CO129-333 - Governor Nathan - 1906 [1-4] — Page 67

Your Excellency,

Enclosure he

I be no

RECO

48685

R 10 FEB 06!

The only thing that appears to me to call

for observation is the depth of water, in respect to approaches

alongside.

To vessels of the deep draught, it is con-

-templated may lay at the wharves the Western haroour entrance is

practically a closed door, but even if the eastern entrance is

used 36' is about the 11mit of water they should draw unless of

course the vessels are tired to come and go at high water. Again

should vessels of the "Minnesota" class load fully up there would

be no room to them in the harbour after leaving the deep water

berths.

2.

The vessels of deep draught that have de-

-termined the present proposal for a 40' depth are all under the

American flag - and it is a question as to whether this con-

-siderable depth of water right not be reduced say to the origin-

-al proposal of 38' unless it can be shewn:-

That these few ships are likely to make any appreciable difference to the trade:

(1).

(2).

and whether they would use the wharves under the foregoing considerations.

3.

I would emphasize the fact of their being

few in number as I cannot think the mammoth shios mentioned wili

have a following. The tendency in ship-building is to have large

size vessels with as light draught as possible. Our own vessels

rarely exceed 28' nor do I think they are likely to do so.

In respect to the eastern harbour approach,

4.

I think provision should of made to level Belcher ridge to say

fathons. The only passage for deep draught vessels is oetge ridge and the Cust mocks which will disappear when the south- -Mastermost

7

this

this