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the inconvenience of Table Bay, and the want of an anchorage (5538-5542).

The advantage of extending the breakwater will outweigh any danger that it may cause to ships. Though it blows hard off the land sometimes, there would be room to get to sea, and there would be no danger with proper precautions (5546–5550).

Hout's Bay and Chapman's Bay.-Hout's Bay is a good landing-place, and affords good anchorage to large ships (5534, 5535). The landing at Chapman's Bay is less good, but the movement of troops from there to the interior would be more difficult to oppose (5536, 5537).

Saldanha Bay. Saldanha Bay, about 60 miles from Cape Town, is an excellent harbour, and would hold a large squadron in any weather. The only drawback is the want of water, which can be got over now by condensing (5543-5545).

Sierra Leone. The anchorage at Sierra Leone is very fair, and is easy of access. The objection to a station there is the unhealthiness of the country. The coaling facilities are good (5552-5557). Sierra Leone is perhaps the best place in British territory for a coaling-station between Gibraltar and the Cape (5569).

The Gambia.-The Gambia has a better anchorage, but only 22 feet at high water over the bar. The position of Sierra Leone is better, but the climate of the Gambia is more healthy during nine months of the year, though occasional epidemics of yellow fever are very severe (5558-5564, 5570, 5571).

Dacca-Dacca is an admirable coaling-station, and much more healthy than Sierra Leone or the Gambia. The French are spending a great deal of money there on fortifications.

St. Vincent.-St. Vincent is unquestionably the best place for a coaling-station in this region (5566– 5568).

March 30, 1882.

Sir JOHN COODE, C.E.

Colombo Harbour Works. The original design for the harbour at Colombo included carrying out a breakwater from Mutwal Point, and was estimated to cost 1,360,0007. (5612, 5613). This scheme would have given an area of 683 acres, 500 of which would have had a depth of 26 feet and upwards (5619). The design ultimately decided upon will afford a shel- tered area of 502 acres, and provides for dredging to an extent sufficient to give 255 acres of 26 feet and upwards (5591–5594). This space is sufficient as trade is now, but will not be eventually (5603). An additional area of 105 acres might be obtained by dredging (5621). The greatest depth will be 40 feet. The rise of tide is 2 feet (5609, 5610). There is no tendency to silt (5611).

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South-west Arm.--The portion of the design now in course of execution is the south-west arm, which runs from Custom-house Point in a northerly direc- tion, and is intended to be 4,700 feet long, including the reclamation at the inner end, which extends some 500 feet seawards from the Old Point. This break- water is completed to 3,630 feet from the shore. (5575), and, with favourable weather, will be nearly completed by the end of 1883 (5617). It stands 8 feet above the water (5624), and the depth at the present extremity is 30 feet, of which 10 feet is com- posed of a rubble base, and 20 feet of large concrete blocks, weighing 32 tons each (5577). The break- water rests upon sand, under which is rock. No material injury from weather is to be apprehended 5653-5655). For about 1,320 feet from the shore the breakwater is 50 feet wide, 24 feet forming the sea- wall and 12 feet forming the harbour-wall, with a rubble hearting between (5625). Heavy seas have broken upon the breakwater every south-west mon- soon since the works commenced (5578), but so strong is the work that, in 1879, 600 feet of the sea- wall having been run out without the support of the harbour-wall, the action of the sea caused it to move bodily, pivoting on its inner end, to the extent of

13 inches at the outer end. There has been no move- ment since that time (5624-5627). The maximum settlement has been about a foot in one place (5629).

North Arm-In addition to the south-west arm, a northern arm ought to be constructed, to give shelter during the north-east monsoon. The estimate for the design complete is 910,600-198,0007. for the north arm, and 712,6001. for the south-west arm, the recent progress upon which has been so satisfactory that a considerable saving is likely to be effected. The Ceylon Government say that they cannot spend more than 800,0007. on the harbour, and have decided for the present to execute the south-west arm only. The mercantile community are in favour of the north arm being constructed, as being requisite to give a sufficient amount of shelter to shipping during the transference of goods into boats, a necessary operation for all large vessels, which will always be subject to interruption if the north arm is not constructed (5574, 5580). North winds are rare, but in the absence of the north arm such a wind would wash the sea right up to the jetty, and virtually make the harbour useless, though the anchorage would still be safe. It is only during the prevalence of the north-east monsoon, which blows for six months in the year, that there is any great amount of undulation in the harbour, and shipping operations are not interrupted more than three or four times in the year, for three or four days at a time (5584–5589). Considering the growing trade of Colombo, it is believed that within the next four or five years the construction of the north arm will be a necessity (5581). The ultimate intention is that ships should lie alongside the jetties, which they cannot do now (5582, 5592).

The design provided an opening of 600 feet, which is considered sufficient, between the two arms, but it has been decided that the length of the north arm, if it should be carried out, should be 2,000 feet, 200 feet of the original design being cut off at the south- western, and 300 feet at the eastern end (5579). The north arm would be wasted if it should hereafter prove necessary to adopt the larger scheme (5656– 5658).

Fort on the Breakwater.—The head of the break- water, when finished, would not bear a heavy iron-clad work. The base would have to be extended. This could be provided for if intimation were given, say, within eight to twelve months' time (5652).

Importance of Colombo.—Colombo is becoming an important commercial harbour, and in six months' time will be the only port of Ceylon at which there is any trade (5606). Trade is already practically trans- ferred from Galle to Colombo (5605). The establish- ment of the Peninsular and Oriental Company is about to be moved to Colombo, where a site for a coaling- station has been acquired, and offices are being built. The Messageries Company, the British India Company, and all the other independent Companies now run to Colombo (5595, 5601).

Galle.-Galle, which has hitherto been what Colombo is becoming, is a bad harbour, and in the south-west monsoon affords practically no shelter (5602). All but a small stock of coal will shortly be removed from Galle (5644-5646).

Docks. There have been proposals for a large patent slip at Colombo. There has also been an idea of constructing docks at the Lotus Pond, but there have been apprehensions of evils that might arise from disturbing the mud. The water is shallow, but. there is not less than 35 feet of mud (5632-5639).

Machine Shops.-There is only one foundry at Colombo, and a machine shop belonging to the Railway Department, for such repairs as locomotives would require. There is still less at Galle (5640-5643).

Naval Establishment.-The town is not extending much. The commercial part of Colombo, called "The Fort," occupies nearly the whole area between the seaboard and the neck (5659). A naval establishment could be easily formed on land reclaimed from the harbour. A rubble bank for the purpose of retaining

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