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tages we shall derive from a knowledge of the difficulties encounter- 
ed; the manner in wliich they were overcome; and the \ery faults 
of design and execiaion in those gi'eat works. 
3d. On the situation wliicii the proposed breakwater should have: 
As the dangers, from which the bj-eakwater is to be a guard, are 
encountered at the very mouth of the Delaware, it is obvious that a 
situation for it must be selected as near the Capes as possible ; and, 
it must be here added, that its utility, as respects tlie coasting navi- 
gation, depends on this condition. Over all the broad expanse of 
water which sej)aratcs the Capes of the Delaware, but two situations 
occur where an artificial harbor could be constructed, with any hope 
of advantage; and tiie first of those, namely, the roadstead under 
Cape May, is too shallow ; its access is attended with too much dan- 
ger ; and it is too much aside from the main channel, up and down 
the bay, to require further mention. 
The other situation is tlie roadstead between the Shears and Cape 
Ilenlopen; and referring to chart heiewith to illustrate the subject 
more in detail, we will now describe this joadstead. 
A shoal called the Shears lies just within the Capes of Delaware, 
and about three miles from tlie Cape Henlopen shore; though it is 
so delineated upon existing maps, it is by no means an insular shoal; 
but it is the seaward part of an extensive bank, making out from 
the Delaware shore, at and near the mouth of Levvistown Creek; the 
ridge or shoalest part of this bank runs from Lovv-Plumb-Point, 
first northeasterly Qi miles, then easterly £i miles, and lastly, 
southeasterly 3:|, making the length of the bank from Low-Plumb- 
Point, following the course of the ridge, about 8 miles. Its breadth 
is variable — of that part called the Shears, the extreme breadth is 
Clearly two miles; from the tail of the Shears to Cape Henlopen is 2^ 
miles. Consideiing the shoal limited, as in the chart herewith, by 
Gj fathoms at low water, the soundings upon it vary from that depth 
to one foot. South of the tail of the Shears, and separated from it by 
a narrow channel of 4^ to 5 fatlioms, lies a small shoal, having about 
3 8 feet water. It is between the great bank or shoal and the Dela- 
waie shore, and having for its outline the opposite concavities of the 
shoal and the shore, that the roadstead above mentioned is found. 
The average depth within the road is about 4i fathoms, and at its 
mouth about 6 fathoms at low water. 
Though highly important and valuable in many respects, this 
road is, nevertheless, much exposed to certain winds, and entirely 
so to floating ice: on consulting the chart herewith, it will be seen 
that easterly winds blow directly through the chaps of the road- 
stead, and that the direction of the ebb-tide sweeps into and through 
it a large part of the ice of the bay; it was to guard against this lat- 
ter danger, chiefly, tiiat the project now before the Commission was 
first conceived. 
We come now to the consideration of what particular part of this 
roadstead is most sutable for the creation, by means of a breakwater, 
of an artificial harbor, which, at a minimum expense, will fulfil all 
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