The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-06
Lecture IN tAe Harber of Hew York, ~
ProNbssur James RenW1cks

Lecture sn ne Harbsr oG Hsw York, ~
Professor Janaes Renwsck.
At the Msshanes' Institute last evening, Charles H.
DeIavan q, vice prssdsut introduced Professor James
RsnWish, Of Columbia College TO the meeting, who ds-
vsred lecture upon the History State, and Prospects
Of the Harbor Of New York before the members Of the
Institute and fair audience The Professor spoke nearly
~ folows-I have fousd that this subject has grown
upon me 1t every step. Is pleasure ~ well y duty
10 recount II past when It conveys Instruction have
facts curiouA and profitable to communicats to you.
have lofty ships floating where warehouses stand
I'm the city Of New York It Il now thirty I've years since
called the attention city authorities to hs condition
Of harbor and predicted the evils We now complain
o. shah at present glance ct the carly condition Of our
harbor and note the alterations which have taken place.
One Of the drt snoroAchmsnts upon the hbor Of New
York was the fort built on the northern line Of bridge
street, with the idsa Of defending the city. Beyond it
water and reef Of which were covered from
the North to the East river Within the reef was safe
haven, and depth Of water sufficient to foat ships Of
The Dutoh vessels entered here when the de- vas
high and anchored there, close TO the shore that
plank laid from the vessel to the beach sufficient
particularly to this point because 1t Is the key AL the
Improvements to be made to harbor Sat arst
must eomething In to the effects produced BY
water. By continued circulation, the waters ef the
ocean raised In vapor fall upon the land in hail. rain
and snow, and give rise to streams which pursue
sufficient velocity to carry with them large rocks
This Aos Of water cannot be prevented BY human
o. " @ ssqS e
finally ruah and ind its way to the The waters Of
the ocean are BY wise Provdsnes rsstrsnsd within
have always imagined that the people Of Holland In
continual danger Of nundation by the Bat such
mot the case they are only in danger from the overflow
sary for from the inroads Of the to
construct wicker fence and when the water throws mp
sand aaanst this c'mplete barrier is formed, which
eectuay cheeks the approach Of the Sea- We are not
in CANCER here from the inroads Of the On the
contrary the tendency Of the tide Is to I'LL All sstuass
and creeks Soon altar the British conquest order TO
defend the entrance to the East river fort erected
the present line of State street. ont far low
house. called whitehall ruins Of which to be seen
In ancient pictures OF the city Of New York Much abut
the same tme dock wa erected Is far a. Water street.
and beyondit two basins formed within which
could hoat for the water dssp and staguant Thess
docks existed for several years after the revolutionary
Both Of these were epcroachmen upon the harbor
Of New York II Ii curious fact to remark that the tides
Of the North and East rivers do pond there
difference Of fall hour At the time Of high water.
The stations for observing this where street
reaches North river and 1t the foot OF Roosevelt
Suppose this difference to exist II the tides In one
waters Every knows that the Battery there
current or eddy which sweeps round the Battery and
alternately from river to the other This not
the current In tho tides but ocossoaed BY the differ
epce In the level OF the two rivers. The ebb tide
or current Of the Hudson river forms the drst
Of the sbb tide in the Fast river forms the last Of
the food in the North river. It In to be renaarSet
that wherever wharf projects there the sand collects
Iost takes place the upper side Of the piers But to
proceed With my history, from which have divergsd
q New YORK was %sss IL 1 rhs pr.sOt
limo Of Pearl street was formerly tbs beach OF the
East river This u tho that the street Is circular
lit followed the natural bead Of the stream Ihave my
self persons who accustomed In days gone by
TO csivs their goods through their back gates from Whist
here to what now the line Of the river was great en-
croaehmsnt have mentioned Of the sncroach.
ents the battery erected on State street Bat there
yet another made by the British governmsu assist
% BY the Corporation Of New York. and this was another
battery thu reef to which have alluded or
was built from one to the other. This led to the
structon Of Front street. which, % Its name viii lead
70 .upposs, vss intended to front the SEA.
not generally known that between Governors Island
and Long Inland thsre was no channel could
then deeper than his knees The opening Of this
another means Of filing harbor. But the next
croachmsnt was that Of Castle Garden. This W.,
monument Of folly from Its position . sup
monument Of folly from it, manner Of eonstrue-
with stones which Of course were not strong enough
wall built which cracked then thrown
around It 80 - to form kind OF beach. bridge
and this bridge has ALLEN In. The consequence OF which
that whore fAthoms depth arc marked upon the
Craving four feet shoa formed round tie Bat
tery. and II u now proposed to all 1t up enclosing
the Battery entirely. trhe Professor here showed
whish he represented the snsroachmsnts Of s land
apon the water he vent on to say that In sons
SDasa.S he sas sas ,h
nenis are less impoftspt. I can, however, rscolisct
when Greenwich street did exist abovs Osrtlaadt
susst cAn rseollsot when In 1901 from any street
to the Battery, thsrs NO sses The dIin9 Of tie
East whitehall street amounts TO come ninety
ave The last encroachmeut vas the instruction
South street About year 1895 it vas pro ,ossd 70
establish psrmanent line 1t proposed TO lay ont
street for more than mile, and to Slips not solid,
but built blocks between which there be
bridges myself have Witnessed the filing OF these;
have noticed the flrg up 1t tbs foot OF Wall street.
where the water Was oncs sixteen feat dee, II vas
pecsc them kst from the OF the East river and
the returning tce Of the North nvsr constant depth
could b. kept mp. Bot this by the projsc.
sion OF Castle Garden into tae water There Il An en-
croschmsnt going at the narrowest part of the
HUDSON river which aiil b> very injurious 70 the In.
bAbitaps bslow taat part OF the river Will the
hlne Of al tbs bays And inlets between New York
The Proieuor concluded as follow. 10 REQ. Disulass
id.nce upoa hsrbor which 4 smons The bsst on Ii.
hAhitAbs globe For full century every influence that
could be brought to bear upon II has besn ct work
- impair and iDjure 1t, until it has begun to be
rationsl belief that it risk Of being destroyed.
Frat among the evil the greatest In power
or nasionaI With 7ss 10 ia. dsfsuo: o9 Eas, riysr
the Southern Battery erscted with its bridge, cutting
on the sbb Of the North river from shores With
the intent Castle Garcen soastructed nrst
under royal the second under ederal authority But the
Latter 10 the onIy rsspAsser 1t the present moment BE-
yont the permanent line Of South street. At Whitehall
wharf stands public Office, which, II moro than .
temporary structure, will ere long become the
site Of permanent edidce Next comes
copor alton, tine sworn sonssrvAtors Of our water
privileges. And, finally, the unwesrisd action Of
private oupidity-not much that Of those
bsviDg right to the presumption Of water privileges
which Il and feeble but the vast and
powerful tribe Of dirt oartmsn dggers aud corpo
contrset1rs May be pc, mttsd 70 ask shall thugs
cor tinusS Shall leave TO descendants city which
to share the fate Of AdrA sppaof tbs ave great
deserted and from which the busy hum of has
do arsd Centuries may elApss before the population