The herald., 1894-05-27
SANTA MONICA HARBOR.
A MASTER MARINERS OPINION OF
PORT LOS ANGELES.
The Ocean in Nasty Weather and the
Safety of the Big wharf-Plain
Language by = Plain
Man.

The following opinion of Port Los
Angeles lie taken from an exchange:
On my first stay slongside the Port
Los Angeles wharf was repeatedly in
terviewed and requested to give an &C.
count of my experience while discharg-
ing cargo of coal onto the wharf. At
that time I considered it premature.
Now, however. having seen it at its
best, and may say its worst, do not
hesitate to give an unprejudIced opinion,
and one which l trust will help to con-
tradict erroneous impressions circulated
far and wide about the safety OF the
wharf for shipping. THESE reports have
appeared IN the press at remote shipping
centers, and not only tend to injure the
port, but also the surrounding country.
Every shipper knows that water freight
10 cheaper, and the sooner produce
reaches an ocean shipping point the
better for both farmer and consumer.
The ports on this coast are few and
far between, and when an effort Is made
to create a harbOr, so advantageous to
the country at large, it is but poor re.
turn to the projectors to misrepresent
their advantages, or TO use plain IAN
guage, lie about them. 1t ls useless to
speak OF the wharf as a structure. In
strength and design it undoubtedly has
no equal, but its GROWING success lies
in the site chosen and the angle at
which it is built, and to the builders and
designers the greatest prsise is due. AZ
to benefits, the psopie of the entire coast
have Ga yet seen only few of them that
M i'll ha n "a vAA frnrn tho lnCa tiOn nj fhQ
wharf.
Daring my second visit, April 26th to
Goth inclusive, I experienced weather
which was pronounced by competent
residents In this vicinity to be the
heaviest eince the wharf was built.
Early on the morning of April 10Th it
commenced blowing, the wind grauislly
increasing toward noon to a moderate
gale. There was of course Swell on,
yet the sea did not rise anything In COM
parison to what it would in the open,
and to what it did at points to the
southwark of the wharf. In fact, at a
distance of a couple OF miles, the sea was
running quite high. and at Redondo, for
example, the Pacific coast steamshi
Santa Rosa could not make her usual
stay, but came on and made as fine
landing as ever | saw, all and all and
laid out her usual time.
Meanwhile the WELLINGTON continued
discharging all day and landed upward
of 800 tons of coal. As matter OF
course every precaution WAS taken IN
having extra lines ready for use, but the
steamer lay quite easily. Any vessel
could have tied up there with safety
and handled the most fragile freight.
To me it appears that the building OF
this wharf is preparatory to the estao-
lishment OF an ocean roadstead second
to none on this coast.
The Santa Barbara channel has been
chosen by experts sent out TO test and
speed the feet of warships built at
San Francisco as the most favorable,
and the question Of building break
water at this wharf. suitable as it Is,
but a lew miles from the ocean race
track, changes it's complexion entirely,
when one considers what national
boon such a roadstead would be to the
feet.
Our warships must not be cooped up
in inner harbors, but should lay in
safe roadstead, with good anchorage.
roomy sheet of water to maneuver in and
quick coaling facilities, and no bar to
give delay. All these qualifications are
The whole white squadron could lay
behind such breakwater, the crews
enjoying q climate uneqnaled in the
world.
There is no question but that this site
is the only one worthy of consideration
on this coast, and the most prejudiced
cannot but see it. All petty thoughts
and feelings for or by those who may
hope to derive benefit from such an I'M
dertaking should be lost sight OF entire
ly, and go cease to deviats those from
their purpose of carrying 1t into effect,
and thus give to the nation rendezvous
on this coast second to none In the
world, as well as commodious harbor
for merchantmen.
Undoubtedly the Port Los Angeles
wharf is a success, and the projected
roadstead must come in the near future
at this point. COLIN SALMoND,
Master steamship Wellington.