MR HARDING'S HARBOR SCHEME.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3792, 10 September 1883, Page 3

MR HARDING'S HARBOR SCHEME.

("To the Editor ok the Daily Telegraph.] Sir,—ln your leader of this evening's issue you havo drawn attention to Mr Josiah Harding's letter some four years ago, in which he suggests the utilization of our enemy, the travelling shingle, for the formation of a breakwater. He points out that this is not a new plan of his own, but that it has been carried out with success at tho port of Galveston. That port, I scarcely need to mention, is the principal outlet for tho large state of Texas, more than twice tho size of all New Zealand. Tho importance of Galveston may be judged from the fact that it is now rivalling New Orleans, which it is expected to surpass in a few years. If it can be proved that the natural circumstances of Galveston are similar to those of Napier, wo have the right to infer that similar works will have tho same result here. That the configuration of the country about Galveston hears the most striking likeness to that about Napier you will see by tho enclosed plan of Galveston, published by tho United States Coast Survey Department, You will note there our Eastern and Western Spit, our Iron Pot, Maori and Gough Islands, tho inner lagoon to Petane and Park's Island, and even the Wharcomaraenui lagoon. Nature has evidently reproduced herself, propelled by similar forces and under like agencies. There appears, therefore, no doubt that obstructions similar to those at Galveston placed in tho way of tho travelling shingle at the Bluff will form gradually a sheltering beach or breakwater, similar to that formed at Galveston. The points of difference, to judge from the plan, are principally there, that everything about Galveston is on a much larger scale, cable lengths hero represent miles there, and our slow current from tho South is represented there by the faster Gulf stream, but the silt thoro is, I believe, much finer than our shingle. I infer this from the fact that along the coast of Florida, thoro is only very fine sand. Mr Harding rightly points out that- the trapping of tho shingle at the Bluff will have the effect of preventing the silting up of our present works, so that, while assisted Nature forms our breakwater, the present entrance will not only remain, but it must gradually improvo by "the current to tho original depth of 15 feet. Mr Harding's suggestion is deserving of tho most earnest consideration of our Harbor Board, but I must admit that I share your doubts, whether such an inexpensive scheme will readily find favor with our fellow-citizens. It will require on our part some .self-denial to expend for ten or perhaps twenty years annually some £4000, which give us in the meantime no other benefit than that of protecting the present works, but I feel confident that, in the event of the scheme obtaining the approval of competent authorities, it will gain adherents every day. I have given the wide margin of ten years, as it is impossible to state tho quantity of shingle that will bo discharged annually by the Tuki Tuki. Tho process of forming the shingle trap described by Mr Harding as having been employed at Galveston is very simple", in fact it is identical with that employed hero in running out a 200 ft groin to test the question of travelling shingle in 1875.—1 am, &c, Charles Weber. Napier, September 8, 18S3. [Mr Weber has kindly left the plan of Galveston harbor with ns, and its resemblance to our harbor hero is so strikingthat it might easily be mistaken for Napier. —Ed. D.T.]