THE MADRAS HARBOUR. 



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to sea works has occurred, does not show us the necessity of 

 any precaution that has not been taken in these works. If 

 the sea finds a weak place in the Madras works it will teach 

 a lesson which I think will be as new to other engineers 

 as to myself, and I have that confidence in our resources 

 that I feel sure we shall profit by the lesson so far that we 

 shall without much difficulty find the way to repair the 

 damage and prevent its recurrence. At present I know not 

 in what direction to anticipate danger. If I did, I would 

 provide against it. As yet the sea has done nothing more 

 than was anticipated, and it has not touched the essential 

 features of our design. It would be presumptuous to say it 

 will not do so. But while I abstain from confident assertions 

 on my own side, I must deny that there is the slightest 

 ground for confident assertion on the other side. It is not 

 even certain — indeed there is great reason for doubting — 

 whether the sea which accompanies a first-class cyclone is 

 really as trying in its character as the seas propagated from 

 distant cyclones which we have experienced. It is certain 

 that the force of sea at any spot is not in proportion to the 

 force of wind at that spot. Some of the heaviest seas are 

 accompanied by very little wind, and there is no evidence to 

 show that the converse is not true, namely, that the strongest 

 winds are not accompanied by the heaviest seas. There are 

 elements in the question which we do not yet understand. 

 We can only wait and profit by the lesson when it comes. 



W. ParkeSc 



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