WAVE-SCREENS AND FLOATING BREAKWATERS. 233 



side of the ship to almost, if not quite, as great an extent as if 

 it were on the weather side of her. 



On more than one occasion, it has fallen to my lot to have 

 to scramble up the lee side of mail steamers, lying at anchor off 

 some of the Cape ports, during a strong breeze or moderate 

 gale from seaward, while the lighter which conveyed me from 

 the shore a boat of about 100 tons burden was ranging up 

 and down to the extent of fully 10 or 12 feet. These steamers 

 measured from 350 to 400 feet in length, and drew from 22 to 

 23 feet of water. 



Few persons, after a similar experience, would have much 

 faith in floating breakwaters. 



The ocean steamers at the ports to which I refer, are obliged 

 to lie at anchor in the Agulhas current, which is sufficiently 

 strong to swing them round almost broadside on to a strong 

 breeze from seaward. During strong gales they are often obliged 

 to steam up to their moorings in order to relieve the strain 

 upon them, and at times they are obliged to slip their cables 

 and put to sea. 



Booms of timber are sometimes used in small harbours to 

 prevent ;the range passing from one basin to another. In such 

 cases the ends of the booms are fitted into grooves in the side 

 walls of the entrances or passages, and boom is placed upon 

 boom until the lowermost one touches the bottom. 



It is found that if the booms do not extend to the bottom, 

 the undulations are communicated from one basin to the other 

 underneath them. This being the case where the height of the 

 undulations may be measured by inches, what hope of success 

 could there be in attempting to stop an ocean roller by a floating 

 structure ? 



As regards the floating-weed type of breakwater, I cannot do 

 better than quote from the " Supplementary Report of the Royal 

 Commission on Harbours of Refuge, 1859 " 



"A plan of a floating breakwater has been proposed by Vice- 

 Admiral Sir George K. Sarfcorius. This consists of three parallel 

 lines of buoys placed diagonally, the space between each buoy being 

 about four times its diameter, and the distance between the lines 

 about 30 or 40 yards, each buoy being separately moored with 

 chains and anchors. A floating band of matting, 20 yards wide, 

 is to be extended within the lines of buoys, and to be secured by 

 anchors. 



