42 [ 2 ] 
gravel, or, bottci' still, with stones and gravel, the wliolc should be 
covered with two-inch planks, well fastened down to the rafteis. 
The piers at the extremities of the embankments should be made 
by driving contiguous piles all around, and connecting these with 
piles driven here and there in the enclosed space, filling the interior 
with stones and gravel. Guard or fender piles should be driven all 
around on the outside 10 feet apart and connected at top by a cap- 
piece, which should be well tied to the interior piles. 
The distance between the two embankments is projwsed to be 200 
feet; but should dredging ultimately be necessary to clear the chan- 
nel, the deepened pait need be hut 5 00 feet wide, which will leave a 
bei'm of 50 feet, or jather, as the sand would not stand at a steep 
slope, there would be a xevy gentle slope of 50 feet base on each side. 
On reference to the drawings herenith, it will be seen that it is 
proposed to have U) feet of water in the channel; and that from the 
length of the piles tliis depth may bo made some feet greater without 
endangering the stability of the embankment. (t will also be seen 
that the sand rests upon clay; this substance is rather mud than clay, 
and it is believed that, considering the depth at which it is supposed 
to lie on an aveiage, the occurrence oi'this substance is fortunate for 
the pn/ject— whether the cui-rents are made to effect the excavation 
or the di-edging machine. 
The direction of the present narrow channel seems to indicate that 
there is occasionally a curient setting out of the small bay to the 
north of Block-Oousc Point; indeed, that there is such a current 
at times is confidently asserted by some of the most intelligent -ob- 
servers of the habits of these waters. If sucii be the fact, it may be 
exj>ected tiiat ti)e shoal to the north of the embankment will be deep- 
ened and a convenient outer liarhor be formed there. 
Little need be said in reference to tiie imjjortance of having a good 
• harbor in this part of Lake Eric. The rapid increase of population 
along tlie siiorcs of this and the Superior lakes; the character of that 
pojuilation; the fertility of the soil; the cor.nexion which this lake has 
with the Communications, natural and artificial, extending, on one 
hand, into the depths of the wiidej'ness, and, on tiie other, to the ex- 
tremes and centre of the maiitinie frontier, all indicate that the 
present active and important commerce, well worthy, as it now is, of 
all solicitude, must greatly and rapidly augment. Excepting the 
basins of Erie and Sandusky, there is not a harbor of any capacity 
between Buffalo and the Islands; and these, as well as the suialler 
ones, are obstructed by bars, and have channels (shoal as they are) 
so intricate, that vessels, under stress of weather, can seldom resort 
to them for refuge. It'often happens, t!»at vessels, not being able to 
enter the harlyor, either from too gi-eat a draught of water, or from 
the diilictilty .of workiiig their way in, arc driven back, by adverse 
winds, from ow^ end of the lake to the other. 
The in)poriu!ice of the iiarborof Erie, for naval purposes, will de- 
pend upon the ;id;)ption of the policy of canying on any future war 
with Catiada, wlsolly, or in part, upoii these upper lakes. Should 
