ISS 
Scientific InieJUgencs^ [yo. 3, serifs, 
of the Pier-head being 40 feet, the outer end of the Pier will be 
1,000 feet from high- water mark on the beach. 
From the best information that is obtainable it appears probable 
that the surf never breaks at a greater distance from the shore 
than from 500 to 600 feet, at times when cargo boats could ply ; 
though it may do so in stormy weather when the waves of the bay 
are so broken that the outer surf cannot be distinguished. 
Mr. Taylor, when Astronomer at Madras in 1844, offered the 
following opinion upon the distance to which the surf extended : 
" From a careful measnrement in the months of October, No- 
vember and December 1838, it appeared that on occasions such 
as it would be considered dangerous to permit a boat to go off 
from the beach, the surf extended to a distance of 450 to 500 feet 
from the shore : but that during a smart gale on the 6th December 
the surf extended to or beyond a buoy which was 823 feet from 
the shore, but the confusion was such as to render the distinction 
between breakers (such as occur at sea) and the surf, very difficult," 
Captain Biden who has given his attention to the same subject, 
and has had even better opportunities of judging than Mr. Taylor, 
also gave an opinion upon this point, at the time Mr. Piron's 
proposed Pier was under consideration. He expressed himself as 
follows : 
*' The surf brcke at 350 feet from the coping stone on the 14th 
October 1844, when the last s'orvey was made, and then the wea- 
ther was moderate." " About 500 feet from the road-bulwark or 
barrier, and 400 feet from the inner wash of the surf, is a ledge of 
sand, and just outside this bank the depth increases from 10 to 15 
feet, but within and without this ridge of sand, and excepting that 
sudden change, the soundings are very regular ; this bank doubt- 
less causes the break of the outer surf in rough weather." From 
these stateiLents and the opinions of others who have either like 
Mr. Taylor or Captain Biden taken the subject into considera- 
tion, or who having pissed much of their time in sight of the surf 
have become acquainted with its peculiarities, the Committee do 
not hesitate to say that if the head of the Pier is placed as Messrs. 
