REPORT ON HARBOUR OF PORTHDYNLLaen.

By Lieut. W. L. Sheringham, R.N., Surveying the Coast of Wales.

Return to an order of the Honourable the House of Commons

dated May 7th, 1838.

IN the Western Morning News of the 24th of September appears the following paragraph:

"Steps are in contemplation in Dublin for opening up a route by which travellers between Dublin and London can secure a greater degree of safety and economy without sacrificing either comfort or time. It is proposed to run a line of steamers from Kingstown or Wicklow to Porthdynllaen in Wales, from whence, vid Shrewsbury, the route is shorter, cheaper, and more interesting than that from Holyhead. Porthdynllaen is only a few miles further than Holyhead from Kingstown, and is only sixty miles from Wicklow."

It was in the early days of railway transit and when changes were occurring, respecting the easiest mode of that transit, that the question of making the Irish packet port for this country at Porthdynllaen instead of Holyhead was seriously considered. A naval officer (Lieutenant now Admiral) Sheringham was directed to survey and report on the subject, and we believe that it was more the effect of party and the already established transit, which saved the mail for Holyhead, than the real merit of that place. But so it was, right or wrong, the Holyhead line was adopted, and things remained in point of place just as they were. In those days we printed Lieutenant Sheringham's report, and as this report may promote the objects in view, as appears by the above paragraph, we here annex it from our volume for 1838.

In the year 1836 we also printed some reasons refuting the reasoning of Mr. William Dawson, which reasons clearly shewed the superiority in position of Porthdynllaen over Holyhead, and which may be useful for reference in another number. Meanwhile here is Lieutenant Sheringham's report.

Copy of a Report on the Harbour of Porthdynllaen, made in pursuance of the Report of the select committee appointed to enquire into the existing communication between London and Dublin, and to consider what improvements could be made therein.

Porthdynllaen, in the south part of Carnarvon Bay, is formed by a narrow rocky projection of the coast from sixty to a hundred feet high, the north extreme point of which bears

Compass.

Geo. Mls.

N.E. by E. Distance 14

In an easterly direction, from above extreme point, Porthdynllaen Bay is about 2,240 yards wide, and its greatest extent at right angles to that line of direction is rather more than 1,000 yards.

The bay is generally clean, with the exception of a large rock, called Carrig-y-Chwislen, which is bold to, and uncovers the last quarter ebb. The dimensions of this rock, are, from east to west, its longest extent one hundred feet; and its breadth, from north to south, about fifty feet. It lies E. by compass from the extreme point above mentioned, leaving a clear sound, with five fathoms depth between it and the point, and distant therefrom 1,280 feet.

The depth of water in Porthdynllaen Bay at low water springs, is four and a half fathoms and over clay, that depth decreasing gradually to the sandy beach which bounds it.

The extent of the bay, at least that portion of it which may be made available for shipping, contains an area of about one hundred and ten or one hundred and fifteen acres, throughout the whole of which space the least water would be two fathoms at low water springs.

The general set of the tide in Porthdynllaen Bay is from the eastward along the eastern shore, and through the sound above-mentioned, continuing at least nine hours of the twelve. In the sound at spring tides the stream has a velocity of about three knots, but in the bay itself little or no tide is felt, vessels riding flood with their heads to the westward, only during the two hours of the tide.

It is high water at Porthdynllaen at eight hours thirty minutes, on full and change days, and the rise at springs is sixteen feet.

On the west side of the bay convenient quays and a pier might be built, where large steam vessels, drawing fifteen feet water, might always lie afloat, to the number of eight or more, provided those quays were protected by a breakwater connected with the abovementioned rock, "Carrig-y-Chwislen :" and so placed with relation to the pier, that a clear channel should be left through the sound for the passage of vessels into and out of the harbour without exposing them to any body of sea. With such protection I have no doubt that vessels lying alongside of the quay would invariably be in smooth

water.

As there would be no backwater or scouring action of the tide, except through to seaward, which would be favourable, there is reason to conclude that the quays would be constantly kept clear from all deposit; a consideration of great weight in the formation of a harbour.

This harbour will be peculiarly easy of access or departure, as the Rivell Mountain would ensure a good land-fall, and from the nature of its approach and its excellent shelter, steam vessels would leave and arrive at their moorings in smooth water, and in stormy weather

they might make a slant out instead of being obliged to stem a heavy breaking sea.

In the event of any accident happening to the engines, the harbour might be regained under canvas.

Having thus described Porthdynllaen, and pointed out its peculiar advantages of approach and departure, its excellent shelter, its clear anchorage, and the facility it affords for the construction of quays and piers, I may venture to give my opinion that it is well calculated for a packet station, and there is no other part on the west coast of Wales which could be so well or so economically adapted to that purpose.

