30 IMPROVED FISHERY HARBOUR ACCOMMODATION 



" Failing such a harbour, the voyage down the Bristol 

 Channel is frequently of a most perilous nature, vessels 

 being driven at times all the way around the Land's End 

 and on to Falmouth for shelter." 



" The geographical position of St. Ives is perhaps its main 

 recommendation as a site for a harbour of refuge. But 

 there are other advantages which the advocates of such a 

 harbour put forward. All the witnesses examined in 1856- 

 57 impressed on the Select Committee the fact that the bay 

 is sheltered on three sides, and that all that is wanted to 

 make its natural capabilities complete is that protection 

 against northerly winds which should be artificially provided. 

 The bay is three nautical miles wide, the depth to low water- 

 mark I J miles, to high water-mark 2 miles. In the middle 

 of the bay the depth of the water is 10 fathoms, with good 

 holding ground." 



The manner in which the requisite protection might 

 be obtained has been defined by Captain Vetch, R.E., 

 F.R.S., who gave valuable testimony for the St. Ives 

 project. 



He has suggested throwing out a pier north and south 

 2,000 feet long, " which would be a complete shelter from 

 every wind that could blow." 



" The estimates then furnished amounted to 174,000, but 

 he affirmed that if the proposal were carried out to half the 

 extent proposed, it would be the means of preventing many 

 shipwrecks." 



"Captain Washington, R.N., F.R.S. ; Captain J. Sullivan, 

 R.N., C.B. ; Captain James Hosken, R.N., and Mr. (now 

 Sir John) Coode, C.E., attested with equal emphasis the 

 capabilities of St. Ives ; and in addition to their testimony, 

 it is locally submitted as a feature of considerable moment, 

 that extensive quarries of granite are available near at hand 



