april— june, 1857.] Iron Pile Pier at Madras. 14( 



strikes upon different points of the shore at different times ; and 

 were it not for the stone bulwark and the groynes that guard the 

 beach, far greater changes might occur in the soundings on any 

 line chosen for the Pier, than need be feared now that the shore 

 cannot be encroached upon. What the maximum effect of this 

 current may be, the Committee have no means of determining ac- 

 curately. It is probably greater during storms than has been mea- 

 sured ; as on the surf and current subsiding after the gale ceases, 

 the bed rises rapidly ; but as the boatmen who navigate the surf 

 speak with confidence as to there never being deep water near 

 the shore, it is evident to the Committee that the addition re- 

 quired to the length of the piles is not such as to add greatly either 

 to the cost of the work or to the difficulty of constructing it. 



If an effort is now made to detect what the maximum depth of 

 the surf is, some information may be obtained before the North 

 East monsoon ends ; as that is the season in which the greatest 

 variation in the depth is likely to occur. This information might 

 be sent to England in January ; and upon it the length of the piles 

 might with safety be calculated; due allowance being made for a 

 somewhat greater change taking place than had been observed. 

 As the Committee consider this undermining action of the current 

 to be the greatest danger to which the Pier will be exposed, they 

 beg to call particular attention to this portion of their report. 



The Committee do not offer any objection to the use " of Baltic 

 Timber" under the impression that by that name, is implied Red 

 Menel Pine ; but if that description of wood has been chosen 

 solely with a view to economy, they must express a doubt as to the 

 advisability of the selection since they believe that Teak of such 

 small scantling as is required in the Pier will hardly cost more 

 than Pine prepared with Creosote, while the former would be found 

 so much more durable than any description of Fir as to warrant if 

 necessary a very considerable additional outlay on its use. 



With regard to the cost of the Pier, Estimates have been pre- 

 pared by two members of the Committee, who come nearly to the 

 same result; namely, that its actual cost, without any allowance 

 for Superintendence and risk would be £70,000. From this it will 

 appear that the Contractors have a margin of about 30 per cent. 



