Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-02-15
Break waser as santa Monica.

lOfAucuC0 III akiabS tb5 tho h'P
of Southern California has doubt
less had special views of its own;
but, to finite intelligence, there
are certain features of the marine
and geographical programme
which, for the immediate present,
might have been ordered different
ly to advantage. If the harbor of
San Diego were lying Immediately
In front of the unsurpassed farming
section known as Los Angeles
county, or, if the splendid agricul-
tural lands of Los Angeles county
aligned and laid back of the unsur-
passed bay of San Diego, much
more rapid growth Of every kind
would be assured to Southern Cali
fornia. However, we have the
lands-lands unequaled in vari-
ETY. of production and fertility-and
while we do not pretend to have a
harbor equal to the beautiful
spread of waters known as the bay
of San Diego, we have, neverthe-
less, q number of convenient road
steads, such as the anchorage OF
Wilmington, the bay and wharf at
Santa Monica and Newport and
Anaheim Landings. Wilmington,
owing to government OUTLAWS, ex-
pended on the breakwater, is rap
idly assuming the character of a
secure refuge for vessels of average
tonnage. Santa Monica can be
easily made, by the construction of
q comparatively inexpensive break
water, a splendid port. Even as it
is, Santa Monica, for three hundred
and fifty out of the three hundred
and sixty-five days of the year,
with her wharf, would serve every
purpose of commerce. Our readers
will probably recall Hon. Tom
Fitch's theory of submerged
breakwater at that point. Lieut..
Commander Taylor, of the Hassler,
who surveyed the bay of
Santa Monica infinitely, confirms
Mr.. Fitch's theory and mentions
the expediency of building
breakwater there, at comparative
ly small outlay, which will make
Santa Monica superb harbor.
When we consider that, from Cape
Mendocino to the Mexican line,
there are but two natural harbors-
San Francisco and San Diego-and
that, on the Atlantic Coast, in the
same distance, natural harbors
abound by the score, the govern
ment of the United States, whose
people have profited by coin pro-
duction of the Pacific Coast which
exceeds the sum total of the ma
tional debt, should construct at
least one artificial harbor. The
forces of nature and a slight addi-
tional appropriation from Congress
will complete the work at Will
mington harbor. That port will
serve an excellent purpose. But
when it is considered that the
Cajon and San Gorgonio Passes
open on the magnificent Los An
geles valley, and point straight to
the ocean at Santa Monica, provis-
ion should be made for an enor-
NOUS commerce in the future, to
which the nations of the stored
orient will contribute largely. A
few millions spent in making San
ia Monica q reliable harbor would
be well expended, considering that
we can't move Los Angeles county
down to the bay of San Diego, nor
the bay of San Diego up to Los
Angeles county. Citizens of Los
Angeles, who desire to see their
own city remain, what it unques-
tionably is now, the metropolis Of
Southern California, should favor
such a movement.
AS germane to the subject of
which we are now treating, and
which we have treated before, we
quote and adopt the following ex-
cellent reflections from the Santa
Monica Outlook, of February 18th:
In times past some over-zealous
friends of this place started out
with the declaration that Santa
Monica bay was q "harbor." 1t is
n term we never used, because we
knew it was not true. Yet it is q
fact that this is an excellent land
ing-perhaps the best roadstead on
the coast. We are justified in this
declaration because our wharf is
one of the few that recently passed
through seas which swept away
similar structures all the way from
this point to San Francisco. We
have also often heard the feasibil-
ity and Importance of constructing
a bfeakwater here, privately dis
cussed, but, as yet, it has received
but little more than mere mention
publicly.
The advantages of this improve
ment have gradually taken hold of
the minds of men OF judgment and
observation, until it is being men,
toned even at the Capitol of the
nation. Lieut.. III. C. Taylor, who
is now in Washington, it will be
remembered, was In command of
the United States Coast Survey
Steamer Hassler, about u year ago,
making thorough survey of Santa
Monica bay. Having spent seve-
raj months here, he had ample
time to carefully note the advanta-
Ves of this DOint as n mort and com