Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1886-07-08
Thursday, July 8, 1855.
OUR HARBOR AND THE SOUND.

OUR HARBOR AND THE SOUND.
First Exploration And Chart of Long
Island Sound-DfscOvery of New
Haven HarbOr-Named BY Adrian
Block Rodenburgh.
MENTION OF EARLY VOYAGES.
CONTINUED
AS a perusal of the numerous voyages to
the new world of David Pieterzan de Vries
has added considerable interest, we contrib
uted to this sketch SO much of his journal as
makes mention of our harbor and port in
1885,
''June 4, 1889, went northward from
Manhattan) with yacht up toward the Yer
sche river Connecticut river) where the
West India company possesses small fort
called Hays de Hoop House of Hope), and
anchored about even in the eastern haven, be-
ing a large commodious haven on the north
of Long Island. This haven is in the island
where it is upwards of two miles wide. We
found fine oysters there also. The Dutch
call it Oyster Bay or haven. We arrived the
next day at Roodenberg New Haven, called
by the Dutch Roodenberg, or Red Hills, then
named Quinnipiac,) fine haven, and found
that the English were building a fine. town
and have already erected about three hun
bred houses and handsome church"
He continued his voyage on the 7th of June
to Versche river, and on the 9th following
arrived at the Fort Hays de Hoop, situated
near the river and small creek forming
there fall, where he found one Gigsbert
Van Duck as commander with fourteen or
C ole
town near.
We again find mention of our harbor in the
Journal of John de Late, director of the Dutch
West India company. He was a native
of Antwerp, but had lived at Leyden and
was one of the most distinguished geog-
raphers of his day. Among his publication
is history of the Dutch West India compa-
ny from its beginning to the end of 1886.
On his passage to New Amsterdam, through
Long Island Sound, he seems to have stopped
at the Fresh river perhaps in the year 1886.
He writes: "From Fresh river to another
called the river Roodenberg, (Red hill) it is
twenty-four miles west by north and east by
south. This stream stretches east-northeast
(the reach in the Quinnipiac river between
Stable point and Red rock.-C. H. T. }, and
is about a bow shot wide, being a depth of
about three and a half fathoms (see also
chart of New Haven, 1845) at low water. 1t
Uses anu Hills dDOuU 1eobs duu d SOuII1-
east by south moon causes high
waters at its mouth. The natives who dwell
here called Quiripeys (Quinnipiac). They
take many beavers, but it is necessary for
them to get in the habit of trade, otherwise
they are too indolent to hunt the beaver.
Twelve miles further to the east there lies a
small island (Falkners Island probably,
where good water is to be found (The
spring in Falkner's Island is now just visible
and will soon be obliterated by the encroach-
ment of the sea- And twelve miles beyond
Red Hills there are number of islands, to
which Captain Block gave the name Archi-
pelago (He probably has the Stratford shoal
gether)
He then gives description of his passage
through He'll Gate and arrives in the Great
North river of New Netherland
1t is interesting to note here this first men
ton of the tides in New Haven harbor, and
from observation made recently, the time of
the highest tide has changed but little, as we
have generally the highest spring tides be-
tween two and three days after the new and
full moon, which would give this luminary
about this bearing, and as the tides in our
harbor are an important factor in the move
ments and scour of the port, we will here
make mention of them, the subject being
pertinent to this sketch. "The tides are
caused by the action of the sun and moon
upon the waters of the earth. The effect of
their influence combined at new and full
moon to produce the highest tides, called
spring tides. When the moon is near the
first and third quarter the effects are op-
posed and the small or neap tides are pro-
duced. The nearer the moon is to the earth
the stronger its action. Consequently at the
least distance of the moon (Perigee) the tide
will be larger on that account and conse-
quently less at its greatest distance (Apogee).
For like reason the tide will be slightly in
creased by the suns action when the earth
is nearest to the sun Perihelion), about the
middle of January, and similarly decreased
when furthest from its Aphelion, about July
l. When the moons declination is greatest,
either north or south, the tides usually have
the greatest range of rise or fall. That is, they
rise higher and fall lower than at other
times, and one high water of each day is
higher than the other and one low water
lower than the other. The higher high wa
ter occurs sooner and the lower one
later than at other times. Near the time of
zero destinations in the two high tides of each
day become nearly equal and the times of
their occurrence are near the average ones.
While the range of rise and fall is the least
that occurs, similar but smaller effects follow
the suns change of declination."
This explanation, which is an abridgement
from the United States coast and geodetic
survey tide table, shows conclusively the
causes of the tides, but the movements of
this vast body of sea water in Long Island
Sound into New Haven harbor is affected
often by winds at sea causing the
time of high water to be not always
regular, as the lay of the coast impedes its
movements. For example, after along north
and east blow the tides in the harbors at the
west end of the Sound Cow bay in particu
lar) have been known to rise twelve feet
(mean rise seven feet) backed up as it were by
East river flood, and its force being increased
by winds of great energy shifting southwark
ly after the commencement of the
young flood at Sandy Hook. 1t is a matter
of greatest Importance to the residents of
New Haven on account of sewerage as well
as those interested in the wharves, bridges
and the navigation of the port, the effect Of
this vast body of uncompressable salt water+
ebbing and flowing at unequal
intervals as the known density of sea water |
and it's securing effect on the bottomt Ghe |
fresh water arising to the surface) have been
so often proved. Some observations in the |
Hudson river have shown that sea water |
near the bottom twenty miles above points |
where fresh water has been taken from the |
surface of the river fit to drink. In this
connection it should be considered, the pow
er of this great body from the ocean (hood |
tide) to hold back the surface drainage of /
rivers like the Hudson, Connecticut and our |
own Quinnipiac, and at the same time assist |
it to store its power Ito be used on the ebb /
tide to scour the channeD in reservoirs made /
by nature for its reception. IT'S said, |
and the theory has strong support as care |
full Investigation shows, that a larger volume /
of water passes out of Long Island Sound |
on the ebb via the Race than comes in by the /
same passage on the flood, as those /
skilled in this science and study have /
proved.8
In order to illustrate the tidal movement |
of the tidal wave: It commences with the |
tide flowing westward from an imaginary /
meridian in the deep sea east of the New |
foundland bank, with its crest ranging north |
and south. 1t proceeds westward, but the /
north wing of this tidal wave is retarded by /
friction off the Newfoundland, Nova Scotia /
and Massachusetts coast and banks, giving the |
waves line northwesterly and Southwestern 1
ly projection, and as its south wing pro- /
crosses west with no obstruction on account |
of the deep sea between the Gulf stream and /