april — june. 1857.] Breakwater for Madras, 



155 



sive Pier of this sort, will be qaite unnecessary after a breakwater 

 is constructed. Indeed when Madras is situated on a sheltered bay 

 (though an artificial one) the whole question of landing and ship- 

 ping will have to be reconsidered, for it is evident that almost any 

 thing may then be done in the way of wharfs, docks, Sec, so that 

 in my opinion it will be a most grievous mistake to spend, in fact 

 to throw away 100,000£ upon a Pier, which would be totally un- 

 suited to the new state of things, that would be caused by the ex- 

 ecution of a work which may be done any day, which is certainly 

 the only work that can make Madras a safe and effective harbour, 

 and which will not cost so very much more than a Pier such as is 

 contemplated. In fact we may go far- 

 ther than that and safely say that if the 

 High -water samesum of 10 lacs were suenton 600,000 



Low water tons 0 f s t C ne, thrown down on a line of 

 2,000 yards in length, parallel with the 

 I * \ beach in 6J fathoms, forming a reef of a 

 / £, \ section of 300 square yards, or about 40 



~ A yards broad at the base and 12 yards 



40 yards. high, that is reaching to within a yard of 

 low water, it would be far more beneficial than a Pier, for it would 

 certainly ensure almost smooth water for the ships, and entirely 

 destroy the surf. 



Such an artificial reef would effectually destroy the oscillation of 

 the sea, which would break on it, instead of on the shore. 



Hence to spend under these circumstances 100.000£* upon a Pier, 

 when 250,000£ would probably be sufficient to make Madras much 

 superior to any harbour now in India, and equal to any in the world, 

 appears to me the greatest mistake, and if it is thought that such a 

 work would cost more than J- million, it would not essentially alter 

 the case, for it is certain that it would be far more economical to 

 spend even half a million in making a harbour than 100,000£ in mak- 

 ing a Pier. Five per cent on the latter sum would not be 1 Rupee 

 per ton on the present tonnage, and really the present tonnage is no 

 measure of the future tonnage. The mere formation of a harbour 

 would itself have a prodigious effect on the trade, and the Coast 



