The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-30 00:00:00

little wind as you could wish to go with pleasantly,
and directly she comes to the eastward of the land
she meets a gale of wind. If she goes back into
the Pentland Firth, it is ten to one but she gets her
decks swept, and she has to go at all risks to the
north; until the tide will suit her she dare not go
into the Orkneys. Under these circumstances, if a
harbour of refuge was made at Wick, a ship could
go into or come out of the Firth without danger.
Do you know that last year 1,060 vessels took
refuge in Scrabster Roads, immediately to the west
of the Pentland Firth ? Would you think that a
pretty convincing proof that a large number of
vessels would equally use a harbour of refuge if
made to the eastward ?—Decidedly, because two
harbours so situated directly balance each other.
Mr. Simon Fisher also spoke very strongly as
follows :

Do you think a harbour of refuge is necessary
between Aberdeen and the Pentland Firth for the

saving of life and property ?—Yes. Suppose there
had been a harbour of refuge at Wick, would it not
have been the means of saving both life and pro-
perty in several instances ?. for the number of boats
that go out there fishing at times is not less than
1,400 and as far as 2,000 sail.
Then you think it would be necessary to have a
harbour of refuge at Wick, on account of the fish-
ing boats and the lives exposed to danger in them ?
—Not exactly for that, because I have known ships
ashore and to he stranded for want of a harbour of
refuge on the Caithness shore.
Supposing no fishing boats at Wick at all, and
looking to the vessels that trade to the Baltic, and

to Archangel, and America, whether do you think
a harbour of refuge at Wick, Fraserburgh, or Peter-
head, would do the most good ?—Decidedly at Wick;
because if a ship is caught off Buchan Ness, she is
off an extreme point, and has every advantage to
drag, if the wind is from the eastward and north-
east, through the Firth ; but if the wind is to the
south, or anyways that way, she would get the
Moray Firth.

Would you consider the fact of about 1,000 ves-
sels in Scrabster Roads, on the other side of the
Firth, in one year, as a proof that if there was it
harbour on the east side of the Pentland Firth, it
would be nearly as available, if not quite, as Scrab- •
ster Roads has proved to be on the west P—Ua-
doubtedly.
Would a harbour at Wick also be available for
the trade bound eastward, such as timber from
America, that passes the Pentland Firth, and
being caught and unable to get to windward, it
being able to save them by running flack into the
Pentland Firth P—Certainly; that would be a very
great advantage.
Mr. R. Jordison said :
So you would give a decided preference to Wick ?
—I would give a decided preference to Wick.
From your knowledge of that coast, should you
think that a harbour of refuge is ne..Tssary ?—Near
Wick ?
Along that coast, the east coast of Scotland P—l
should say so; I should think that ships would be
very glad of a refuge harbour, instead of going to
Lon ghope.
Quite so ; then you think a harbour of refuge
along that coast would be the means of caving life
and property P—l should think it would.
Mr. T. Brown had no doubt that if there were a
harbour of refuge at Wick 1000 vessels would every
year take refuge in it. At Whitby, Mr. R. Brown
thought, after giving his own experience, that a
harbour at Wick, for passing vessels, would be a
great boon at all times.'
In addition to all these, about 100 witnesses
testify to the dangerous character of the Pent-
land Firth, and the risks which vessels run in
passing through it, in certain states of tide and
weather. And also, in addition, numerous inciden-
tal observations were made by many witnesses in
favour of Wick as a harbour of refuge for passing
vessels, but to these we do not refer We think
enough has been quoted, from impartial, intelligent,
and unequivocal evidence, to show that while all
parties admit the paramount claims of the 10,000
fishermen that are nightly perilled on the Caith-
ness shores in prosecuting its great national fishery,
a refuge harbour at Wick is also both eligible and
essential for the purposes of national defence and
protection to the passing trade. And we cannot
omit adding a circumstance which was ignored dur-
ing the recent debate, to wit, that the vast number
of young men brought up on these shores to a sea
life would make the Caithness coast, were a harbour
I erected here, one of the finest nurseries for the navy,
and would speedily repay to the nation more than
the cost of its erection, in young and active mari-
; ners.

With these extracts and remarks we confiil
dently make our apt:eal on other grounds than
the claims of our fishermen, great and urgent
though they be. And we trust that her Majesty's
Government, in coming to a decision on the sub-
ject, will comprehend in their consideration the
evidence showing the importance of-
1. Wick as a naval station.
2. Wick as a refuge for the foreign and coasting
trade.
3. Wick as a refuge for the fishermen.
4. Wick as the most suitable for the encourage-
ment and promotion of our great national
fisheries.
5. Wick as a normal school for training the High-
land population in habits of industry and
self-reliance.
6. \Vick as a nursery for the navy.
7. Wick as affording facilities of construction
which would make the erection of a har-
bour of refuge cheaper than at any other
point in England or Scotland.'
And if these elements, clearly substantiated as
they have been, and clearly demonstrated to all ac-
quainted with the facts, are taken into account, we
do think we shall not have long to wait before we
have to congratulate all concerned on the result of
pending deliberations.