THE MADRAS HARBOUR. 



59 



The late Mr. James May, who, on my recommendation, 

 was appointed superintendent of the works, shortly afterwards 

 left for Madras, and I occupied myself in England in prepar- 

 ing the necessary plant and machinery. 



A few weeks after the final sanction was given occurred the 

 lamented death of Lord Hobart, to whom more than to any 

 one probably is due the credit of providing a harbour for 

 Madras. 



Before proceeding to my short narrative of the progress of 

 the works, I would direct attention to some of the construc- 

 tive principles involved. Nothing can be simpler than the 

 general design. It is merely the enclosure of a basin about 

 1,000 yards square by means of breakwater piers, with an 

 opening facing seawards for the access and exit of ships, and 

 this is placed in a depth of 48 feet of water. Through that 

 entrance alone can any wave enter, and when it enters it 

 will expand over the whole width of the harbour, spending 

 itself as it does so until it becomes insignificant. With the 

 prevailing seas from north-east and south-east, which will enter 

 the harbour very obliquely, it is expected there will be very 

 little movement inside. With the comparatively rare seas 

 from the eastward there will be a little more commotion, 

 but not enough in any case to affect ships, though it may 

 sometimes retard landing and shipping cargo for a day or two. 



The piers themselves consist of walls of concrete blocks 

 resting on a base of rubble stone. They are extremely 

 simple, and yet a moment's consideration will make it evident 

 that they are not quite the kind of structure which can be 

 executed by hiring a party of coolies and telling the maistry 

 to go to work as he likes. Concrete blocks of 27 tons weight 

 and a level bed of rubble stone 24 feet below the surface of 

 the open sea are requirements rather beyond the unassisted 

 powers of the native cooly. At the same time they are 

 requirements which are not likely to have been determined 



