THE MADRAS HARBOUR. 



55 



riding it out in the roads, with my two heaviest anchors and 

 plenty of cable out." After this, what wonder if the less 

 impressionable critic says " What's the use of a harbour in 

 which ships can't remain in a storm ?" 



Another philanthropist contends that, as there is no har- 

 bour between Trincomalee and the Hooghly, an intermediate 

 place of refuge is an absolute necessity. The sea captain 

 replies, " If I am caught in a storm in the Bay of Bengal, 

 I shall keep the sea and manoeuvre myself out of the cyclone 

 as soon as I can, and not court destruction by running for 

 Madras or any other harbour." Again the critic steps in 

 with a triumphant air, and these two points having been 

 apparently made, the supporters of the scheme have an 

 up-hill fight to make. 



Now the fact is that this unfavourable conclusion is based 

 on exaggeration on both sides. The philanthropist, in his 

 ignorance of nautical matters, gives undue weight to his 

 arguments, forgetting that they apply only to a very rare 

 condition of things. Our nautical friend, with his character- 

 istic spirit of independence, prefers his own safeguards to 

 those provided for him in the harbour by the port authorities ; 

 and the critic tries to force a conclusion from a doubtful 

 argument based on an exceptional state of things, ignoring 

 the more ordinary course of daily events. 



Now, the fact is that the harbour may be made, and 

 I believe will soon be acknowledged to be, as safe for a ship 

 in a storm as the open sea under sail or steam, or the road- 

 stead with a long cable out ; but the question of harbour or 

 no harbour does not turn on that. I believe that occasionally 

 a ship might fiud Madras a useful refuge, though the great 

 majority of vessels might pass it unheeded ; but the question 

 does not turn on that. The prominence given to these 

 points has done mischief to the cause, They served to screen 



