New geographies . ll is called a breakwater(Fig. 66), because it breaks theforce of the waves and preventsthem from entering the spacebehind. It often happens that har-bors are not as deep as theyneed to be. The vessels nowused are much larger and sinkdeeper into the water than thoseformerly used. On that accountmany harbors that were oncedeep enough are now too shal-low. All the time, too, thewaves and tides are bringing Fig. 65. — Rio Janeiro harbor. opening large enough forvessels to enter easily, butsmall enough to shut outmost of the fierce waves. Ifthe water is deep, as is oftenthe case,
New geographies . ll is called a breakwater(Fig. 66), because it breaks theforce of the waves and preventsthem from entering the spacebehind. It often happens that har-bors are not as deep as theyneed to be. The vessels nowused are much larger and sinkdeeper into the water than thoseformerly used. On that accountmany harbors that were oncedeep enough are now too shal-low. All the time, too, thewaves and tides are bringing Fig. 65. — Rio Janeiro harbor. opening large enough forvessels to enter easily, butsmall enough to shut outmost of the fierce waves. Ifthe water is deep, as is oftenthe case, such a small baymakes a fine harbor (); that is, a place wherevessels may enter and beprotected from storms andwaves. For the purpose of load-ing and unloading ships, piers of woodor stone, called loharves, are built fromthe shores of the harbor out into thedeep water. Even large vessels can befirmly fastened, or moored, to thesewharves, and wagons can be drawn outon them close to the side of the Fig. 6B. — Breakwaters built at Chicago to form a harbor where ships maybe safe from the waves. sediment that settles in the harbors, slowlyfilling them up. Vast sums of money have to be spent, there-fore, in deepening harbors. The loose sandand mud are scraped out by dredges; but whenthe bottom is solid rock, it has to be blastedout. This work is of so great importance toso many people, that the United States govern- LAND, WATER, AND AIR 51
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectgeography, bookyear19
