88 HARBOUR CONSTRUCTION. 



scarcely necessary to say that the absence of mud proves 

 nothing. 



General Remarks on Exposure. I think it will have been 

 gathered from the foregoing that, in forming an opinion as to 

 the exposure of a site, it will be well not to arrive at conclusions 

 too hastily, bufc to give due consideration to the various physical 

 features of the site, such as the configuration of the coast-line 

 and sea-bed, depth of water, both on the site of and for a long 

 distance to seaward of the proposed works, range of tides 

 observing any special features which may be peculiar to them 

 direction and strength of currents, length of fetch, direction of 

 heaviest recorded storms and waves, usual sequence of gales, etc. 



From such facts and features, coupled with a study of other 

 local indications, an opinion, more or less reliable in proportion 

 to the experience of the observer, may be formed of the worst 

 that could happen under a combination of the most adverse con- 

 ditions. 



It is true such a combination might not happen more than 

 once in a century, but it might, nevertheless, happen at any 

 time, and the engineer ought to anticipate and make provision 

 for the worst. 



Since tradition, or even the memory of *' the oldest inhabi- 

 tant," cannot always be relied upon as infallible, it will be 

 well, as far as possible, to verify any local information that may 

 be obtained. 



