37
within the temporary casing
- structure or foundation
of
ent
rich Portland Cement Concrete, deposited in mass, should be laid to a horizontal bed to just above low water mark, and finished with a surface to receive the Granite Ashlar intended to form the face of the Wall.
The making of the courses of the Granite Ashlar of uniform thicknesses and lengths throughout the face would, I consider, be equally good, and certainly less expensive, if the same courses were adopted and in the blocks comprising the work.
Moreover, it would be better if the blocks were laid "header and stretcher" in alternate courses, rather than in the manner shown on the Section.
I am not aware whether the Wall, or any part of its length, cut hereafter, would be subject to Craft lying alongside of it, in a position to judge whether the action.
I am not sure it might not be advantageous to construct the superstructure of this Wall with Concrete blocks formed "in situ", both instead of with Granite Ashlars partly in Granite face.
I would recommend the omission of the iron cramps and the so-called "dovetailing" of the Coping, substituting grout-nicks in the lower courses, and diagonal joggles for the coping course.
I cannot ascertain from the papers whether there would be any material interference with the Roadway if the Wall were raised to a greater height above high water mark than is now proposed, viz. 1ft 6ins; this want of height would seem to jeopardize the safety of the Wall.
The Coating of Concrete should extend back for a width of not less than 25 feet from the front edge of the Coping, and should abut solidly against the back of the Coping Course -- not tapered off as shown; the top of the coping should be "weathered" off to correspond with the slope of the Concrete surface.
If the "rocky bottom" on which the wall is to be founded is sound throughout its length, I see no advantage - but rather otherwise - in placing boulders at the toe of the wall, or founding it in the manner I have hereinbefore recommended.
With respect to those portions of the sea frontage along which there is reason to believe that future reclamations will be made in consequence of the anticipated silting up of the foreshore,
where it has been proposed to repair the existing Walls, I regret that the information at present available here is quite insufficient to enable me to suggest any equally efficient and less costly method for effecting the desired object so far as regards this portion of the work than that proposed by the Surveyor General.