The foregoing advantages must also have great weight, when considering it in the light of a harbour of refuge. The whole coast of Wales included between Milford and Liverpool presents no place of safety for which a vessel in distress can run in bad weather; St. Tudwall's Roads being by no means, under many circumstances a safe roadstead, and all the ports being bar harbours, to be taken only in the day time near the top of high water, and then with some difficulty, if therefore, it be desirable that the trade of St. George's Channel should have a harbour of refuge on this coast, then there is none so well adapted to that purpose as the Bay of Porthdynllaen might be made. It is situated nearly midway between the Smalls Lighthouse and Liverpool; it has an excellent light (Bardsey) within fourteen miles of it on one side, and a second light (the Stack) within twenty-three miles of it on the other side; it has an approach perfectly free from shoals of any kind, and the adjacent mountains being the most remarkable in North Wales, would serve as infallible marks to point it out.

As vessels navigating this channel usually draw under fifteen or sixteen feet, ample room might be found in Porthdynllaen by a judicious harbour-master for ten large vessels, while the smaller ones, such as the ordinary class of coasters, might either be anchored further in shore, a portion of the Bay being set apart for that purpose, or they might take the ground in perfect safety.

As a refuge harbour, however, it would only serve on a small scale; yet though not calculated for the reception or rendezvous of a very large number of vessels, there is no other place on this coast possessing similar advantages. It has also been urged against Porthdynllaen as a refuge harbour, that it is too deeply seated in Carnarvon Bay; but such a condition appears to me in its favour, as it is more likely to meet the necessities of distressed ships, and it is not so deeply embayed as to prevent them from resuming their voyage with facility when required.

Porthdynllaen even in its present state affords shelter to the coasters in most weathers; it is open only to winds from north to east; these winds do not bring with them a heavy sea, having a drift only of twenty-three miles and several shallow banks break its force from that quarter.

The heaviest sea brought into Porthdynllaen is by winds from W.N.W. to N.N.W., against the effects of which it is absolutely

necessary to guard; this however, would be effectually done by means of the pier and breakwater above alluded to, if properly constructed and judiciously placed by a good engineer.

(Signed) W. L. SHERINGHAM, Lieut. R.N., and Surveyor.

ANOTHER BIT OF A SAILOR'S MIND.*-Bit the Second.

THE law as to what vessels may take passengers as a short ship (say three to one hundred tons) is in a very doubtful position. Neither magistrates, collectors, shipping masters, or consuls, are agreed on the subject.

A new round has lately been taken by sailing vessels, forced out of the Indian trade by the Suez Canal; viz., coals to South America, and guano to a French port, where as the detention is long the crews are discharged, and while they have cash apply to a return screw collier for a cheap passage. This the Board of Trade tries to stop in its great solicitude for the sailors' welfare, I suppose. For after he has run through all his money and becomes penniless and diseased, the same steamer must take him home by a consul's order, at the low price of two or three shillings at most, but as it will cost twice the money in cab-hire to obtain it, it is generally left alone.

Why the steamer that is obliged to carry the pauper sailor is not allowed to carry him when he can pay his passage is more than "a fellow" can understand. There is no Board of Trade survey boat on the station alluded to. I don't see it at all likely Board of Trade certificates for passengers will become general in cargo steamers, not on the score of expense but of humbug and detention. Reasonable men would think the best inspection would be a sea passage or trial trip instead of a few days' detention every six months.

The donkey boiler now becoming general in sailing vessels, is as dangerous to the few passengers they may carry, as the larger boiler of a steamer, particularly as they have no regular engineer in charge.

The absurdity of condemning the steamboat captain to solitary confinement while at sea, and the cruelty inflicted on some of Her Majesty's subjects was exemplified in the late rising in Spain. When a town was put under martial law, a steamer was about leaving for England, and the wives and children of some English wanted to get out of the danger. They could hardly be made to believe that any English law is so cruel as to prevent them embarking. A German going to join the army, when told to go through France, took a sight at his informant, and coolly stowed himself away until the steamer was outside.

Foreign boats with no Board of Trade certificates have now the monopoly of the passenger traffic, and this is called free trade in these days.

*For Bit the First see page 393.

I note that an unfortunate mate of a ship has penal servitude for enforcing discipline with his revolver. Probably he had to control some fifteen to twenty men, each armed with a butcher's knife in a sheath; possibly he quelled an incipient mutiny. Had Nelson lived in our time and been in the merchant navy, he would have served more than half his time on the treadmill, as he stood no nonsense from his sailors. Ships commanded by all hands are not safe, and only pleasant to the cock of the forecastle and bully of the mess, who seems to be having his day just now in our merchant navy, for imprisonment only makes them worse!

The sailor is the only subject of Her Majesty that gets many weeks in jail for oversleeping himself, being caught in the trap the law lays for him, by pretending to ship him miles away from the ship. Given the number of public houses between the shipping office and the ship, and it can be easily calculated the probability of Jack turning up at his time, and the state of beer he is likely to be in, for what he calls sailing trim.

When a sailor misses his ship instead of making another jailbird, the government should pay the amount of his advance note, and take him into their own service for some time. This would teach him cleanliness and naval discipline, both of which our merchant sailors have the greatest horror of. I am sorry to see this in a late publication, all about ships and sailors is likely to last. I should prefer a man having to work out his hundred pound fine in the same way, instead of six months in jail, for smuggling a few ounces of pigtail for his own use. "Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn," which when found make a note of saith