties of Westchester and Putnam ; giving a comparison of the different streams in regard to their elevation, their capacity, and the quality of the water. It was decided that the Croton River would supply a sufficient quantity of water at all seasons of the year ; at an elevation precluding the use of steam or any other extraneous power, and that the quality of the water was unexceptionable. t)ther streams were found which would furnish water equally pure, but too limited in quantity at certain seasons of the year, and not at a sufficient elevation. In addition to the information furnished by the Engineers employed, the Water Commissioners received communications from other sources suggesting plans for supplying the city with water.

It was suggested that water might be obtained from the Passaic Falls, at a distance of about eighteen miles from the city, in New-Jersey. The objections to this project were, that it would be going into another state, that an Aqueduct bridge over the Hudson River would obstruct its navigation, and iron pipes laid across the bed of the

river would be exposed to injury from the anchors of the shipping. Another plan was proposed which contemplated a permanent dam across the Hudson River extending from the city to the Jersey shore. This dam was proposed to be built about 2 feet above the level of high tide, thereby keeping all the salt water below ; and above the dam would be the fresh water for supplying the city, which must be pumped up into a reservoir by means of water-wheels, which would be operated by the overfall of water when the tide was low, but when the tide was up within 2 feet of the top of the dam there would not be sufficient fall to propel the wheels.