The herald., 1895-06-02

taken advantage OF, as they would be,
fully double the length Of berthing could
be provided for the same outlay. The rel
ative cost of wharves per ship at San
Pedro and Santa Monica would therefore
be respectively as 100 to 200 Com bining
cost of waterway and wharves, the cost
at San Pedro per ship being 100, it
would be III at Santa Monica. with the
advantage in favor of the former place in
regarl to percentage OF ships along
side wharves.
There remains to be considered the
regards shoaling and the facilities for
transportation from the port inland.
There are strong reasons, tbased on both
local and general grounds, that the depth
at the entrance would be permanent.
The jetty between Rattlesnake and
Deadmans islands, south of the groin
is secured clean; no accumulations take
place. The east breakwater is contin-
lation of the line of this jetty, and, if
anything. more favorably exposed to
scour. The present entrance has shown
no tendency to shoa. The continued in
creasing depths that have been obtained
from time to time by the improvements
have been maintained. The proposed
entrance faces the same point OF the COM
pass, and has the advantage OF being in
w fathoms of water. The preponder-
ance of evidence is TO the effect that the
lttoral currents set northwaId. All ma
terial secured out OF the harbor on the
ebb tide would be carried around Point
Firmin. not to return.
The walls Of the outer basin would con-
sttute an artificial extension eastward OF
Point FirmiIi, the south breakwater
being q combination of the general south
shore line OF that point, and the east
breakwater being parallel to its east line.
The situation, therefore. would be one
10. Sou, tl,ar, fnr hno l.
, ing. If the inner channel, on account OF
increased cross section, should no longer
scour clean, the original velocity could be
restoredsby increasing the tidal prism in
Wilmington lagoon by dredging.
A diagram of the new harbor at Bou-
logne, constructed on very sandy coast.
is illustrated In plate No. 2 as an exam
pie of the application of similar methods
OF harbor construction in improving a
lefty entrance, with every advantage IN
favor of the San Pedro proposition less
sand to contend with, two breakwaters i'll
lieu OF three, and the entrance in much
deeper water.
As both breakwaters in the proposed
plan connect with the shore, tresIle OF
barge methods OF construction. or both,
| may be adopted 20 keep down cost.
In the matter Of railroad facilities the
inner harbor is very accessible to Other
| roads IN addition to the two now in occu
| pancy. The grades to Los Angeles are
| lighter than from any other competitive
! point.
1t should perhaps be mentioned tha
| the general map accompanying the re
F; port of the board of 1892, showing thu
| lines of transportation in the country ad
jacent to Santa Monica and San Pedro
BAYS, omits some existing lines leading
to the points ana shows others that do no
exist. rendering the map somewhat mis-
| leading to those not fully familiar will
| the situation.
Within the limits of short paper it i
impossible to do more than briefly toucl
upon the more prominent of the eng
neering features and possibilities of tn
question. Many interesting points hav
been reluctantly passed over.