THE ENTRANCES TO OUR RIVERS. 33 
channel being straight, the banks would moreover require but little 
a as se would — hee rs to the excavating action 
ble curved ¢ 
The Tivastages of this saab of | treatment must be commendable 
to the most casual observer. Firstly—The entrance 
tected on the south by the South Head, and on the north by the 
breakwater, extending into deep water, the protection from the 
waves is complete. Moreover, the channel being straightened, the 
tidal and upland waters, unimpaired by any abrupt changes of 
oe sae do the work of maintaining and improving the 
hannel, an the same time keeping the entrance clear of all 
aaa: asdeiis The entrance being well protected and 
in deep water, and the channel being straightened and removed 
from the neighbourhood of the sunken rocks, the port would be 
made available for the passage of large vessels, and could be. 
entered without danger in all weathers. The benefit that would 
follow the opening up of this seaport, and the increased wealth 
and prosperity it would confer upon this valuable portion of our 
territory, does not require to be enlarged upon inthis paper. The- 
straightening of the entrance channel would be by no means as 
formidable an undertaking as it at first appears, for with the pro- 
posed breakwater once constructed, this would be the natural 
course of the river. 
A remarkable instance of the ease with which the channel of a 
paratively inexpensive dyke, the centre of the channel of this. 
eat river was shifted from the west to the east bank, a distance 
of nearly 2,000 feet ; and i in a few months the river cut for itself a 
entrance to the Clarence has been compared to that of the Hunter, 
and it has been argued that works carried out on similar lines in 
the two cases should have like results. Careful consideration will 
show that there is but little grounds for such conclusions. The 
long ipcitees of N. E winds has a very srejudicial effect on 
the river entrances exposed to them, as is evidenced by the heap- 
ing up of the sand at all such rivers ; thus clearly showing the 
1 See Railrood Gazette of New York, for November 30, 1883. 
