The Sun.
London, England, 1858-03-12 00:00:00

RIVAL lIARBOUHS OF i?EFUGT.

We invite attention to an elaborate and
argumentative article, which we have trans-
ferred to our columns, from those of the
Northern Ensign, in favour of the claims of Wick
ha bour, to be made a harbour of refuge in
preference to that of Peterhead. The question is
not one of purely local importance ; it is ose of
great national moment, and one, therefore, to
which public journalists in all parts of the country
ought to devote their attention and their space.
The necessity for this attention is the greater, as
there is always much danger that local influence
may be allowed to decide a question that ought to
be resolved solely by other influences, and with a
due regard to interests of a national kind. It should
always be remembered that this subject, apart from
its bearing on the welfare of our coast navigation
and the prosperity of our fisheries, presents a very
strong temptation to the landlords and the general
inhabitants of particular localities; and, perhaps,
looking at their natural desire to do the best for
their property, we ought net to blame them for
making the best fight 'they can for the spots in
which they are interested. But the Legislature,
having witnessed the efforts of the rivals on each
side, would be destitute of any apology if by indif-
ference or undue regard to the political weight of
any honourable member, it allowed an unjust and
unwise measure to be carried.
The claims in this case, of the two places con-
tending for the same advantage, may soon have to
be decided, and there is some danger of a piece of
jobbery which may result from the very great exer
dons made in favour of one of them, and that in
many respects decidedly the most unsuitable. It
is better that the subject should just now be venti-
lated and discussed as fully as is requisite in order
to arrive at a wise and just decision. We feel as-
sured that when the subject is regarded from an
independent stand-point there can be no doubt that
Wick is the spot that ought to be selected, what-
ever may be the local influence employed to earwig
the Government in favour of Peterhead.
The natural features of the coast in which these
rival ports are situated ought to. be considered in
the very first view taken of the contest. Admitting
that in other, respects the places were equal in their
claims, it should be ascertained where the greatest
amount of danger exists ; in other words, the
greetest need fora harbour of refuge exists. Now
it should he observed that from Helmsdale to Noss
Head, a d stance of 40 miles, there is not the breadth
of a lot of sand, except at the river Wick, or any-
thing like a roadstead, but, as it has teen correctly
trated, one long, dismal, precipitous cliff, towering
in threatening grandeur, relieved only by an oLca-
simnel nook, where hundreds of boats press on each
other in dangerous masses. Take then the Peter-
head coast, and there we find, with the exception
of a few miles from Aberdeen to Kinnaird Head, a
distance of 40 miles, one unbroken sheet of sand
and three excellent roadsteads, where thousands of
vessels can lie in safety, without a single precipitous
cliff against which they may dash. If the Govern-
ment, therefore, were to yield to local influence in
favour of Peterhead, and incur the expense of
forming it into a harbour of refuge, it would, if
the dangerous coast further north is not to be
abandoned to wrecks, be found necessary to form
anott,er harbour at Wick.

We believe that the melancholy wrecks among
the fishermen at Wick are sufficiently known by
every one to prove that Wick imperatively demands
a harbour of refuge, not for a few fishermen con-
stantly residing there, but for the thousands who
ascrnble annually at its Lhy from all part 3 of the
coast of Scotland. The great importance of Wick
in this respect has bean very clearly shown in
tit:,• excellent letter of Mr. John Mackie to Mr.
J.,lines Wilson, the Chairman of the Rouse of Corn- ,

mons Harbours and Refuge Committee. The writer
shows that 9,000 men, most of them unconnected
with Caithness, for ten months in the year assemble
at Wick. They f 'How a calling which yields a valu-
able article of national diet, and which gives etn-

plument to many thousands throughout the king-
dom. in producing the material required for its pro-
secution, and which circulates a large sum of money
over the whole industrial districts of the country.
The men are nightly exposed to the perils of the
northern coast, and liable to destruction from the

northern storms. These 9,000 men man boats and
cast nets into the sea of an aggregate value of nearly
a quarter of a million sterling, and proceed night
after night a distance of from two to thirty miles,
and even farther, in pursuit of their perilous enter-
prse, and that without a harbour that is safe to
enter at any time during the storms to which the
coast is liable. Now, we think these 9,000 lives
are worth some consideration on the part of the
House of Commons. If it should again be said that
the.=.o are all persons int:rested in tho locality, and.
that their lives are not specially worthy of consi-
deration in determining on a harbour of refuge,
we think it enough to refer to the fact that a very
amall proportion belong to Wick. These men are
attracted to these valuable fishing-grounds from all
parts of. Scotland, while the calling they follow off
Wick gives employment to fish-curers residing in
Liverpool, CL rk, Belfast, and other distant places.
No local influence ought to be allowed to operate to
the disparagement and neglect of this large class,
whe'her we speak on the score of commercial in-
dustry or humanity. It is heart-rending to hear
of the calamities of which Wick is the constant
scene, and against which a valuable prevision would
he made if a harbour of refuge were provided.
There are other important considerations connected
with this qu,stion to which it will be necessary for
us to advert on an early day. Morning Ad-
get tiser.