Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-07-25
THE BRzAKwArER
&c Has Outiived Eis Usefulness and
~ T"sg On. ~ Mes dcd.


&c Has OUtiived Els Usefulness and
~ N"sy On.. ~ Ne, dcd.
Philadelphia Press, Monday.
Lieutenant Conway, chief of the hydro.
graphic office ipi this city, stood in the
Maritime Exabapge the other day pour
ing over maps ON Delaware bay near the
ereakwater, He' bad compass, pencil
and rule with him aud he WAS sketohing
roughly on the MACS the location of an
other breakwater mfle or more to the
north of the present one. where the deep
water anchorage now is and where, il sucn
shield should be put mp, of which there
is little proba aility at prAsent, the large
vessels uf commerce might sadly seek n
re uge. The present Breakwater is only
dc for small vessels ami is practically out
Of date.
1h- matter is the outerowth OF con
ference at the Maritime Exchange on
Thursday of those interested ia sh ppiug
in this city Among those present we're
Pr. s,dent Broekie of the Msrirms Elk
change; Pn'lip FtzpNrck, Wee presi-
dent OF the Escha g.; Ltsutsuaut.soton 81
Henry Robert, UW..d States engin -er IN
charge OF the ID l4ware riv-r improve
ments; Assistant Engineer schermerh orn;
Ftank L. Nsa of Peter Wngnt & Sous;
William May Of Jonathan May ~ Sons:
William P att, Jr., of the Moth America
Marine In'urauce Cimpany; Lieuten mt
Conway, United States Navy. Of hydro
graphic Off 70; Secretary Sherwood, Captain
Asher Hudson and Pilots Long and Ola IL .
pitt. It was thought wise to ASK the
pilots so that explanation could be made
OF the difficulties In eating behind
the present break water, 1t was shown
that the water is only from 10 70 81 feet
deep bshind the present wall aud that
the place where the deepest d Sucas are is
very small and at the western end of the
structure 1t /, practical y impossible
for vessels drawing over 20 feet to Hnd
anchorage there. Ii was q 80 snowl tn II,
whils the breakwater was al excellent
shield In its way and fnlly ans werei the
purpose of Shipping SO years ago, it WAS
practically cut OF date for the large sh,p
ping If the present dav. AZ q cous,.
quence vessels seeking nharbor OF refu "a
anchor At the shosi known ss ths Shears,
a mile or more to the north OF the Break
water, where tue wafer is from. 81 to 40
fest deep
Coloael Robert pointed ont the fact
that to make ih's sa g az q pr t-cted m
chor+ge vonld rtqnre another ore9k
water, oding tTon S5,tMO COO tn
$4,000 900 IL wuuli 'sco tue east and
would protect vess-ia b.hind 1t rom the
downward sw, ep of nor bern and eastern
storms, Vhils tue force of storms from
tho tonth. asst you'd he broken by Cape
Henloptn itself 1t WAS held that the
present bfeAkwat'r cuu Ill b. us 4
for small vessels The engineering uiil
Gu ties for tuo1 mass won d ha enu
nous. II would have to bs nj L. and
y half long, with ona arm in ting off ~
tire west At tn. northern end 10 kaep thp
ica from ru4hing down on We asts al
anchor BEHIND su n vail the lsrves,
steamers conld anconr, and there wool
bs thoronGh refuge for all shipping
that m,Rnt want to yet near shore, with
t.lagraphc communi alton AMI asi BE-
near thu ocean, 81 AS u pnt out rapid
when fog or storm tad caas j..
IL wa not decId that tbs present
| break RatAr was failure as wa printed,
INT the pilots showed that il was Impos
s'nle to bring the large v-sSsls trom an
d rs p'o,eo'ion as the N ionai b lard
Of Unoersriiers Euggesttd The water
hpB IN, aled nsiierably h,h nd The
hrAhkw4ter. There the conference ended
and The mater VAS DE- 'ppsi.