76 IMPROVED FISHERY HARBOUR ACCOMMODATION 



vertical wall across a sloping beach where the waves were 

 formerly allowed to expend their force." 



In designing a harbour with an outer or stilling basin, 

 previously referred to in a former illustration amongst 

 others, we follow out the principles of shelter and tran- 

 quillity, by which these conditions are obtained in any 

 good natural harbour of land-locked form, as pointed out 

 previously in connection with the harbour of Dartmouth, 

 where the successive points break the force of the undula- 

 tion, and the bays behind each point allow the radiative 

 forces to expand from the centres of disturbance near each 

 point, until the waves are reduced to rest. 



In connection with the subject of recoil or backsend from 

 a sloped talus, recommended as an auxiliary feature of 

 reductive power, the writer would add the following obser- 

 vations made on a very exposed coast, where he resided 

 many years, the beach three miles in extent, and almost 

 entirely consisting of shingle of various size. At the east 

 end of this beach it curves round so much that it faces the 

 prevalent winds, those from west and south-west, and the 

 result is that the beach has acquired along here a very 

 steep profile so steep indeed is this terraced slope of 

 shingle that the stones rattle down from under your feet 

 at each step. 



Inasmuch as the incline of the beach is moderate at low 

 water-mark of spring-tides, and very abrupt at high water- 

 mark, it follows that a favourable opportunity is afforded 

 to a resident who may wish to make observations, as the 

 tide rises, if he should have the opportunity of being at 

 such a place at low-water spring-tides, when a heavy 

 ground-swell sets on to the beach in calm weather, which, 

 as all persons know who have paid attention to the subject, 

 is not unfrequently the case. 



