A Treatise On The Principles And Practice Of Harbour Engineering

INTRODUCTORY 7 the difficulties of the situation, it is obviously impossible to look to them for the requisite outlay, and the principle of state subvention is now, indeed, fully recognised by the Board of Trade in all instances where little local communities are desirous of extending their accommodation within approved limits. In making these grants1 it has been stated that “it is regarded as essential that of the total cost required for construction, at least two-thirds should be provided from local or outside sources, and that the contribution from the exchequer should in no case exceed the remaining third.” The action of the Committee lias been limited “ to the case of harbours serving, or likely to develop, a large fishing district either as points of departure and landing for the fleet, or as providing refuge on parts of the coast, where the nearest existing harbour is so distant as to destroy the value of fishing grounds which produce a good harvest of fish.” Taking the British Isles as a whole, there are something like 130 to 140 of these fishing centres distributed among Ireland, England (including Wales) and Scotland respectively, very closely in the proportion of 1, 2, 3. These harbours provide slieltered areas of water ranging from 2 or 3 acres upwards, though a very large proportion of them are under 10 acres. They are, therefore, individually small, but as already stated, since no inconsiderable proportion of the population derive their livelihood from connection with them, their importance is not to be gauged by size alone. The commercial ports of this country are less numerous. They number about a score, and the accommodation they provide is largely in the form of docks and inclosed basins of considérable area, both individually and collectively. National harbours of refuge and for naval purposes are still fewer in number. The areas inclosed, however, are correspondingly larger and attain to as much as 500 and 600 acres a-piece, and even more. Here our subject leads us on from general observations to an organised investigation of the principles of harbour design, which we can deal with to better effect in another chapter. 1 The following is a list of grants which have already been sanctioned up to the time of writing :— Port Knockie, Banffshire 1899 £15,000 Craigenroon, do Pwllheli, Carnarvonshire 1899 15,000 1901 22,500 Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire 1902 15,000 Macduff, Banffshire . 1904 . 2,000 Peterhead, Aberdeenshire . 1904 28,000 Lerwick, Shetland Islands . 1904 4,500 Mevagissey, Cornwall. 1904 2,000 Wick, Caithness. 1905 20,000 Southwold, Suffolk 1905 15,000 Whitby, Yorkshire 1907 24,400 Scarborough, do. 1907 6,000