The Sun.
London, England, 1838-04-09 00:00:00

HOLYHEAD HARBOUR.

Cory of a REfORT on theAtinolia of HOLYHEAD, made in
pursuance of the Report of the Select Committee appointed
to inquire into the existing Communication between London
and Dublin, ani to consider what Improvement could be
made therein.

H. F. AMEDROZ, Chief Clerk.
Admiralty, March 27, 1838.

London, March 14, 1839.
Sir,—ln obedience to your direction to report on the quali-
fication and capacity for improvement in Holyhead Harbour as
a packet station, and also as a harbour of refuge for the trade
passing up and down the Irish Channel, I have the honour to
state that my opinion as to the merits of that harbour for the
steam-packet establishment, as at present constituted, end for
the class of vessels at present employed, is, that it very fairly
answers the purpose intended, and that I doubt whetber a
more desirable packet station on this side of the Channel could
be selected.
But if it should be determined to employ steam-ships of a
greater size, and if a greater size should necessarily involve .a
greater draught of water, then I do not think that the capaci-
ties_e of Holyhead Harbour, as at present'constructed, would b
sufficient for the above-mentioned service.
In this case, two methods have been proposed for its im-
provement.
First, the extension of the present pier into deeper water;
second, the construction of a new harbour to the northward of
the present one.
Both these plans appear to be open to serious objections.
By extending the present pier, the entrance to the harbour
would be thrown too far to the eastward, and too near the
rocks on that side of the bay ; and- it is doubtful whether the
deeper water thus obtained could be long preserved, as the
very large quantity of silt which fills the inner harbour would
probably accompany the extension of the pier-head.
The objections to the new harbour appear to be these :
It is well known that in gales of wind from north to west,
the sea at present breaks over the pier with great violence ;
and that from the heavy swell reflected into the harbour from
the eastern side of the bay, vessels frequently break away from
their fastenings to the pier. Yet the present pier is greatly
protected by the very rocks over which it is proposed to carry
the outer wall of a new harbour, which would therefore be
exposed to a still more violent sea than that which affects the
present berth of the packets.
With respect to its being a harbour of refuge, the merits of
which essentially depend on the facilities of access, it may be
towhichquestionedlies. whebeititeie
anyrvci i h
harbour
two
bourispeiears-yheoafdase,cess the entrance
which
each other so as to afford complete shelter inagaleaopfpNr wind,
and a heavy sea reaching to the very mouth of the harbour ;
every seaman knows the imminent danger of being thrown on
one or other of these piers ; but even if the harbour were good
and easily entered, Holyhead is not an advantageous position.
A port of refuge implies a secure and accessible anchorage
for all vessels which can neither keep at sea nor avoid the
-pore; and therefare, from the prominent situation of Holy-
head, such term can never be applied to that place, however