American watchman and Delaware advertiser., 1827-01-16
IN SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

/ !r III M rU,If
/ To which The snoje.t haa oten te's''s0' "
the following report:
rhs coms,,t,ee on Commerce, 20 whom was re-
fsr,,3 the memorial Of the Chamber oi Com
merce, in Phadelpha, concerninr an Aftihoia
Haibor or Breakwater at the mouth OF delaware
Bsy, ask leave to REPORT:
That the subject Of said memorial IS OF char
aeter deserving the most full and careful consloeta
Lion. Ii interests Immediately and deeply slmost
he whole commerce OF three Atlantic States II 10
important TO much Of the coasting iraae o. the
MON and has a material bearing upon the secu
rity of our navy, and upon the great maril'me oe
fences OF The country. Hence, during hve years
oa, the attention OF Congress has, in various ways
been invoked and devoted to the examinasion oil
this measure. As esly as May 9th, 1922, an act
making an appropriation Of SEE 900 tor the erection
Of wooden piers near Cape Hrnlopen at the NOUN
Of Delaware Bay, provided the Secretary OF inc
Treasury, on . survey OF that part OF the coast
should be satisfied OF their utility and expectancy
Bu, the survey rendered it apparent, that works
more extensive, such as Breakwster, or Athhtial
Harbor and those formed OF The most durable ma
eria,, would combine advantages more numerous
| and in their value much more than commensurAe
With the increased expense. Consequently this ap
nron,iation va, never carried into effect; but IN
June A. 1929 pursuing the new light which
had been cas-, on the subjec, BY the partial survey
and Welding to the suggestions OF policy enla rgeo
and liberal, the proper authorities instructed 'he
Board Of Engineers to make an examination into
the ptscticabiity and usefulness OF such works .
are now prayed for in The memorial, and y the 'e
suit should prove satiaactoty, TO recommend plan
tor thelt sc,ion and furnish detailed estimate q
their expense. Their report OF Jolly IA, 1928
presented full and favorable exposition OF the
Whole subject
l. The message Of the President, al The commence
men, Of the ensuing session Of Congress, invited
lihe attention OF its meulhers TO the accompaniment
ol this object, as one OF great service nnsh % tht
10 slgaion of Delaware Bay and the protection oi
vessel. on the adjacent psr,s Of the coast ~ and
The present memofislists, as we'll as the Ltg''s
lures Of Pennsylvania. New Jersey, and Delaware
have since urged its Importance upon The Na'lo' a
Connclls
\ Dr.rous Of obtaining information the most plen
ary, before final decision upon q easue Of snef
deep interest Congress. al its las. session, caused
exibs 10 be p epa,ed OF the revenue ahd rxpendl
tures connected with commerce from - l19O
10 A. y 1925, in he Delaware Bay, a. compared
with three other OF out great crmmercisl enpoti
ums and. during The same session procured letters
from the Secretary of the Navy ard The Chairman
! at the Naval Board OF the urliiy oil he proposed
Breatwa,er to the ope,s,ion, Of our Navy II wa.
and its general securiy both in war snd peace.
From these various dntunents and proceedings
il is manifest TO your committee, thu, there has cx-
sted long, general, ane strong soieitude Tor the
object contemplated in the memorial, aud iron.
hese same sources and such general eons,ders'inn,
= obviously bear uptn all questiors OF ommcrcls
magnitude your committee have gathered AID
would pttsent, the following spechr facts. as has
ing tendency 10 AID Congress in forming Judi
eous opinion upon the prayer Of the pellloneI.
The dangers to which the navigation Of the Del
l,uxa xrH Hr,n a v raf rF
Causes Ore i. The large quxntily Of ice in v in
Ter, and the other the pecollsr influence o the wine
upon that ice, upon The des and the general nasiga
lion OF Bay, running in such direction and Will
such depths OF water. The effects from the ice
the general course OF lhc winds the form OF ths
Bay; the soundngs and the tides are stated witt
much particularly in the report OF the Engineer
before mentioned, and Iced not here be repeated
On this point il will now suffice to observe, thu
he mouth Of The Bay is about sixteen miles wide
the channel intricate and no hsrbor Of safety 81
either side, where vessels can lie secure to iTprot,
avorsble openings in The ice when ascending tn,
River in Winter or TO seize, in any season. aso able
winds and weather for going TO sea. or 10 sheitr
themselves from storms, when oyertaken by then
IN that neghborhood.
From the first cause alone, the won;cd navigation
Of the Bay Is iDie' rTtcd full two month, OF the year
II hasbeen estimated, by Persons OF much observation
and experience, that during such interruption. no
over III ten Of he ssels enter and ascend he Bay
which Otherwise would if The proposed improve
enl takes plsce and, thus, that more than on
hundred square-rlgeed vessels are annually iore..
TO seex other potts, at great inconvenience and ex
, pens..
II From thi, and other causes before mentioned
whose influence Breskwaer is calculated TO oDyi
ate, the whole actual commerce OF the Bay 10 sub
Iected 20 an inc, rasej premium Of insurance, vary
ing from one hall to and half per cent. Til
burthen, Phadep pha alone, whose tonnage, i
i A. ID. 1925. exceeded $4,000 tors, and whose i'm
] ports exceeded Is millions weuid amount TO a
annual charge OF not less than 8l1o,Ooo On ,h
lf-or &c LIZ le In or