Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-03-18
THE BREAKWATER.
Necessity for Further Protection at Lewes.
Report Of Engineers Survey.

this State, in Congress introduced resolu
tion, which was passed, calling for intorma
tion relative to the Delaware Breakwater
and proposed improvements there. The
Secretary of the Treasury in reply transmit
ted copy Of report Of Lieut.. Frank Barr
commanding the revenue steamer Miami,
who was directed by the Treasury Depart.
mcnt, at tho request of General Torbert, oil
Milford, to survey and take soundings ol
that part of the Delaware Bay between the
Brealswatcr and Cape Henlopen, as being all
the information on the subject in possession
of the Department. In answer to the same
resolution, the Secretary Of War transmitted
papers prepared by Lieut.. Colonel Brewer
ton and Captain Prime, of the Engineer
Corps, showing the necessity asd object OF
pier at Lewcs, and estimates for one on
stone and iron substructurc. Also a memo
rial of the Philadelphia Board of Trade, rep
resenting that in the absence of pier ma
tional and other vessels canuot with safe
W communicate with the shore that the
Breakwater, during easterly storms, fur
nishes the only safe and easily accessible
harbor betwcea Newport and Hampton
Roads; that $4,000 vessels annually find
shelter at the Breakwater, and that vessels
needing supplies, such as provisions, anchors,
chains, &c., will be able to obtain them at
Lewes only by means of a suitable pier In
regard TO the value Of the harbor to vessels
in time of storm and its present condition,
Lieutenant Barr says:
From Sandy Hook to Hampton Roads
there is no other harbor easy of access, or ca
pablc OF receiving II tilhc of the vessels an
nually taking shelter here. Without il the
dangers of the Jersey coast, and of the shoals
to the soutiward of Hcnlopen, would be
fcarfully increased, and the consequent loss
OF life and property would we greatly added
TO. No work would be more cminently ma
tional. Vessels from every part of our sea-
coast, and from many II ioreign port, are to
he found seeking shelter here from the
storms which, in winter especially, ravage
our coast. 1tro huadrcd and eighty vss-
sets have been actually counted in here at
one time, amounting ia value, at very low
thousand .fuH huadyed vessels annually
seek refuge here, the value of which, togeth-
er with their cargocs, is not less than ttOO
hun0red 0liitioas of dollars.
The necessity Of additional protection to
this vast interest ut this point has become
imperative, and an increase in the capacity
OF the harbor urgently required. While our
consling trade WAS carried on in few small
sailing vessels, which could hutldle together
under the lee of the ''slonc pile, as they fa-
miliarly called it, the present works were
ample; but now, when thousands of vessels,
from the huge steamer TO the little shalop,
are traversing our coast, and are coming in
here daily by hundreds, the shattered wrecks
can be seen defacing the shore in the harbor
Itself, are eloquent arguments in favor of
nj rftta it,,t nnst, ,.r
harbor is annually being lessened by the
shoaling of the water. Where formerly
large vessels could safely lie, only n shallop
now finds enough water, and in the whole
harbor there is only u small space where
heavy draught ship can safely anchor, and
even then not more than two at time Not
winter passes but a number of vessels are
driven ashore from their anchors, and, ifnot
entirely lost, are only rescued at n heavy ex-
pensc to their owners Great damage is
also done by the ice, which on the ebb-tide
comes into the harhor in immense fields,
sweeping everything in the harbor either out
to sea or on shore. 1t is no uncommon
thing for vessels 10 he swept out of the har-
Dor aud forced TO drift helplessly about
among the ice at the mercy of the winds and
waves. The difficulty Of obtaining supplies
here is very great. When the wind is any
where from northeast to northwest, heavy
surf renders it unsafe to land on the beach,
and in winter the shore and drift ice often
cut off communication with the land for
days and weeks.
g To get off heavy and bulky articles, such
as coal or water, is a tedious and expensive
operation, as thay must he boated off, and
owing TO bar running along the shore only
. few trips arc possible on each high water.
Vessels which may be of the Delaware
Capes meeting heavy headwinds or storms,
and being shot Of coal and provisions, will
not come in here, hut are forced 10 run back
TO Norfolk, thus losing much valuable time,
and incurring heavy expense Steamers,
particularly, dare not put in here on account
of the dcliy and difficulty in obtaining sup
plies. Most Of the defects OF the harb0r are
owing to the gap left between the Break
water and the ice breaker. The main force
OF the ebb-iide is sucked tnrough this gap,
while an undecided current runs through the
rest of the harbor, whirled by numbers of
eldirs along tue shore and breakwater. The
cheek to the true tide, by The division of its
force, causes a deposit of all the sand and
mud held suspended by the water, and
together with the cddies causes the shoaling
Of the water. Immediately within the break
water light, ut the point indicated by the
eddy mark. there IL now only ten feet of
water, where formerly there was five
iathnms.
"Through the "ga.,,' during northeast
or northwest ghlcs,a short heavy sea heaves,
which is exceedingly severe on ground
tackle; and il is from this part of the harbor
that vessels are mos, exposed TO the COM
bined force Of both wind md sea, there being
seldom vessel going ashore which lies di-
rectly under the lee of the main work.
''The main deficiencies Of the harbor are
u. insufficient capacity.
"2. Inadequate protection from northeast
and northwest gales
't3. insufficient depth of water
~. Want of protection against ice.
80. Difficulty of landing and obtaining
supplies"
To remedy these defects, Lieut.. Barr re-
commends filling up the gap in the present
works, which will Increase the capacity of
the harbor one hundred per cent. and pre-
vent the exposure of vessels to northeast
and northwest gales; create true tide di-
recty through the works from end to end,
and form a deep, clear, and straight chan
mel, with sides assuming the shape of the
bed Of river, thus ailnrding safe anchor
age for both heavy and light craft Pro-
lection against ice could be afforded by the
erection of a line of piers across the western
end of the harbor, so MS to break up the
fields of ice into small fragments. The piers
should be formed of iron screw piles, open
under water, so as not to obstruct the tide.
To enable vessels to land cargo or receive
supplies, an iron pier is recommended at
point where the protection Of the breakwater
is most effective, and which happens to be
at point where the deepest water is found
at the shortest distance from the shore.
The engineers above named having ex-
aminod into the expediency of erecting a
pier at Lewes, find that there is q necessity
for it. They report, on the authority OF the
lighthouse keeper, that about 5000 vessels
seek shelter at the Breakwater annually
Many of these vessels arc disabled or have
lost their sails, or are short handed, or short
Of water, fuel. provisions, or oil. Large
numbers of vessels come to this port for Or
ders, when their destination is for the most
profitable market. The report goes on to
detail the difficulties of communicating with
the shore, and the enormous expense Of
supplies under such circumstances. 1t is
stated that $40 has been paid to take out a
cask of water, and $40 for cask of salt
provisions to vessel in the Breakwater.
Two estimates are furnished as to the cost
Of pier. A pier 1900 feet in length, of
stone, resting on iron screw piling, with
timber flooring, bridging, &c, would cost
$l50,000; while one of iron screw piles,
with wooden superstructure, bridging, &C.,
Qnuld he b,llt for al I 4 OO0