The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1846-12-15
The Bag Of San francisco.

The suhjpnled description Of the bay
and harbor ofSan Francisco is from FARx-
HAMS Travels in California. The testi-
mony Of all navigators who have visited
this magnificent harbor concurs IN pro-
nonnciag It II Of the most nozzle Teeepta-
cies Of ships and shipping any where to
be found on he globe.
The haFbors on the Poetic coast are so
few towards tae north that San Francisco.
even fits natural advantages were but or
binary, would become an importan: point
IN the future Development oil the commerce
OF the Pacific. With lis very exirasrdi-
nary advantages, so admirably adapting ii
10 the uses Of vast trade with lis spe-
eial facilities Of access and defence, render
ing il so happily suited for a naval depot,
such as might be required by The first
maritime Power in the world, the impor-
tance Of such q l%hari3or can scarcely be es-
timated by any known standards Of value
applicable to such things. The natural
facilities for communication between San
Francisco and the valley Of the Missouri
are such that the hand OF ART, in perfeciing
them, viii seem to be cooperating with
Nature rather hanovercoming her.-Bak
tinore American.
The Bay of San Francisco is the glo-
~ Of ihe Western World. lis mouth lies
in latitude 81 so. The wafer ON the
bar is eight fa,homs at low water. The
mountains on either had rise several hum
dred feet above the sea, and form the land
marks ia tcggy weather 10 point cut the
bar and the channel into the barber. The
capes at the oceans edge are about two
miles apart, always yerdant and refresh
ing 10 the eye; and, as You go Up the pas
sage, the LILLE streams Stumbling from the
rocks among the greenwood, and the wild
game out on the cliffs or froltckIng anon
the brush, and the seal basking in the wa
ter, give promise Of pleasure andrest from
the tolls Of the sea.
This passage is about five miles in
length. -Four and a half miles from the
capes it narrows considerably; and pre-
a bold pointnorih and south. The
fort on which this mighty iarbor condo
seends to depend for protection IS IN ru-
ms. 4 dozen old rusty guns. in the care
of THIRTY or forty half-clad, ha!fbread sol
usually foraging in squads of Eve or
ten among the n~eigh5oring missions; II
side Of its walls nm5!ed down, and ano,f-
or strongly disposed 10 plunge INTO the
sea, and-not the tenth OF a lrHe soldiers
heart beating fer j hundred miles around,
is q true summing up Of lis present
strength.
Ask miles from the capes at the mouth
and 1t the point where it begins to open
into the bay, arc two small islands on
forts might be conveniently britt,
that would command the narrows and al
so the entrance mo both the nef.h and
south part of he bay. Indeed, lie whole
bay is SO studded with islands easily for
titled, and SO overhang by headienas,
Of themselves are fogtresscs, that a
party in possession Of lhcm could hold
the bay against vast odds, aud ii compsr-
alive ~securi;v. From The narrows 10 The
northern point Of the bay IS !wcnly-loar
miles, and TO the southeastern point thirty
five miles.
The southern half Of the bay varies
from fourtecu to fifteen, the northern half
rom four 10 twenty niles in width. In
every part Of this large tract Of water is
rood holding ground, and on all its shores
ire c0yes iii which vessels Of any tonnage
nav lie snug and secure from storms,
a cables length from the land. In
he northwest corner Of the bay is the IN
let Of ihe Rio Sacramento.
"The surprising beauty and magnif-
:encc Of this har50r OF San Francisco can
iever he properly estimated By being
giepye1 from the land. One must ap-
aroach il from the sea have a full view
.flhe lofty siiores north and soulll, rising
intervals into lofty peaks, girdcd at
-ici. bases with primeyal forests Of ever
eedars and pines motlcd with the
of the oak, the ash. and the pine.
The bar which springs from the northern
he attends Of lis entrance, and running be-
meath the bluc waters Of the Pacific from
five to mine lathoms, causing a belt Of surf
10 roll across the mouth, must be passed.
s breeze mustbear your bark over and q
long the dangerous rocks three quarters Of
a mile inside on the right, quarreiltng with
the surges and onward four miles BET
ween the projecting cliffs, oyerhanging
and ve1ds nt woodlands filed with
starting deer and other game, TO the haT-
bors at the narrow5 beneath the fort;
outward still. past The fort and the
is seen a broad sheet Of water, stretch
ing off, north and south, the largest and
best harbor of the earth, surrounded by a