The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-11
favorable for transportation by every pracacab.s

method.
A HARB0R INSTEAD OF RoADsrsAD.
the area gained wsuld be all first class anchor.
age; Ia other words, i the harbor has now, a.
Of - acres It viii contain 0H within the
s wSs. Aye P1o aSnAr Ssss
roadstead to secure harbor. Unlike the situs-
ton OF most Of the great breakwaters of Europe
tucket Sound, where NO ocean swell heaves in,
and where the action of q short running sea needs
the breakwater secure; and as the direction Of
exposure and Of violent storm waves is only nom
sae ps % SSs %
favors its resisting power in its own stability and
In breaking up running sea- the northerly open.
mile In width between the point Of the West Cheq
and the nOrthwesterly end OF the breakwater.
Outside Of the eighteen ee re rse E
southern opening will be longer entrance, with
width from shore to breakwater OF about hali =
mle-Outslde the eighteen feet line about one-third
OF mile, or, say, /, 500 feet. These widths, with
lights either chop ut either end of the break
in the darkest night This distance from the island
shore gives ample room for tidal circulation both
In preventing the accumulation OF ice or drift de-
essential to the successful accomplishment Of the
scheme OF the Improvement
THE NAUsErr BEACH.
The The Nausett Beach, which Is strip OF outlying
sands parallel TO the main shore, has been fer
breaking up in front Of tie town Of Chatham the
changes since 1871, especially, have been Import
movements OF the beaches and shoals at the en-.
trance Of Nantucket Sound, where some Of the
channels have recently undergone. great changes.
Professor Mitchells report shows that the literal
Gordon OF sand which acts as buwark to this
part Of Cape Cod has, at least once before, broken
suffered very little from the attacks Of the sea be-
tween 1905 and 1S47 The Mlnot's gale Of 1851 made
Island and stSer pasture lands fell prey to the
sea- The gale OF 1871 also tore the borders OF these
uplands. Near the lighthouse the brow Of the
bluff has fallen back hundred feet within few
months The report furnishes table OF areas Of
the beach in front OF Chatham from surveys Of
1847, 1868 and 1872, from which 1t appears that be-
tween the rst two dates loss OF sixty three per
cent took place, and nearly 0ne-half or the re-
mainder Of the SECTION !3 disappeared between tho
going on about Chatham the peninsula or island Of
MOnOmoy has been extending itself southwark into
dry land to the point within fifteen years. Profess
sor Mitchell predicts that new light and grand
o w Du sns
in this vicinity. The results OF the photographic
survey Of the shoals and channels of MonomOy are
not yet In such shape that safe conclusions as ts
the amount OF change can be stated This work
will be continued another season.
NANTUCKET HARBOR AND THE HAUL0vER.
The opening OF . passage way from Nantucket
harbor to the sea through the beach known as the
a a this en
creation OF the sea- was formed prior to the exist
ence OF Great Point and Coatoe which encloses the
harbOr, and that the tidal conditions are SO
changed that there Is reasonable ground for sup
posing that the tidal currents will maintain an
inlet Intelligent citizens or Nantucket hold the
opinion that the Haulover beach was remnant OF
the drift formation and not a creation OF the sea,
ana ole ws 9d as OF me
years. The outer face had been worn away and
the beach made narrower.
FORMATION OF MONOMOY.
Upon Des Barrie's map OF 1764 MonOmoy appears
as peninsula, extending southwark from the main
land. The theory OF the Coast Survey now Is that
MOnomoy Is q projection Of the literal Gordon and
has evidently been built OF material torn from the
Cape shore and its seward approving, under the
attacks Of q northeast sea, and Is therefore very
angular shoal or dry nat upon Champlain's maps.
English Coast Pilot as q long and broad island, and
in the sailing directions 1t Is said to lie from tho
tan OF tne apSas nine baf s...
(rrue), eleven and three-Quarter miles from tho
same place. As no part Of Menomoy could be seen
from the Horseshoe, and as the distance was mat
ter OF longitude, 1t ts not remarkable that the est
mate should be very wild. Since 1858 Monomoy has
Sound, the point moving out It the rate Of 1883 feet
per annum between 1858 and 1856, and l57 feet per
annum between 1855 and 1868. Like Sandy Hook,
q similar formation at the mouth Of New YORK
harbOr, this peninsula of Monomoy seems to have
made alternately various-changes IN its progress
was considered very valuable harbOr OF refuge.
"A POPULAR LEGEND.
island which lay VP out to sea of Chatham Which de-
serves mention in this correspondence. 1t runs
thus:-When the English hrst settled upon cape
Cod there was an island on Chatham, three leagues
distant, called Webb's Island containing twenty
acres, covered with red cedar or savn. The in
habitants Of Nantucket used to carry wood from
1t. This island has been wholly washed away
for almost q century. A large rock that was
upon the island, and which settled as the earth
much above the bottom Of the sea 1t used to rise
above the surface Of the ground, The water Is six
fathoms deep on this spot. The English C0dse
Pilot, 1907, has q map OF Nantucket Sound and
Shoals, which contains the name OF "Webbs
Island" extending nom the fats below Chatham
Ne island Is represented or any sh0al
ground except the nats aforesaid. There
No mention IS made oft in the sailing directions.
called ..Seale islands, on this chart which do not
exist but whose sites dangerous shoals to-day.
Champlain's map OF "Nouvele Franse" does noe
give this island, although his officers made two
trips down the coast Of Cape Cod, and on the sec
0nd passed this place league and half on shore.
These officers speak OF MonOmOy and other shoals,
but do not mention what, II 1t had existed, would
In We been renresen ted nv them aS q terror.